France backs Unesco drive to involve more young people in political decisions

Unesco drive to get more young people into decision-making bodies, including those on how to prevent wars, won the backing of France’s foreign minister on Tuesday, as the country faces a wave of student protests, many of which have turned violent.

The appeal, formally adopted by the UN’s cultural and education agency after being drafted by 145 young representatives from 135 countries, calls for youth representation in decision-making bodies, conflict prevention and mediation mechanisms.

The initiative comes at a time where student-led protests in recent weeks have highlighted frustration among some young people over their perceived lack of influence on political decisions.

“Young people’s voices matter,” Jean-Noel Barrot said on X following Unesco’s backing of the appeal.

The Unesco proposal also urged governments to establish an international framework to govern artificial intelligence, which the signatories describe as a new threat to peace, and to create public mechanisms to monitor implementation of their recommendations.

High school students are due to join a new round of national protests on Saturday vowing to bring the government to account over what they call a dysfunctional system, worsened by spending cuts spurred by France’s budget crunch, with student bodies demanding to be heard.

“Peace among nations, like civic peace, rests on the ability of enlightened women and men to settle their differences respectfully, recognising that they share a common future,” added Barrot.