Rassemblement Action-Jeunesse (RAJ) used pop culture to engage Algerian youth in human rights. In Algeria, youth make up 75% of the population. However, government repression has limited their participation in politics. RAJ hoped to change this by combining something youth were already involved in, pop culture, with human rights organizing.
Implementation and Government Repression
RAJ pursued this goal through various means. For example, they booked concerts, created comics, made documentary films, and hosted art exhibits. On each of these fronts the government met them with repression. Their first major success was organizing a hip hop concert attended by 10,000 youth. In response the government denied them permits to hold events 25 times over the next four years.
Recommendations and Challenges
When considering how to put on a pop culture event for youth involving human rights, RAJ emphasizes several aspects. First, widespread youth participation in an event requires that other charismatic youth host the event. It is important then, that the leadership of the organization come from within the youth community. Unfortunately, this necessity creates two severe obstacles. First, youth tend to lack both the management skills and resources necessary for hosting many large pop culture events. Secondly, many of the institutional ties useful to confront government repression were not developed, or would have been ineffective anyway. Nonetheless, the events RAJ organized raised awareness about human rights. They effectively taught many Algerians that human rights are part of their own culture and experience.
Impact and Influence
The impact of the organizing has been felt in the NGO community, the government, and cultural life of Algerian youth. Many of the RAJ organizers went on to work on human rights for other NGO organizations. The government was made aware of the political power of youth. More importantly, the youth began to their assert influence over democratic process. In the 1999 presidential elections, the youth both monitored the elections to ensure fairness and encouraged youth to vote. With regard to the cultural life of Algerian youth, the music group that performed at the initial concert went on be very successful. Although they have moved to France, they continue to be involved in the struggle for human rights in Algeria.
The approach of RAJ, using pop culture to engage youth in human rights, offers an innovative model for activism in repressive environments. By leveraging music, art, and media—forms that resonate with young people—RAJ made human rights more relatable and accessible. This tactic can be applied to other movements that struggle to gain attention, especially where government repression limits direct political action. However, the challenges RAJ faced, such as government interference and limited resources, show that youth-led initiatives need support systems to succeed. Despite obstacles, RAJ’s work empowered Algerian youth, showing how cultural engagement can spark broader social and political awareness.
New Tactics in Human Rights does not advocate for or endorse specific tactics, policies or issues.
