Almost half of the world’s population is under 30-years-old, yet under-30s make up just 2.6% of governments around the world. The Be Seen Be Heard campaign is working to change that.
As the ever-changing world becomes more and more divided, one thing that’s remained constant is the powerful voice of young people across the globe. Although young people have been fighting for change for years, few policies advocated for by young people have been officially implemented in the political sphere. The United Nations Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth and The Body Shop recognized the disconnect between young people and their governments and launched the Be Seen Be Heard campaign to lift the multitude of voices calling for action.
The United Nations Special Envoy on Youth, Jayathma Wickramanayake, was appointed by the Secretary-General to enhance the UN’s global youth advocacy. The partnership with The Body Shop, a nonprofit business, came after The Body Shop established a Youth Collective to amplify youth voices within its own company. The brand has been involved in activism for over 20 years.
According to the Be Seen Be Heard press release, nearly half of the world’s population is under 30-years-old, yet under-30s make up just 2.6% of governments worldwide. “Of all the parliaments in the world, 37% do not have a single Member of Parliament (MP) under age 30, and less than 1% of these young MPs are women,” states the press release.
The United Nations has many programs designed to honor young activists, like the UN Youth Delegate Program, which allows young people to represent their country on the National level, and the World Program for Action for Youth, designed to improve the living standards of young people around the world. The Seen Be Heard campaign is the latest iteration of the organization’s youth advocacy. Alongside the campaign announcement, the UN released a survey report conducted by The Body Shop in 2021, covering 26 countries with 27,043 respondents. The research revealed that two in three people believe the age balance in politics is wrong and that allowing more opportunities for young people to be involved in policy development would improve political systems.
Jayathma Wickramanayake—the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth—explains in the press release, “the intergenerational gap in power, influence, and trust constitutes one of the biggest challenges of our time.”
The Be Seen Be Heard campaign aims to chisel away at the challenges facing young people by informing and empowering political systems. The long-term hopes of the campaign include lower voting ages, increased formal youth representation in governments and in governmental committees, more accessible ways for young people to be involved in policymaking, simplified voter registration processes, and improved leadership skills. These structural improvements will be made by grassroots campaign actions worldwide, guided by Be Seen Be Heard.
While young people have garnered attention via social media and protests, the Be Seen Be Heard campaign aims to pave a more official, political path to change. A path that gets young truly listened to, not just noticed.
The Body Shop’s research has shown that young people have more hope for the future than any other generation. With the help of Be Seen Be Heard, they may be able to bring that optimism to life.
The campaign, stemming from the partnership between The Body Shop and the United Nations, will run from May 2022 until mid-2025.
