What Is ‘Active Citizenship’ and Why It Is Vital for the Future of Democracy

Posted By CMCA on 29 Aug 2018

“No one is born a good citizen; no nation is born a democracy. Rather, both are processes that continue to evolve over a lifetime. Young people must be included from birth. A society that cuts off its youth severs its lifeline.”
                                                                                                                                            – Kofi Annan

According to the publication ‘Children as Active Citizens’ by the Inter-Agency Working Group on Children’s Participation, ‘citizenship’ can be defined as the set of rights and responsibilities that define the members of a community. Citizenship has two complementary aspects: citizenship rights and citizenship practice or ‘active citizenship’. While the first category includes individual freedoms and political, civil, social and economic rights, the second one includes practices which enable people to exercise their rights as citizens. Such practices range from civic responsibility to campaigning, from taking action against injustice to promoting responsible governance. To reconnect with Kofi Annan’s quote, ‘no one is born a good citizen; no nation is born a democracy’: Unlike citizenship rights, to which a person is inherently entitled just because s/he is a citizen of a country or a member of a community, active citizenship should be seen as the result of interrelated behavioural attitudes and values such as the recognition of the importance of universal human rights, respect for the rule of law and intercultural harmony just to name a few.

However, such attitudes do not develop spontaneously. While we might learn some of them at home or in our community, it’s vital for the education system to play a pivotal role. Our schools and colleges serve as partners in fostering young people to be active citizens who champion and uphold fundamental rights, which are the cornerstone of democracy.

The future of this form of government is dependent on the possibility for the young to participate in the democratic process or, paraphrasing Kofi Annan, to include young people from birth. This is directly connected to the potential of the education system to nurture young people who are aware of their rights and responsibilities as citizens, take action for social and environmental justice, engage constructively with their government, and stand up for other people’s rights.

 

This blog is written by Valentina Gazzola. Valentina is an Executive, Branding and Communications (Consultant) at CMCA.