BEYOND APATHY:A CRITICAL LOOK AT YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN THE 2014

ELECTIONS IN FIJI

“Today we are witnessing a significant lack of trust of youth in the traditional institutions of democracy. No sustainable and inclusive democracy can be built without youth.”

Joan Sawe,Acting Secretary General, International

IDEA

Romitesh KANTUSP

DEMOGRAPHICS554,000 registered voters

43 % - 240,000 <35 years

28% - 155,000 1st time voters

SOURCE: Fiji Times, 17th June 2014

Many 1st time voters do not know any other leader apart from Bainimarama

Narrative set – “old politicians” “corrupt” “self Interested”

Pre-Election environment – not conducive to free & fair elections Media restrictions Freedom of expression and assembly

FIJI YOUTH FOR DEMOCRACY

Stated in February 2013

12 youth activists – USP, FWRM, CCF, Femlink 3 members administer “Letters to the Editor Uncensored”

Facebook page

Organized 4 panel discussions at USP

Organized informal gatherings of youths to discuss topical issues

Organized a petition against the regimes draft constitution

Took part in protests – ascension of 2013 Govt Constitution, 2014 Budget

Using Social Media

Intimidation

2014 West Papua event –at USP

“BE THE CHANGE” Campaign

32 year old

Progressive, feminist activist, Indo-Fijian

Educated – Law degree

Declared intention to stand in mid 2013

Resigned Dec 2013

CAMPAIGN 100 % youths Human rights/Feminist perspective Transformational leadership

Using social media (Facebook) to canvass people’s views on issues apart from the traditional methods (community visits, door-to-door)

Challenges5 % threshold – same for political parties

1000 signatures, 1000$ deposit

1 nation-wide constituency, financial and logistical challenges

Rhetoric of some analysts – Wadan Narsey

Harassment/Bullying

Intimidation

CONCLUSION Despite the intimidation, youths in Fiji remain resilient

There is a need to translate their rhetoric on social media into action

“Young people are interested in public affairs, in politics with a capital P. They may not be interested in political

parties but they are interested in the issues. The challenge is to find ways to communicate the information in a way that young people can

understand and relate to. It is not that we are apathetic; we are just not asked the right

question.”

Lars Johansson, Sweden. 1999 International IDEA Democracy Forum