Youth and Participation
A dossier shedding light on the aspirations of Palestinian youth and the roles hoped of them in bringing about change and making policy.
A dossier shedding light on the aspirations of Palestinian youth and the roles hoped of them in bringing about change and making policy.
Key recommendations
- Reserve 25% of the seats on government advisory bodies for people under 30.
- Launch a national advocacy training programme reaching 5,000 young people a year.
- Strengthen civic education in the curriculum and tie it to actual participation.
At a glance
- Young people active in civic life — 29%
- Young people who took part in PalThink training — 73%
Timeline
- December 2025 — Launch of the Youth and Participation Index 2025 — The first national index measuring young people's participation in public life across 12 sub-indicators.
- August 2025 — Training camp for youth leaders — 65 young women and men completed intensive training in advocacy and political influence.
- April 2025 — National survey: youth and politics — A comprehensive opinion survey with 1,200 young respondents from across Palestine.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the biggest obstacle to young people's political participation? — Our research finds that 68% of young people name lost confidence in political efficacy as the first obstacle, followed by institutional exclusion and the absence of formal channels for participation.
- How does social media affect participation? — It cuts both ways. It overcomes geographic constraints and allows rapid organising; it also deepens fragmented attention and polarisation, and weakens sustained organised work.
- Which interventions most effectively strengthen participation? — Direct advocacy training, guaranteed representation on local decision-making councils, and mentoring programmes with leaders who combine experience and credibility.