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The RA NA delegation takes part in the works of the Third Part of the Annual Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) going on in Strasbourg of France.

At June 25 Meeting the Member of the RA NA delegation Sona Ghazaryan made a report.

“Honourable chair,

Dear colleagues and dear rapporteurs,

First of all, I would like to congratulate you both on very interesting reports with important messages. I do agree we are facing the backsliding of democracy in the member states, and indeed it is worrying. Moreover, I do agree we need more inclusive methods to have more participation and work to overcome low electoral turnouts among youth especially.

As once the youngest female Member of Parliament in Armenia, I understand the importance of empowering young people to actively participate in political processes while also protecting them from ageist narratives. It is crucial to create an environment that allows young, politically active women and men to reach their full potential.

According to the IPU report from 2021, although 49% of the global population is under 30, only 2.6% of the world’s Members of Parliament (MPs) belong to this age group. What does this mean? Half of the population has a mere 3% impact on decision-making processes, their own future, and long-term policies.

This is also reflected in our Assembly, which currently includes only 17 members aged 30 and under, representing just 2.6% of its composition. This number rises to 60 members if the age threshold is set at 35.

You might ask why this is the case. There are several reasons: legislative barriers, prejudices, stereotypes, and a lack of trust in the political system and institutions among young people, funds. Many young individuals fail to see how politics impact their daily lives, from the price of coffee to healthcare, income tax, climate change, and deepening inequalities.

As a group, we strongly support the idea of having a Youth Rapporteur. During plenary debates, the Youth Rapporteur of the committee should have the right to speak after the representatives of the political groups.

As to conclude, we need to have this change in the political parties as the gate to institutionalised politics. We need to rethink the methods and it is crucial to do so together,” the MP said.