Objective

1. Youth Engagement in Governance: Conduct educational workshops at the upazila level in Bangladesh to promote youth participation in governance processes.
2. Enhance Civic Understanding: Improve comprehension among youth regarding civic responsibility, social accountability, governance, and civic leadership.
3. Support Youth-Led Initiatives: Enable and support initiatives led by youth aimed at enhancing civic development and ensuring accountable governance in local communities.

Project Summary

In Bangladesh, the youth make up a significant portion of the population, but their participation in the political process has historically been limited. Despite their potential to shape the future of the country, many young people feel disconnected from politics and the electoral process due to distrust in governance systems and a lack of understanding about the significance of voting. The JAAGO Foundation is addressing this issue through a comprehensive project that aims to re-engage the youth in the democratic process, particularly in the 2024 National Election.

This project builds on JAAGO’s earlier efforts in promoting civic education and democracy across all 64 districts of Bangladesh. In previous years, JAAGO sensitized thousands of young people to the importance of citizenship rights, governance, and electoral participation. As a result, many of these youths are now voters who are eligible to participate in the upcoming national election. The project’s goal is to encourage these youths, as well as others, to exercise their right to vote, engage in civic discussions, and actively contribute to the democratic process. The initiative is entirely youth-focused, youth-led, and designed to be relevant to the current political and social climate.

Prior to the 2024 National Election, the project organised a series of training workshops at both the divisional and district levels. These workshops involved over 1,400 youth participants from all regions of the country, providing them with the knowledge and skills they need to become advocates for voting and democratic participation in their communities. The workshops emphasized the critical role that youth play in shaping the future of the country through their engagement in elections and governance. Participants were trained in areas such as governance, democratic rights, and the importance of voting, equipping them with the tools to lead community campaigns promoting voter turnout.

Following the workshops, the trained youth leaders returned to their communities to conduct localized awareness campaigns under the theme “My Voice, My Choice.” These campaigns engaged local communities in discussions about the importance of voting and included various community-based activities aimed at promoting greater participation in the election. The youth leaders also be responsible for designing and implementing campaigns that are tailored to the unique political and social contexts of their districts. To further amplify the message, the JAAGO Foundation ran a parallel social media campaign, sharing videos, posts, and youth perspectives to reach a broader audience. The campaign involved the creation of five promotional videos, 80 social media posts, and a song that be shared across various platforms to raise awareness about the importance of voting.

Following the 2024 election, intensive master training on Civic Education for selected youth across Bangladesh’s eight divisions are conducted. These master trainers, representing their districts, lead workshops in 125 Upazilas, engaging 25 to 30 youths per session to ensure widespread dissemination of civic education. Participants, selected through an online process, receive training on governance, civic rights, accountability, and leadership. They then collaboratively design and implement Community Action Projects at the grassroots level, supported by seed funding, to raise awareness and foster civic engagement in their localities.

Overall, this project is dedicated to empowering Bangladesh’s youth to take an active role in their country’s democracy. By providing them with the knowledge, skills, and platforms to engage in the electoral process, the project seeks to create a generation of informed and empowered young people who can contribute meaningfully to Bangladesh’s democratic future. Through the combination of training, community mobilization, social media outreach, and post-election dialogues, the project aims to create a lasting impact on youth civic engagement and democratic participation in Bangladesh.