Young people across the Caribbean are demanding more than a seat at the table when it comes to decisions about their health and well-being, according to a regional commentary that questions how governments and institutions put the idea of youth engagement into practice.
The commentary, published for a Caribbean audience, argues that the word «engage» has been stretched so far that it often describes little more than a photograph, a one-off consultation or a speech at an official function. It asks what it actually means to involve young people in the decisions that shape their health and their futures.
At the centre of the argument is a simple point: listening is not the same as sharing power. Inviting youth representatives to a meeting, or asking them to endorse a plan that has already been written, does not amount to meaningful participation. Real engagement means young people help set the agenda, shape the questions and influence the outcomes, not simply react to decisions taken elsewhere.
The commentary draws on the voices of Caribbean youth who have taken part in regional and national processes. Their message is that they are not short of ideas, energy or lived experience. What they often lack is a structured way to bring those strengths into the rooms where policy is made, and a clear answer to what happens to their input once the meeting ends.
For small island states, the stakes are high. Health systems across the region face pressure from non-communicable diseases, mental health needs and the long-term effects of climate-related shocks. Young people are among those most affected, yet they are frequently the least represented when budgets, programmes and services are designed.
The commentary suggests that meaningful engagement requires more than good intentions. It calls for clear commitments, feedback loops that show young people how their views were used, and sustained support so that youth participation is not limited to a single event or a short project cycle.
It also points to the role of institutions, including regional bodies and national ministries, in creating space for youth leadership rather than treating young people as a target group to be managed. That shift, the commentary argues, would change both the tone and the substance of health policy.
The message is directed at decision-makers but also at young people themselves, who are urged to keep pressing for a genuine role rather than accepting symbolic gestures. The commentary makes clear that engagement is not a favour granted to youth; it is a condition for policies that actually work.
For Dominica and its Caribbean neighbours, the lesson is that the region's young people are ready to contribute. The question is whether the systems around them are ready to let them.
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