The Centre de Recherche sur l’Anti-Corruption (CERC) is pleased to announce that it has been selected by IREX, together with its consortium partners, to implement the Youth Represent DRC project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo under the Youth Excel: Our Knowledge, Leading Change initiative.

Youth Excel is a global initiative led by IREX that strengthens youth leadership by supporting youth-led and youth-serving organizations to generate evidence through implementation research, improve development programs using data, and foster meaningful dialogue between young people and decision-makers. The program aims to ensure that youth play a central role in shaping policies and solutions that respond to their communities’ priorities.

This new phase marks an important milestone in expanding the organization’s contribution to youth development and civic participation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Under the Youth Represent DRC project, CERC and its consortium partners will work alongside youth-led organizations, civil society actors, public institutions, and local communities to strengthen youth representation, promote inclusive participation, and generate evidence that informs public policy and sustainable development initiatives.

The project will emphasize:

• Strengthening the leadership and institutional capacity of youth-led organizations;
• Supporting youth-driven research and evidence generation;
• Promoting inclusive civic engagement and meaningful youth participation in governance;
• Facilitating dialogue between young people and public decision-makers;
• Advancing locally led solutions to address development challenges across the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

CERC is honored by the confidence placed in the organization by IREX and its consortium and looks forward to working collaboratively with national and local partners to ensure that young people are recognized not only as beneficiaries of development but also as researchers, innovators, and leaders of transformative change.

Through this partnership, CERC reaffirms its commitment to promoting accountable governance, evidence-based policymaking, and meaningful youth participation as essential pillars for building an inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous Democratic Republic of the Congo.