No Decision About the Future Without the Voice of Youth | Elena- Alexandra Miron | TEDxUSVT

Quick Overview

The main outcome of Elena-Alexandra Miron's TEDx talk is the urgent need to include youth voices in decisions that affect their future, emphasizing that without youth representation, crucial perspectives are lost, as evidenced by statistics showing minimal youth participation in global and European parliaments and public processes.

Key Points: Globally, youth (under 30) represent nearly one-third of the world's population, yet they hold only 1.6% of parliamentary seats. In Europe, less than half of young people vote regularly, and 64% believe that governments do not listen to them. In Romania, only 2% of young people have been significantly involved in public processes, and voter turnout among those under 35 barely exceeds 20%. The speaker poses the critical question: "How are decisions made and why are those who are directly affected not consulted?" The concept of 'One Health' requires a systemic, intergenerational approach where all stakeholders, including youth, participate in decision-making processes. The speaker challenges the audience to consider the courage required for young people to participate and to ensure their voices are heard and included in shaping the present and future.

Context: Elena-Alexandra Miron, President & Co-founder of the Youth Platform for Sustainability, delivered this TEDxUSVT talk titled "No Decision About the Future Without the Voice of Youth." The presentation focuses on the systemic underrepresentation of young people in political and decision-making processes globally, highlighting statistics that demonstrate a significant gap between the youth demographic share and their actual influence on governance.

Detailed Analysis

Elena-Alexandra Miron advocates for the critical inclusion of youth in decision-making processes across all sectors, arguing that without their perspective, decisions are incomplete and potentially flawed. She presents alarming statistics to underscore this deficit: globally, only 1.6% of parliamentarians are under 30, despite youth making up nearly a third of the world's population. In Europe, engagement is low, with 64% of youth not believing governments listen to them. Romania shows particularly low civic engagement, with only 2% of youth ever involved in public processes and voter turnout for those under 35 barely surpassing 20%. Miron stresses that decisions regarding the present and future—especially concerning areas like climate change, which heavily impacts younger generations—must involve systemic, intergenerational collaboration. She frames this as a matter of 'courage' for youth to demand a seat at the table and for institutions to actively seek and incorporate their input, ensuring that decisions are truly representative and effective for everyone.