Youth Power Hackathon in Uganda advances youth-led solutions for inclusive governance
19 June 2026, Kampala, Uganda
On 19 June 2026, Restless Development organized the Youth Power Hackathon Uganda in Kampala, Uganda, bringing together 48 participants under the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab – Power of the Collective programme. The in-person event created a collaborative space where young people and key stakeholders worked together to strengthen meaningful youth participation in governance and decision-making.
The hackathon convened youth representatives, youth organizations, policymakers, government institutions, civic and political leaders, community organizers, social innovators, and development partners. Through a series of plenary presentations, facilitated discussions, problem-mapping exercises, solution design workshops, and stakeholder engagement sessions, participants transformed youth-led research findings into practical recommendations for advocacy and policy action.
Throughout the day, participants explored the barriers that continue to limit civic and political participation among young people in Uganda. Tokenistic participation, limited civic space, corruption, inadequate civic education, and barriers to representation emerged as key challenges requiring coordinated action.
Working in multidisciplinary teams, participants developed youth-led solutions aimed at increasing the influence of young people in public decision-making. Their recommendations called for legally guaranteed youth representation, stronger civic and political education, enhanced accountability mechanisms, electoral reforms, and the creation of youth coalitions to drive collective advocacy.
As Ademun Sharon Leah, Vice Chairperson of the National Youth Council of Uganda, emphasized: “Youth participation must move beyond symbolic inclusion and create genuine opportunities for young people to influence decisions that affect their lives.”
Beyond generating policy recommendations, the hackathon strengthened collaboration between youth-led organizations, the National Youth Council, policymakers, and development partners, reinforcing the importance of dialogue and partnership in advancing inclusive governance.
