Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung@ 40 in Ghana Chapter Seven Improving Youth Participation in Governance: FES/you-net Partnership by George Sarpong Barely in its seventh year, the Youth Leadership programme and the party youth training instituted by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung(FES) and the youth network for human rights and democracy(you-net) have already produced a party General Secretary, several party youth organisers, outstanding student leaders, community organisers, influential journalists and broadcasters, and demonstrated what dynamic young people could do to support peace and development. Background By 2002, signs were beginning to emerge about the effects of youth exclusion in Ghana's transition to democracy. The youth in mining communities had begun violent agitations to protest against environmental degradation and abuse of community rights. Anti-small arms campaigners were expressing worry about the proliferation of small arms in the hands of young people. Ghana's porous borders, according to security experts, had become exploitable points for trade in small arms by young fighters and small arms traders West African countries in conflict including Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. Violent armed robberies were on the ascendancy. In schools and universities, student leaders were increasingly displaying a preference for violent demonstrations and strikes in processing claims on government and school authorities. Never a day passed without a press report of youth clashes with security officials especially the police. Across the country, more and more young people were getting involved in violent conflict. Rival claimants to chieftaincy titles were recruiting the youth for violent attacks on their opponents. Unemployed youth were becoming land guards using deadly weapons to fight for land on behalf of their patrons. Mob lynching of suspected criminals by the youth was rising. In previous elections and especially in the run-up to the 2000 elections, 50