The Impact of Information Framing on Youth Engagement in Public Policy Debates

Active youth participation in public policy debates contributes to the achievement of the sustainable development goals, ensuring social equity, promoting peace, and safeguarding human rights. Youth engagement can enhance policy legitimacy and effectiveness, while tapping into their creative potential for tackling complex societal challenges. However, little is known about what mechanisms promote meaningful youth involvement in policy discussions, especially in the Global South. This study explores the impact of information framing on the engagement of Bolivian university students in debates about gender inequality in the labour market. Findings show that information framing can serve as a catalyst for engagement, with digital formats potentially increasing student participation in gender equality discussions. However, its effectiveness is contingent upon contextual factors such as institutional relationships, students’ individual characteristics, and the topic at hand.

To foster meaningful Global South youth participation in global policy discussions, it is imperative to adopt a multifaceted approach that both addresses institutional barriers to participation, and harnesses young people’s interest in participating.