Youth Forum for Transparency

This week, young people representing communities from all over Honduras came together in the country’s capital, Tegucigalpa, to speak about their ideas on how to tackle some of their country’s biggest challenges. Conscious of their responsibility for the future of their country, they proposed changes to policies that affect their lives directly.

The youth spoke out against those actions that result in a lack of transparency. These issues have limited opportunities for a better future in light of the misallocation of scarce resources that could be invested in their development. They advocated for solutions that would open up the possibility for them to have the better life and opportunities that all young people around the world deserve.

In order for positive change to happen, the young people of Honduras believe that urgent measures need to be taken in the following five areas: transparency and citizen security, participation in the creation of the national budget, education, health and employability.

To take a proactive role in tackling issues ranging from having to pay for public services that are meant to be free to the fear of retaliation when reporting those bad practices, they presented a manifesto to the Vice President of Honduras during the opening ceremony of the Third Central America and Dominican Republic Forum for Transparency. You can read the full manifesto (in Spanish) here.

Change starts with young people

Around the world, young people are an important part of society and represent a large proportion of their societies. Currently, around one-fifth of the world’s population is between 15 and 24 years old. They are a vital building block for constructing a transparent and accountable society.

Youth participation must take place for social change to happen. Also in the fight against corruption, young people need to play a leading role in order for it to be successful. Representing the present and the future of their countries, they are the one group that can transcend today’s problems to see tomorrow’s solutions.

See photos from the Youth Forum below: