IYTT Blog: Thinkers' Corner

Global civil society depends on the free exchange of ideas, experiences, and perspectives across borders. However, restrictive Visa systems continue to create barriers that disproportionately affect young leaders from the Global South, undermining the very values of democracy, inclusion, and international cooperation that many global organisations seek to promote.

In June, our Schengen visa applications to attend an international summit in July as Youth Fellows from the Global South were rejected. The stated reason was a “reasonable doubt” about our returning to South Africa after the event. This conclusion overlooked substantial evidence demonstrating our strong ties and commitments: we are registered MA and PHD candidates at iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu and University of Pretoria, respectively, and one of us holds two university contracts and maintains active family business interests in Malawi. Rather than assessing our applications on their individual merits, the decision appeared to be based on broad assumptions about the socio-economic circumstances of our countries of origin. After submitting formal appeals with additional supporting evidence, our applications were rejected again. To compound the lack of transparency, the appeal decisions were communicated in Swedish, despite all previous correspondence having taken place in English. The experience illustrates how visa systems can undermine the principles of fairness, equal treatment, and international collaboration.

We have been actively involved in various local and international organisations and initiatives that promote youth participation, democratic engagement, and global citizenship. In 2024, we were selected as 2 of the 24 African youth fellows to attend the 6th International Youth Think Tank (IYTT) Youth Conference and Nobel Symposium, which took place in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The IYTT brings together young leaders from diverse countries to foster democracy, openness, and global dialogue. Founded in Sweden in 2019, The organisation has a global network of youth fellows from countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas with its annual conferences rotating between host countries. In 2026, the organisation invited 20 youth fellows, just like the previous year, from different cohorts and countries to participate in the Gothenburg World Youth Openness and Democracy Summit, held in Gothenburg, Sweden, from 12 to 18 July 2026. We were honoured to be among those selected to represent our cohort at this international gathering. The Summit is organised alongside the Gothia Cup, the world’s largest international youth football tournament, bringing together approximately 1900 teams from 75 countries. Throughout the week, youth fellows participate in three key programmes: World United 2026, which connects youth sports with democratic dialogue; Neighbourhood Democracy, which encourages participants to reflect on how urban spaces can promote democratic participation; and Open Chair Democracy Talks, which creates opportunities for public discussions on democracy involving diverse communities.

Unfortunately, despite being officially invited and meeting all the application requirements, our visa applications were rejected. We submitted all the required supporting documents, including proof of our studies and other academic commitments, financial support, accommodation arrangements, and our intention to return to our respective home countries after the Summit. These were the same type of documents that had been accepted for previous participants and fellows from other regions.

Our story is not unique, though. It is part of a deeply entrenched system that actively excludes the very voices that global civil society claims to centre. African applicants lose millions of dollars in non-refundable visa fees for rejected Schengen applications. The poorest countries in the world pay the richest countries money for not getting visas- a phenomenon researcher have called “reverse remittances”. This is not about individual merit. Research consistently shows a strong correlation between visa rejection rates and the applicant’s country of origin: the lower the GDP per capita, the higher the likelihood of refusal. Meanwhile, fewer applicants from the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom face rejection. This is what Amnesty International has termed “indirect discrimination,” as the system disproportionately impacts applicants racialised as Black, Asian, and/or Muslim.

This experience raises important questions about equality, fairness, and inclusion in international civic engagement. Organisations such as the International Youth Think Tank (IYTT) invest significant effort in creating platforms where young people from different backgrounds can collaborate, exchange ideas, and strengthen democratic values. Yet restrictive Visa systems prevent many from participating, particularly those from African countries and other parts of the global south. Visa barriers do more than limit travel.  They silence voices that deserve to be heard, and they reinforce global inequalities by determining whose ideas are allowed to contribute to international conversations and whose participation is viewed with suspicion. Such practices undermine the principles of openness, trust, and mutual respect that global civil society seeks to advance.

As young leaders commit to democracy, we do not seek special treatment. We seek equal opportunities to participate, contribute, and return home with new knowledge and experiences that can benefit our communities. Building a stronger global civil society requires governments to recognise that genuine international cooperation depends on mobility, fairness, and trust, not on stereotypes or assumptions based on nationality or economic status.

If global democracy is to be meaningful, it must include everyone. Until Visa systems become more equitable, many promising young leaders continue to be excluded from the very spaces designed to shape a more democratic and inclusive world.