Tuesday, 12 July 2022

12pm Washington D.C.
5pm London / Kinshasa 
6pm Paris / Cape Town / Cairo 
7pm Nairobi

Africa has no shortage of crusading youth activists who are fighting for freedom and justice. Young people recently united to demand change in Nigeria under the #EndSARS banner and also in Zambia when young voters threw their collective weight behind opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema, helping him to win the presidency; in eSwatini, too – home to Africa’s last absolute monarchy – students have campaigned for decades against a dictator king.

Despite this, however, the continent seems to be moving away from democracy. This begs the question: Why is Africa getting more authoritarian even as it’s getting younger?

One answer might be that Africa’s youth are not as democratic as we might assume. According to the last round of Afrobarometer surveys, fewer young people (18-25) said they preferred democracy to any other form of government compared to other age groups.

Another reason is that young people face an uphill battle. Often lacking resources and social status, young people are less likely to be on the electoral register and thus turn out to vote. Across the continent, powerful political actors have also demonstrated the routine capacity to co-opt and demobilize potential youth challenges, including the use of violence.

So, what can young people do to inspire their age-mates to reject authoritarian rule? This show will bring together inspiring youth leaders to ask how movements that challenge inept and abusive governments can both thrive and be protected from potential subversion. We’ll also endeavor to find out how different strands of youth politics can be woven together to empower young citizens in a way that also strengthens democracy in Africa.

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Meet our speakers

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