Design of the Summer School on Participatory Democracy
The purpose of the Summer School was to enable emerging practitioners, researchers, and democracy professionals to acquire key skills, build networks, and better understand models of participatory democracy. To achieve this, virtual workshops and surveys were organized to gather suggestions on relevant topics, ensuring a balance of perspectives from diverse actors, including government officials, NGOs, activist collectives, and academic institutions.
Youth Interactive Platform for Democracy
This project worked with youth aged 18 to 35 in informal settlements of Nairobi and Kisumu, aiming to develop effective ways to include them in democratic processes. Barriers identified included deep mistrust in government institutions, poverty, and participatory platforms that lacked feedback mechanisms. Despite these challenges, traditional structures like barazas (community meetings), WhatsApp groups, and bunges (informal parliaments) were already serving as local spaces for civic expression and were seen as opportunities to be strengthened and modernized.
Washim
This deliberative process with farmers in Washim, India, exemplifies how deliberative democracy can empower rural communities and ensure their active participation in political decision-making—especially in crucial matters such as climate change, sustainable agriculture, and natural resource management.
