8/10/2019 oct16.2014 bYoung lady-lawmaker wins Board seat in first global forum of young parliamentarians in Geneva

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Young lady-lawmaker wins Board seat in first global forum of young

parliamentarians in Geneva

A young lady-lawmaker was recently elected as member of the Board of the Forum of 

Young Parliamentarians from the Asia Pacific, held in Geneva, Switerland!

"e#! $ercedes Alvare %&th 'istrict, (egros )ccidental*, + years old, who was #ersonally

nominated by S#eaker Feliciano Belmonte, r!, to re#resent the Phili##ines, was the lone Fili#ino

delegate at the said .onference held at the Centre International des Conférences de Genève on

)ctober /0 and //, 0/1!

Alvare e2#ressed her sincerest gratitude to S#eaker Belmonte for nominating her to bethe Fili#ino delegate to the /st 3nter-Parliamentary 4nion %3P4* Global .onference of Young

Parliamentarians!

She was humbled to be one of only two delegates from the Asia Pacific region who won a

seat in the Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians for Asia Pacific! 5he other winner was

a male delegate from .ambodia!

5he S#eaker welcomed the news with #ride that the young Alvare, a lawyer-lawmaker,has made 6an im#rint in the area of global youth leadershi#,7 a global youth leadershi#

conference organied by the 3P4 with the generous su##ort of the 8orldwide Su##ort for 

'evelo#ment %8S'*!

5he 3P49s commitment to su##orting youth #artici#ation in #olitics began in 0/0 with

the ado#tion of the resolution on 6Youth #artici#ation in the democratic #rocess7 at the /nd

3P4 Assembly in Bangkok!

3n 0/+, the 3P4 established the Forum of Young Parliamentarians, a formal and

 #ermanent body dedicated to enhancing the :uantitative and :ualitative #artici#ation of young

 #eo#le in #arliaments and in the 3P4!

5he .onference #rovided a #latform for reflection and debate for young leaders in #olitics

and other fields on common concerns that are challenging democracy today!

Although young #eo#le have been at the forefront of many recent mass movements for 

democracy and res#ect for freedoms and socio-economic rights, studies and surveys show that

they are increasingly disillusioned with conventional #olitics! 5his #oses a challenge to

democracy in many #arts of the world!

3t further stated that recent years have witnessed the engagement of young #eo#le in the

streets of .airo, 5unis, Athens, $adrid, Bangkok, (ew York, $ontreal and "io de aneiro,among others! 8hile in some cases this engagement has made history, young #eo#le9s dwindling

interest in formal #olitical activity, including voting and #arty membershi#, and a shaken trust in

 #oliticians and #olitical #arties, is a real threat to the future of democracy!

NR # 3621

OCT. 16, 2014

8/10/2019 oct16.2014 bYoung lady-lawmaker wins Board seat in first global forum of young parliamentarians in Geneva

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5he .onference aimed to find ways and means of stimulating youth engagement and hel#

define the youth agenda in #olitics! Young #arliamentarians from &/ countries have called for 

wide-ranging measures to be #ut in #lace to ensure the world9s youth are #olitically engaged and

re#resented at the conclusion of the first global conference of its kind!

According to the 3P4 Secretariat, more than /;0 young $Ps, re#resenting the youngestmembers of Parliaments, below 1< years old, youth leaders and e2#erts at the 3P4 Global

.onference of Young Parliamentarians identified youth :uotas for #arliaments and #olitical

 #arties among several key actions to assure youth #olitical re#resentation and #artici#ation!

.urrently $Ps under +0 years of age re#resent less than two #er cent of #arliamentarians!

=uotas were also needed for youth #artici#ation in local #olitics to hel# #re#are young

 #eo#le for national #olitics! Political #arties were encouraged to #ut youth in their leadershi# and

decision-making structures!

Based on the .onference outcome statement, young $Ps highlighted a reduction in theminimum age for voting and for being elected as another key ste# that needed to be taken! >oting

and eligibility ages re:uired alignment!

Also, youth involvement in #olitical decision-making and in governance both at national

and international levels was similarly called for! 5his included a youth com#onent in the

sustainable develo#ment goals %S'Gs*, which will re#lace the $illennium 'evelo#ment Goals

when they e2#ire in 0/<!

)ther actions to take include the creation of #arliamentary committees on youth, the

allocation of sufficient resources in national budgets for youth #rogrammes, training andeducation and incor#orating youth #ers#ectives into national budget #lans!

Furthermore, drawing u#on their e2#erience either as young $Ps or the #art they would

have #layed in youth movements, #artici#ants called for democracy to be revived and for regimes

the world over to be more democratic!

5he outcome statement also stated that #olitical education should be integrated into school

curriculums with an em#hasis on democratic values, governance institutions and the

res#onsibilities of citienshi# as a way to #ut #olitical engagement at the heart of young #eo#le9s

lives!

A second 3P4 Global .onference for Young $Ps is slated for ne2t year in a#an! 5he

Geneva gathering was funded by the a#an-based organiation, 8orldwide Su##ort for 

'evelo#ment! %+0* lvc