Background: Palestinian youth are among the most politicized in the world. However, years of exploitation of young people's efforts by political factions and the failure to deliver significant political change lead many of today’s youth to withdraw from political participation. Youth disillusionment with political and social participation negatively impacts other areas of society, including a decline in broader civic and social engagement among Palestinian young people in recent years.

• Project Summary: Through a network of 34 Youth Local Councils, Sharek cultivates a culture of democracy and good governance in Palestine, promoting youth engagement in decision-making, policy-setting, and democratic processes in local government. These YLCs closely engage with their local government partners (Municipalities or Local Councils) to provide the youth perspective and act as a check on their government. By enhancing youth representation at this scale, they strengthen democratic ideas and values among young people. The trained YLCs also implement more than 150 initiatives to support their communities and address their needs. Over time, these YLCs expand to additional locations across the West Bank through democratic and transparent elections.