Promotion of Democracy

The region has the largest network of subterranean rivers in the world; its objective is to preserve natural resources in spite of large polluting companies. Yamili Salazar Ku is a young Environmental Engineering graduate who, since 2013, has been leading the largest network of water guardians throughout the Yucatan.  She promotes environmental education, water care and human rights.  

The article describes and discusses social protest in the southwestern Colombian city Pasto within the framework of the so-called "National Strike". The situation was characterized by an unprecedented social mobilization and an alarming escalation in the use of repressive violence by the state.

Patricia Trigueros gathers fragments from the different women's collective workspaces and composes an essay that reflects shared learning. Meme Flores responds to the rhythm and flashes of scenes with shots, movements and sounds that accompany the portrait.

The historic Latin American Youth Climate Summit took place in 2022 in the city of Cartago, Costa Rica. Three days of pure reflection, exchange and debate led to the drafting of a participatory regional document with 10 recommendations for national governments and another 10 for large emitters.

Rinu Oduala, also known as Savvy Rinu, has become a popular figure for her active participation in the nationwide #EndSARS protests. We spoke to Rinu about the legacy of the protests and her views on the future of Nigeria's politics.

This text explores the contents, forms, agendas and disputes that have confronted youth movements (in terms of art and culture) in Colombia over the last 20 years. All this is in order to recognize and acknowledge ourselves in the midst of a path that attempts to erase experiences and hinder solidarity.

In one of their most recent projects, UnidosMX developed a citizen handbook in collaboration with other NGOs like “Ciudadanos por la Transparencia”. The aim of the book is to give the youth an easy tool to know how to report issues in their communities, make use of public institutions, and know how to contribute their voice and ideas to public policies. The handbook was disseminated in two local schools, where young students participated in artistic workshops dedicated to public space rehabilitation. 

The judge's words still sometimes echo in her mind, even years after Juthamat Srihatthapadungkit observed the trial against a group of community rights defenders in northeastern Thailand. "What do you know about anything? Do you even have a fourth grade education?" the judge's voice thundered across the courtroom. The incident shook the young law student, leaving her with a nagging doubt about Thailand's justice system. She began questioning her dream of becoming one of the country's few female judges, an ambition she had worked hard for. But it also opened up a new path for her. 

Dressed in colourful traditional garb, the village's female elders gather around a young woman as two large cameras begin recording. In a soft but firm voice, 18-year-old Pornchita Fahpratanprai explains why they are standing up against a coal mine threatening their peaceful community in the mountains of northern Thailand.

India’s northeast has had a chequered history of youth movements and has been home to some of the recent strong pro-democracy movements in the country. Being young in India’s northeast necessitates acts of social interventions of various kinds. In this conversation, Dr. Kaustubh Deka and Dr. Soibam Haripriya reflect on the locality of youth movements and the long history of the culture of protest in the region, as well as its larger resonance.