A coalition of youth-focused organisations has petitioned Parliament to formally recognise the Parliamentary Youth Caucus, saying the move would strengthen youth representation in national decision-making.
In a petition dated March 24, 2026, the groups, operating under the Youth-Decide Campaign, asked the Speaker of Parliament to grant the caucus committee status within the National Assembly.
They say the caucus’ current informal position limits its visibility and effectiveness.The petition comes amid growing calls for greater youth participation in governance.
According to the document, over 60 percent of Malawi’s population is under the age of 35, yet many young people remain underrepresented in spaces where major national decisions are made.
The organisations say Parliament has previously taken steps to promote youth inclusion, notably through the Youth Parliament.
However, the petition says resolutions from that platform have not found a direct institutional route into the formal decision-making structures of the National Assembly or the Executive.
According to the petition, the Parliamentary Youth Caucus was established to help close that gap.
It is described as a platform for young Members of Parliament to champion youth interests, strengthen leadership capacity and connect parliamentary work with the broader aspirations of Malawian youth.
The document states that the caucus was partly inspired by the Inter-Parliamentary Union campaign promoting youth participation in parliaments worldwide.
During the 2019 to 2025 parliamentary cohort, the caucus had 41 Members of Parliament, which the petitioners say reflected growing recognition of the need for youthful leadership in governance.
The petition lists several objectives of the caucus.
These include providing a platform for young MPs to network and build capacity, championing youth inclusion in governance and national development, and amplifying youth voices in legislative processes.
It also says the caucus is meant to support Parliament’s functions of representation, legislation and oversight, with a specific focus on youth-related issues.
But despite this role, the coalition says the caucus remains informal within Parliament’s structure.
The petition says that without formal recognition, it cannot table reports or recommendations directly to Parliament and has no dedicated budget for its operations.
As a result, the groups say, the caucus has had to rely on external support even for basic activities. They argue that this has reduced its ability to function effectively within the legislature.
The youth organisations are therefore asking Parliament and its Business Committee to grant the caucus official recognition and committee status, similar to that of the Women’s Caucus.
According to the petition, such recognition would institutionalise youth representation within the National Assembly.
It would also allow the caucus to report directly to Parliament and secure financial and administrative support for its work.The organisations further say formal recognition would strengthen engagement between Parliament and youth stakeholders.
They also argue that it would align Parliament with national and international commitments on youth participation.
The petition says the move would affirm Parliament’s commitment to a democratic system that values young people as active participants in national development.
It adds that formal recognition would help build a stronger, more accountable and youth-responsive institution.
The document was signed by Youth-Decide Campaign National Coordinator Mwandida Theu and Chairperson Harvey Chimaliro on behalf of 29 youth-focused organisations.
These include Youth and Society (YAS), MHUB, Youth4Parliament, Young Feminist Movement, Mzuzu Youth Association and several community-based youth groups.The coalition also refers to earlier engagement on the issue.
This includes a letter from Youth and Society dated November 8, 2025, and a dialogue between youth NGOs and the Parliamentary Youth Caucus held on March 18, 2026, at Sunbird Capital Hotel in Lilongwe.
The organisations say they are ready to engage further with the Speaker’s office on the matter.
