December, 2021:
On the 18th & 25th November, Shabab Lab and Riyada for Social Innovation SAL collaborated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), funded by the European Union and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and with LADE (Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections) to hold a two-day training, under the theme: “Youth Participation in Elections”.
2021 has been full of hurdles and the situation in Lebanon is dire. In the face of a global pandemic, a failed political system, and an economic crisis, our youth continue to struggle in hopes of creating a systematic change that will secure them a better future.
In order to participate effectively in the elections and be able to be part of the change, good preparation and awareness are needed especially for the Lebanese youth. The 2 sessions combined had a total of a 100 students attending from all over Lebanon.
The sessions’ participants joined expert speakers like Dr. Halima Kaakour, Professor at the Lebanese University and Ms. Dayana El-Baba, Senior Program Coordinator at LADE (Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections), along with Ms. Nora Mourad, Senior Electoral Officer at UNDP Lebanese Elections Assistance Project (funded by the European Union and USAID), who showed the participating youth that they can always find a way to participate in the elections even if they cannot vote.
How can our youth participate in the elections even if they can’t vote?
In the first session of the event on the 18th of November 2021, Ms. Nora Mourad presented an overview on the electoral law No 44/2017, including the dos and don’ts on Election day, and the stages of the electoral cycle. In addition, Dr. Halima Kaakour tackled youth political participation and engagement in local communities which included sharing experiences of youth from different regions in Lebanon.
Nora Mourad ended the first session by emphasizing the importance of participating in the elections and said the following: “We must all participate in the elections even if this means submitting a blank vote. A blank vote means that you want to participate in the elections but you are refusing the current system & you are seeking change.”
During the 2nd session which took place on the 25th of November 2021, Ms. Nora Mourad presented a brief overview of the activities with LADE engaging youth (in schools and trainings within the electoral consortium targeting women, youth and PWDs). Furthermore, Dayana El Baba, Senior Program Coordinator at LADE (Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections), discussed elections’ observation & monitoring and ways in which youth can participate in the electoral processes.
Dayana El Baba encouraged the participating youth to take action and gave them several ways to do so. The second session focused on the elections being a cycle & not an occasion. Hence, the youth’s role in this cycle cannot & should not be ignored according to Dayana. She urged them to be involved in any way possible and gave them practical ways to participate either by voting, monitoring, or even observing.
The 2 sessions answered the concerns of all the participating youth, reassuring them that with a strong will, a right mindset, and patience, they can make a change and pave the path to a brighter future for the upcoming generations in Lebanon. Youth participation in elections is the only way to achieve” democracy, equality, delegation, accountability, & popular sovereignty & there is no citizen in this country who cannot make an impact!
If you want to watch the 2 sessions, you can do so by using the following links:
Youtube link of the first session recording: https://youtu.be/lreABk5RT5U
Youtube link of the second session recording: https://youtu.be/GRzR-615XWE
Event hashtags: #electionsforchange #riyadainnovation #shabablab #youthparticipationinelections #elections2022
About Riyada for Social Innovation:
Established in July 2017, Riyada for Social Innovation SAL is a social enterprise that offers innovative youth programs, corporate training, and consulting services to foster social innovation and entrepreneurship in the community
About Shabab Lab:
Shabab Lab, powered by Riyada for Social Innovation SAL, is the first social innovation e-learning platform in the Arab World.
Shabab Lab is a virtual innovation lab providing youth with a space where they can tinker, learn, innovate, and create their own technology solutions that will change their communities and help make the world a better place.