Democracy in Action: Youth

In anticipation of International Youth Day on August 12, this issue of Democracy in Action highlights CIPE’s commitment to youth. With young people leading democratic reform efforts around the world, CIPE's youth programming seeks to empower and engage young people as the political and business leaders of tomorrow. For progress and reform to take hold, young people must play an active role in advancing democratic and market-oriented reform. Learn more about CIPE’s youth programs here..

Fourth Annual CIPE International Youth Essay Contest Winners Announced

CIPE is pleased to announce the winners of the fourth annual International Youth Essay contest. We received more than 400 entries from 65 countries, including Afghanistan, Cambodia, Cameroon, Egypt, Indonesia, Moldova, and Uganda. The three categories this year were Corruption, Democratic Transitions, and Economically-Sustainable Development. The winners were selected by an international panel of judges including CIPE’s partners from business associations, think tanks, and other international development organizations around the world, as well as CIPE staff. Read the rest of this article and find out more about the Youth Essay Contest winners here.

New ChamberLINKS Video Online

CIPE's ChamberL.I.N.K.S. (Leaders, Innovators, and Knowledge Sharing) program provides rising stars of CIPE’s partner chambers of commerce and business associations overseas with the opportunity to gain valuable leadership skills in the United States. Participating U.S. chambers and business associations establish ties with counterpart associations abroad and benefit from the international perspective and unique skills that each visiting professional possesses.
Since 2007, over 20 young professionals from around the world have shadowed 20 different chambers of commerce and associations in the United States through this program. Watch the ChamberLINKS video here.

Sparking the Entrepreneurial Spirit: Teaching Youth How Democracy Delivers

By Frank Stroker
Recent events around the world have shown the power of youth. The Arab Spring has been fueled by young people who became disillusioned with the status quo and are ready for change. In India, it was the youth that lead an anti-corruption protest movement. But young people are more than just a conduit for political change: as future leaders and entrepreneurs they are a powerful force for economic development. However, in many developing countries, young people do not understand the role they can play in a free-market economy, or are simply disinterested. Read the rest of this article.

Tashabos Students Use New Knowledge to Improve the Economy in Afghan Communities

Kabul, Afghanistan — In 2004, CIPE partnered with the Afghanistan Ministry of Education to launch a pilot program to help Afghan youth learn more about entrepreneurship and basic business skills, in addition to the core national curricula. Since the program’s inception, approximately 13,000 high school students have successfully completed the three-year Tashabos youth entrepreneurship course – and half of them are girls and young women. The skills that the students acquire during the Tashabos program better equip them to take leadership positions as entrepreneurs, empowering them to advance democratic and market-oriented reforms in their communities. Read the rest of this article.

Survey: Lack of Governance is Major Cause of Corruption in Pakistan

By Hammad Siddiqui
Promoting entrepreneurship is an important priority for Pakistan’s economic development. However, according to Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, Pakistan lags in startups, with less than half the rate of early-stage entrepreneurial activity found in other similar economies. One of the key reasons is the high level of corruption, which deters young entrepreneurs from becoming entrepreneurs.Read the rest of this article.