Improving young people’s understanding of political parties and democratic participation is the key objective of a new pilot program launched by the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) through its Institute of Democracy and Electoral Education (IDEE).
The Political Parties Youth Module Pilot Programme was officially launched on Tuesday and is designed to equip young people with a clearer understanding of the role political parties play in Fiji’s representative democracy and how citizens can participate meaningfully in the political process.
Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa said the course remained in its development stage, making participants’ feedback essential before it is rolled out on a wider scale.
“It is still in the early stage of development, and your participation and feedback will directly shape how it’s refined and improved before any wider rollout,” she said.
The program was developed with support from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), drawing on its Youth Democracy Academy and civic education resources.
Ms Mataiciwa said the initiative formed part of a broader civic education program that would also include modules on democracy and democratic principles, the Constitution of Fiji, elections and electoral processes, and local government and civic participation.
She added that the FEO is exploring partnerships with higher education institutions to establish accredited learning pathways for the programme in the future, while participants’ feedback will help ensure the content remains relevant to the needs and expectations of Fiji’s youth.
