This study assesses the status of youth participation in the governance process, as evidenced by primary data collected from six local units in Sunsari and Rupandehi districts. It focuses on the youth participation precisely in policy making process, electoral process and monitoring roles in governance. In spite of their numerical superiority in demography, youth are often found to be absent from decision-making and leadership roles. The study identifies the economic, social and political factors affecting youth participation. The lack of proper platform for youth to bring agendas into motion or to provide insights while drafting a policy deprives them from participating in the policy making process. While the local elections 2022 has ended amidst great optimism in term of youth candidacy, it is still a far-fetched idea for youth from humble financial backgrounds to stand as a candidate in the elections. The caste/ethnicity dynamics still dominates the voting pattern of youth. Many youth refrain from the voting due to their preconceived notion that politics is a dirty game. Most youth are found to be used as a bait by political leaders during electoral campaigning to attract voters by offering them short-term benefits. The lack of proper structure and mechanism at policy-level to monitor the local institutions is a barrier for youth to fulfil the roles of watch dog.
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