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ECOWAS Regional Youth Conference: towards the creation of a youth parliament

Extract from the young people’s declaration at the Regional Conference in Saly This extract relates to point 4 of the declaration. ‘With regard to truly inclusive governance for young people, We: Call for the effective and meaningful participation of young people in political decisions that affect their present and their future. In practice, we demand to be duly represented in local, national and regional decision-making bodies. In this regard, we look forward to the swift establishment of the West African Regional Youth Council, as well as the ECOWAS Youth Parliament, not to mention the operationalisation of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC)” At the previous ECOWAS Youth Forum, held in Saly, the young participants emphasised the importance for Member States to promote greater inclusion of young people in decision-making spheres. They believed that such participation would help to positively influence public policies in favour of young people and contribute significantly to improving their living conditions. To realise this aspiration, the young people stressed the urgent need to establish a West African Regional Youth Council, as well as an ECOWAS Youth Parliament, not to mention making the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC).