Voting is not enough: youth and political citizenship in post-war societies

The role of children and young people in war has received much attention, though their political activism after war's end is rarely discussed. Political liberalisation generally widens participatory opportunities for youths 18 years and older. But citizenship is defined by more than the right to vote every few years; citizens must also be granted voice and agency. This paper analyses the relation between youth political citizenship and peacebuilding. After developing a framework for the analysis of youth political citizenship in post-war societies, we identify differences between the experiences of rural/urban and male/female youth, drawing on case studies of Guatemala and Timor-Leste. We argue that the neglect of young people's current needs and future livelihoods is a recipe for renewed conflict.