Civil society call on Youth to focus on productive activities

By Alan Clement
Civil Society have cautioned the young people to prioritize clear, issue-driven advocacy over personalized or vague calls for action.
According to Civil Society activists, to meaningfully shape South Sudan’s political and electoral landscape there is need for serious engagement.
Noel Kaiga Joseph, Executive Director of Space, a national civil society organization, said youth inaction around the 2024 elections reflected a broader failure to demand what is rightfully theirs.
“We lost the election in 2024 because we have not demanded for it,” Joseph said.
He stressed that youth activism must be anchored in rights and legal frameworks not personalities. He argued that issue-based demands lend legitimacy and increase the likelihood of influencing decision-makers.
Civil society organizations, he added, are instrumental in bridging the gap between youth and policymakers. “Through inclusive participation strategies and power mapping, CSOs help connect young people with the officials who can act on their concerns,” he noted.
Kaiga emphasized the urgent need for timely elections, urging youth to demanding things that are rightfully theirs.
“Your problem is we need the election to be done. Don’t ask even when. ‘When’ is not your answer. They will tell you after five years, after ten years. But say we need this one done” he remarked.
Citing successful youth-led movements across the world, Kaiga pointed to the 2018 Gambian elections, where youth mobilization ensured the polls took place, and Nigeria’s “Not Too Young to Run” constitutional amendment, which lowered age limits for political office.
“Youth must be focused. They should have a clear question,” Kaiga emphasized.
While access to power holders remains uneven, Kaiga noted that civil society is steadily creating spaces for engagement empowering youth to demand change strategically and responsibly.