Should children be allowed to vote

Children are the future of a nation. Their creative minds are a storehouse of new ideas and thoughts that can significantly help nation-building. However, as a part of a democratic setup, voting is unanimously considered an adult right. Children are not allowed to vote or participate in any elective process until they become adults. Ideally, a mature mind is equipped to choose a better leader who can offer prosperity and stability to the nation and defend its citizens. I, therefore, believe that children should not be allowed to vote. Some of these reasons will hold the candle to my belief. 

Other decisions linked to adulthood 

I believe children would be unable to process the complex mechanism of politics and the world order built around it. Allowing them to vote at a tender age is highly debatable, considering other vital decisions such as marriageable age are also intrinsically linked with adulthood. In India, the voting age for a young adult is 18 years. The marriageable age for girls is 18, while for boys, it is 21. If we decide to lower the voting age to 16, then it could be debated that children are also mature enough to marry. Or are they? 

Introduce children to the democratic process 

I believe that instead of focussing on lowering the age for voting, children should be introduced to the democratic process of their countries early on. They should be taught about the mechanism of electing their leader and how an executive body such as the parliament runs a country. That will prepare them as better future citizens than just early handover of voting rights without proper grooming.  

Completing basic education

The voting rights given from the age of 18 look reasonable. At this age, most young adults have completed schooling. They are already introduced to college politics, which gives them a fair idea of how election as a tool works. There are child leaders like Greta Thunberg, who started speaking of climate change at a young age. The Taliban shot Malala Yousafzai at 15 for promoting girl education in Pakistan. They never had voting rights. What is important here is that having made her voice heard, Malala has continued to pursue her education and advocates the same for girls everywhere.  

It is essential that children can make their voices heard, irrespective of voting rights. As informed citizens, they can make their leaders listen to them, something more important than just having the right to vote.