Staff Reporter :
The United Nations Development Programme in Bangladesh will host the first ever Youth Dialogue with the City Corporations mayoral candidates of Dhaka North on Wednesday at the Spectra Convention Centre in Gulshan.
The Youth Dialogue will be joined by young people from all parts of Dhaka providing them a platform to voice their concerns and questions regarding the upcoming City Corporation Mayoral Elections in Dhaka-North.
The theme of the event is “Raising Young Voices!” which highlights the concern that approximately 50 million youth in Bangladesh are largely left out of the socio-economic and political plans that affect their lives (UNFPA, 2014).
Designed to emphasize the voices of youth as an integral part of society, this event will moderate youth’s concerns and questions and allow for the candidates to respond to their queries. UNDP received over 150 questions from different youth organisations as well as from social media platforms reflecting a wide range of issues and queries from young people.
From those the UN Youth Advisory Panel (UNYAP) selected 20 questions which will be asked to the Mayoral candidates during the event.
Although young people comprise approximately 40 percent of Bangladesh’s population, they are rarely included in the election and policy making processes of the country.
Hence the event aims to strengthen advocacy for youth inclusion surrounding current issues that matter to them. The event acknowledges that youth have something to say about their city. By creating a platform for young people to engage with Mayoral candidates, UNDP aims to galvanize youth participation in the election process.
