Nairobi, Kenya: Peter Muhia, a dedicated youth leader from Dandora Phase 2, believes that the voices of young people are often overlooked in national conversations on justice and governance.

“We want to be part of shaping the future, not just waiting for others to make decisions for us,” he said during this year’s International Youth Day celebrations in Dandora.

“When you talk about unemployment, crime, or drugs,” he began, his voice steadying with every word, “You’re talking about people I grew up with. I’ve seen friends waste away on street corners. I’ve seen others buried too soon. We can’t keep being statistics for the government reports. We need real opportunities, and we need them now.”

His words echoed the frustrations of many young people across the country who feel excluded from decision-making processes, even though they make up the largest share of Kenya’s population. For Muhia, inclusion is not just about being invited to events, but about having influence in decisions that directly affect his life and those of his peers.

For youth like Peter Muhia, this dynamic is more than a statistic, it is a lived experience. He shared how young men in his community are frequently assumed to be criminals simply because of where they live or how they dress. This, he argued, discourages young people from trusting institutions that are supposed to protect them.

This year’s International Youth Day was themed Local Youth Actions for SDGs and Beyond, but in Kenya the event focused more broadly on how young people can advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16, which emphasizes peace, justice, and strong institutions. 

The conversations revolved around the role of youth in building trust between communities and state institutions, promoting non-violence, and ensuring access to justice.

According to Ruth Wambui, the  Program Manager for Central Region at Crime Si Poa, youth participation cannot be reduced to tokenism. “We are not doing justice to our democracy if we treat young people as if they are just beneficiaries,” she said. “They are citizens who must be recognized as co-creators in building strong institutions.”

Her remarks underscored a pressing concern while Kenya has made progress in creating youth centered policies, implementation gaps remain wide. Youth are still struggling with unemployment, limited civic spaces, and, in places like Dandora, strained relationships with law enforcement.

SDG 16 sets out to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions.” For many young people, these promises feel far removed from daily realities. In neighborhoods like Dandora marked by extreme poverty and insecurity, youth often find themselves profiled as threats rather than recognized as partners in nation-building.

Jeremy Buluma am Legal support service intern in Central region and  Program Manager at Crime Support, highlighted the trust deficit between youth and the state.

“When young people only encounter government institutions through harassment, delays, or corruption, the sense of alienation grows deeper,” he noted.

He explained that police -youth relations remain one of the biggest barriers to inclusive development in Kenya’s urban settlements. Instead of seeing each other as allies in maintaining peace, young people and police officers often view each other with suspicion.

“We cannot talk about justice and peace if the first point of contact between a young person and the state is a baton,” Buluma said.

Halima Guyo, Crime si Poa Project officer in Nairobi county, stressed that young women face compounded barriers. Beyond unemployment and insecurity, they also grapple with gender-based violence and discrimination in justice systems.

“A young woman from an informal settlement who reports abuse is often silenced twice, first by stigma in her community and second by the system that should protect her,” she explained.

Guyo called for gender-responsive policies that recognize the intersectional struggles faced by young women. She also challenged young men to actively champion equality. “The struggle for justice is not a women’s issue. It is everyone’s issue,” she said.

Despite the challenges, International Youth Day offered a platform for solutions. Wambui emphasized the need for structured mentorship and leadership programs that go beyond one off training. “We must institutionalize youth leadership opportunities,” she said. “This is how we shift from rhetoric to impact.”

Panel discussions highlighted initiatives such as community legal awareness forums, youth-led mediation groups, and digital platforms for civic participation. These approaches, while small-scale, demonstrate the power of youth driven innovation in addressing justice gaps.

Muhia pointed out that peer to peer initiatives are often the most effective. “When information comes from fellow youth who understand your struggles, it sticks,” he said. He urged the government to fund more grassroots initiatives run by youth themselves, rather than relying exclusively on top-down programs.

Kenya’s youth make up about 75 percent of the population, yet their participation in formal governance structures remains limited. Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that unemployment rates are highest among young people aged 18 to 34. At the same time, police oversight reports indicate that youth are disproportionately represented in cases of unlawful arrests and harassment.

These realities make SDG 16 not just an aspirational goal but a survival issue. Without peace, justice, and strong institutions, the dividends of Kenya’s development cannot reach the majority. 

Wambui argued, “You cannot achieve the other SDGs without first establishing trust, accountability, and security. SDG 16 is the backbone.”

Buluma  argued that one of the most transformative steps Kenya can take is to reposition young people as development partners. He pointed to successful youth-led peacebuilding efforts during election periods in counties like Nakuru and Kisumu, where young people acted as mediators to reduce tensions. “When you give youth responsibility, they rise to the occasion,” he said.

International Youth Day served as a reminder that youth are not passive recipients of development. They are active agents who can hold institutions accountable, promote justice, and drive peace initiatives. 

For Muhia, the event was more than just a platform for discussion. It was an affirmation that his voice matters. He hopes to see the commitments made during the day translated into real change in his community. “We have spoken enough. Now we need action,” he said.

Speakers called on policymakers to create sustained platforms for youth engagement, strengthen accountability mechanisms in law enforcement, and invest in youth-led justice programs.

As the world approaches closer to the 2030 deadline for the SDGs, the urgency of involving young people has never been greater. The question is not whether Kenya’s youth are ready to lead or they already are. The challenge is whether the nation will trust them enough to take their rightful place at the decision-making table.