Engage Youth - A Discussion Paper on Meaningful Youth Engagement

For this discussion paper, Women Deliver reviewed numerous organizations’ operational definitions of meaningful youth engagement and participation and theoretical and conceptual frameworks. Collating various elements of these sources, Women Deliver defines meaningful youth engagement in the following terms: Meaningful youth engagement is a participatory process in which young people’s ideas, expertise, experiences,  and perspectives are integrated throughout programmatic, policy, and institutional decision-making structures to best inform outcomes. This process requires young people to be involved in all levels and stages of program, policy, campaign, and initiative development, including all stages of design, implementation, and evaluation; this is especially true of those programs that directly affect their lives. This participation and engagement must be supported by access to accurate and youth-friendly information, meaningful decision-making mechanisms, and fully integrated accountability mechanisms from stakeholders. This also includes the integration of diverse perspectives and populations in decision-making, especially from those who are most marginalized.