Youth Civic Engagement & Accountability
Youth organizing, advocacy, and participation in governance for transparency and inclusion.
The Challenge
Across Ghana and the wider African region, young people remain systematically excluded from governance and decision-making spaces. Policy processes rarely reflect youth priorities, and civic infrastructure - from voting systems to community consultations; is often inaccessible to those under 35. Without platforms, skills, or resources, the energy and insight of millions of young Africans go untapped at the very moment they are most needed.
Our Approach
AYA builds civic agency from the ground up. We connect youth with existing governance structures, equip them to navigate and influence policy, and create sustained platforms for cross-border youth advocacy. We translate grassroots energy into documented, credible, policy-facing outcomes - moving young people from bystanders to architects of change.
Current Initiatives
Tagline: “One table is a conversation. A series of tables is a movement.”
Goal: To sustain and grow the youth advocacy movement by convening a series of virtual and in-person tables that culminate in a unified youth position statement.
Building on AYA’s debut international milestone – the CSW70 Youth Table (March 2026), which convened 100+ young advocates across 12+ countries and 6 global regions; The Table Grows is a structured, multi-episode civic engagement series running from June 2025.
- Quarterly virtual check-in tables co-hosted with rotating partners
- Youth storytelling campaign collecting written, audio, and video submissions compiled into a Youth Advocacy Kit
- Aqua Brief Africa Blue Economy dialogue integrated as a dedicated session in the series
Pipleline
Translating grassroots insights into systemic change through structured policy education and advocacy skill-building for youth aged 15 – 35.
- Policy analysis and legislative tracking training
- Stakeholder engagement and advocacy campaign development workshops
- Published policy briefs, civic toolkits, and engagement guides
- Documented policy wins and advocacy impact tracking
Training youth to conduct research within their own communities, ensuring that interventions are evidence-based and genuinely community-driven.
- Research methodology, data collection, and community engagement training
- Community voices reports, policy briefs, and community profile