Ahmad Shawqi
The youth, of both genders, are the reservoir of energies in any society, and as in peace, so too in war, the youth are the most combustible and ignitable fuel of war. This does not, of course, apply only to the participants in the fighting, for while they are an essential part of the problem and the solution, they represent a small percentage compared to the larger group of civilian youth victims of war.
We all know that war has depleted our lifetimes - some elders regret, with sorrow, the loss of ten years or more of their lives amidst chaos and instability, starting from the unrest that accompanied the 2011 youth uprising, and continuing with the war since 2015 until today. And if the elders feel disappointment and pain at the loss of these years, what do the youth say, who have lost the bloom of their lives and the most productive years of their lives - the period of productivity, brilliance, creativity, activity, diligence, giving, vitality, ambition, aspiration, perseverance, achievement, and laying the foundation for a better future.
The question is: where is the position of the youth in the political and social interactions and changes that the country is witnessing, including the transformation of the uprising and the transformation of the war? We cannot deny that the youth are the vast majority, in the revolution and the war, and the various forces and parties have sought to portray themselves as representatives of the youth, whether at the party level or when it comes to political quotas and government appointment decisions. But this "representation" has often failed to reflect the free will and aspirations of the youth.
In a study conducted by the organization Youth Without Borders for Development with the aim of producing a report on the youth's vision for building peace, the study included about two thousand young men and women from different regions across the Republic. The study found that young people believe that their contribution to achieving the desired peace in Yemen will be realized either through the formation of a political party, or through the involvement of youth components in the peace negotiations. A slightly smaller percentage believed that youth representation should be through governance that ensures their fair representation at all levels.
The study addressed the prioritization of the necessary steps to achieve peace from the youth's perspective. It appears that there is a need for awareness of the importance of social movements in meeting the demands of marginalized groups such as youth. In my opinion, the formation of a political party representing youth does not seem practical, as there cannot be a political party that monopolizes the representation of a particular age group, such as a party for the youth, another for the elderly, and a third for women.
Representation of youth in consultations is also an issue marked by some shortcomings. We have previously observed that many of the young people who were represented in dialogue sessions or leadership positions were representing the will of the parties they represented, and did not embody their own free will. If they tried to, they would have been withdrawn or excluded, and therefore their representation in those positions was contingent on the usurpation of their decision and will, as well as the will of the generation and social group they represent.
Nevertheless, there is a need to represent these young people through more advanced mechanisms. These mechanisms should first consider the nature of the issues representing this group, their position and role in the war, and the various social, political, and economic transformations. Secondly, they should involve them in the consultation and negotiation process related to peace. The representation mechanisms within political parties should also be subject to civil and societal oversight, so that the process of presenting the parties' candidates takes into account the democratic mechanisms within these parties, allowing these young people to express the concerns and issues of their peers in the party, rather than the orientations of those in power.
