Findings show low youth participation in general election

A LOT of youths did not participate in the last election due to the lack of effective awareness leading up to the polls, according to findings.
The majority of the youths attending the Citizenship Academy workshop indicated that they were eligible to vote in the 2017 elections, however only five said they actually voted.
Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) policy and advocacy manager Yuambari Haihuie said this was a poor indication and according to their 2017 election observation, a lack of election awareness was one of the factors that contributed to that.
“One of the big things that TIPNG was concerned about is the lack election awareness,” Haihuie said.
He said in 2012 due to the introduction of the new voting system there was a lot of awareness but in 2017 little was done.
He said the people ,including youths, did not have much of an opportunity to learn about the processes, expectations and what successful polling was supposed to be.
“Election awareness is something that should go on prior to elections.”
Haihuie said those who would be turning 18 at the time of election need to know when they were in primary school in order to be prepared.
He said having an updated electoral roll was also crucial to the process.
Security concerns including election violence and bribery, coercion and extortion were other issues that needed to be addressed.
Haihuie conducted a session on elections in a workshop held in Port Moresby this week which was organised by The Voice Inc in partnership with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA).
The workshop was designed to ensure that young women and men were equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively participate in and contribute to the consolidation and strengthening of the democracy.
The youths were told that a successful election was supposed to reflect the majority of the people’s will, be free, fair and safe.