Patterns and Determinants of Youth Engagement in Policy and Legal Processes: A Survey from Indonesia

Rizky Amalia Putri, Nicolaus Petrus Likuwatan Werang, Khayu Rhomi, Frida Nurrahma Masturi

Abstract


This study examines the extent and nature of youth engagement in policy and legal processes in Indonesia and inquires into the factors affecting participation. Youth involvement is widely associated with the development of civic competencies, political awareness, and democratic engagement, but participation rates among young people remain uneven. Using a mixed-methods approach incorporating survey data, the essay finds that while 96.3% of respondents are aware of opportunities to engage in policy-related activities, only 43.7% understand how policies are formulated. Only 19.2% have participated directly in policy or legal processes. These findings yield a substantial gap among awareness, understanding, and participation, suggesting structural constraints related to education, access to information, and participatory mechanisms. The inspection further reveals that youth in formal educational settings exhibit lower levels of policy comprehension than the broader population, suggesting potential limitations in existing civic and legal education practices. Based on these findings, the essay develops an integrated analytical framework that links public policy and legal education, civic skill development, and experiential participation. The essay argues that youth engagement is best understood as the product of an interconnected educational and participatory ecosystem rather than as an outcome of knowledge acquisition alone. In sum, by emphasizing the relationships among policy literacy, educational experiences, and civic participation, the essay contributes to discussions of democratic development and youth empowerment. It offers insights into the conditions that facilitate meaningful engagement in public affairs.


Keywords


Youth Engagement; Policy; Legal Processes; Democratic Growth, Indonesia;

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.35308/jpp.v12i4.13408

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