balkans youth. the leaders of today

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Youth: The Leaders of Today OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE TASK FORCE— BALKANS 1 Occidental College at the UN UNDP ETC

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Youth: The Leaders of Today

OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE TASK FORCE— BALKANS !1

Occidental College at the UN UNDPETC

OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE TASK FORCE— BALKANS !2

Disclaimer: This report was written by a five person task force comprised of members of the Occidental College at the United Nations program. For four months, participating students interned in various agencies or permanent missions to the United Nations. As the authors are not official UNDP staff members, this report in no way reflects UNDP’s views or opinions. Furthermore, this report in no way endorses the views or opinions of Occidental College.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Youth: The Leaders of Today 1

Table of Contents 3

Foreword 4

Acknowledgements 5

Executive Summary 6

Background 7

Definitions and Methodology 10

Typology 13

Case Studies 15

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Ethnic Reconciliation 15

Kosovo: Capacity Building 22

Macedonia: Youth Unemployment 30

Serbia: Political Participation 35

Youth Voices 43

Conclusion 44

Opportunities and Challenges: Recommendations 44

Works Cited and Additional Resources 47

Endnotes 50

Author Biographies 52

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FOREWORD

This report seeks to capture the potential of the power of youth leadership today, and the importance of expanding youth engagement to build more resilient and empowered

societies. We hope while reading this report, one sees the crucial role youth play in economic

development, sustainability, and advocacy for justice. As Deputy Secretary General Jan

Eliasson said in October at an event on youth, peace and security—“We must not only work

for youth – we must work with youth. All of us will gain by doing so.” We call on global leaders to involve youth voices and strengthen and develop programs which catalyze the

power of youth.

Occidental College has partnered with the United Nations Development Programme

(UNDP) as a means of engaging young people with UNDP’s work and the broader youth,

peace, and security agenda. This is collaborative effort is in line with the vision articulated in the UNDP Youth Strategy and UNDP Youth-GPS. This partnership has proved crucial in

building a connection between current youth and the development arena, a nexus that needs

to be further developed in order to realize the power of young people. We look forward to a

future where youth are viewed not as victims of decisions, but agents and actors in change.

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“We must not only work for youth – we must work

with youth. All of us will gain by doing so.”- Deputy SG Jan Eliasson

"Let us acknowledge and celebrate what youth can do to build a safer, more just world. Let us strengthen our efforts to include

young people in policies, programmes and decision-making processes that benefit their futures and ours."

—Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon message on International Youth Day, 12 August 2010

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Examining the issue of youth, peace and security the last four months has been an

incredible privilege and a collaborative effort. While the task of creating realistic recommendations of how UNDP and relevant organizations can empower youth in peacebuilding efforts was particularly challenging; however, with the support, assistance, and care of a few exceptional individuals, our task has proved to be a gratifying experience. We’d like to begin by thanking the original visionaries of this report: Noella Richard and Regev Ben Jacob. Noella, we are in awe of your unrelenting passion for the empowerment of youth and limitless kindness. And Regev, we are so thankful for your unwavering patience and impressively prompt responses to our probing late-night questions.

To those who shared their knowledge working with youth in the Balkans, notably Berdi Berdiyev, Divenson Mejus, Đorđe Jovićević, Marko Vukovic, Milica Škiljević, and Namik Hadzalic, your words were invaluable additions to our research.

Within the texture of the case studies and recommendations, there are several powerful individuals who have worked tirelessly to support our work. We are immensely grateful to these people who have graciously shared their stories, thoughts, and ideas with open arms: Alejandra Benavides Soto, Ali Gadoush, Amaar Esufally, Antoine Lemonnier, Camilla B. Gullbrekken, Ekaterina Skvortsova, Helin Argav, Jialu Li, Lina Li, Shantel Santana, Shirish Bohara, Sonja Huttunen, and Thevuni Kotigala.

Lastly, many thanks to our Occidental College network, particularly Doug Gardner and Jacques Fomerand for providing boundless guidance and mentorship throughout this process. Additionally, we would like to express our gratitude to Sherry Simpson-Dean for her expertise in design whilst leading us through the crafting of the narrative for our supplementary media piece. Special thanks to Mallory Leeper and Samantha Morrill in presenting an inspiring video. And another huge thank you to Kara Alam for the exceptional layout, design and editing work of the report that lies here in your hands. Finally, thank you to William and Elizabeth Kahane and their generous endowment, the professors in the Diplomacy and World Affairs department, and the staff in the International Programs Office for consistently supporting and uplifting our work.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Over the last few years, the youth, peace and security agenda has begun to

galvanize international attention. Governments and international actors alike are looking to invest in young people as a key component of sustainable development. Organizations such as the United Nations and UNDP have emphasized the role youth play as agents of change in their countries. They recognize that young people have the potential to drive their countries forward in all sectors of society, if they are given the necessary capacity, resources, and opportunities. A monumental step in the conversation surrounding youth empowerment in government and peacebuilding came with the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2250, which addresses the need for states to engage youth in their governments and social groups.

The focus of this report is the Balkans region, with case studies of Kosovo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Macedonia, and Serbia. It highlights the most pressing obstacles to youth development in each country, as well as for the Balkans as a whole. It also calls attention to the need for development actors to address root drivers of radicalization and crime organizations, since they disproportionally target and attract youth. These realities are widespread in the Balkans, as the region lacks ample infrastructure to strengthen the institutions that support youth. While the structure of the report highlights one key development theme in each case study country, the themes are also present in the Balkans as a whole.

This report addresses not only how UNDP can assist in building the capacity of Balkan governments to address development issues, but also on how regional actors can lend support. International actors such as the European Union, neighboring European states, and other foreign entities can play an important role in coordinating with and bolstering the efficiency of regional and local government initiatives. By addressing the needs highlighted in the case studies, youth can play a role in promoting peace, security, and prosperity for their regions, as well as future integration into the European community. Balkan youth make up an unprecedented majority of the population of the region, making it critical that they have the tools and ability to forge an integrated, developed, and inclusive future.

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BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION In December 2015, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2250

(2015) on Youth, Peace and Security— a resolution which recognized, for the first time, the significant and powerful role that young women and young men play in the prevention of conflict, in peacebuilding and in the maintenance of international security. At a time when young people have been portrayed as a group especially vulnerable to forces of violent extremism and radicalization, this resolution made a contrary and powerful assertion that young people should not solely be seen as a part of the problem, but be incorporated as a part of the solution. UNSCR 2250 focuses on several primary areas of youth involvement and rights. These include political participation, protection of youth, measures for the prevention of youth being involved in violence, creating partnerships for youth involvement, and disengagement and reintegration of youth affected by armed conflict.

Today, over 600 million young people live in fragile and conflict affected regions around the world. How can these young people be involved in peacebuilding? This report seeks to answer that question by exploring how young people from the Balkans region are engaging in the peacebuilding sphere. We are currently at a critical juncture where young people are being recognized for the profound contributions that they can make towards creating a peaceful, stable and secure world. However, it is clear that far too often these contributions are not effectively harnessed. Thevuni Kotigala, a member of the Secretary General’s advisory group for the Progress Study on Youth, Peace, and Security asserts that there are still many practical and structural difficulties existing at both national and international levels, as youth and their opinions are not highly regarded and often quickly dismissed.

This report aims to analyze these efforts at the national level in the Balkans, assessing the challenges involved in engaging youth in peacebuilding efforts within and across countries. It contains interviews from young people as well as experts in the field, as well as an in depth examination of current youth programs, initiatives and platforms. From our

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“This resolution recognizes the significant role young people will play in how our world adapts to today’s global challenges,

including those to peace and security. With youth comes energy, innovation, and optimism – if there are supportive environments

and opportunities.”— UN Development Programme Administrator Helen Clark on Security Council

Resolution 2250, December 2015

research and these interviews we have garnered common trends and produced evidence based recommendations to UNDP and partners as to how relevant organizations can target, engage and bolster the potential of young people. It is crucial that commonalities in youth grievances be used as a platform to engage young people from different walks of life, reducing their vulnerability to being involved in conflict, and empowering them to take action on issues that matter to them. It is clear that focusing on youth is a timely issue.

2016 has proven to be a tumultuous year for youth and global society at large. As the world refugee crises surges, and the number of displaced people continues to rise, it is more important than ever to invest in youth. Youth are their own best advocates and hold the power to shift traditional norms and modes of thinking as they shape their societies. Ensuring future peace and security begins with meaningful recognition of the power of the young. Cultivating a global citizenship mindset which fosters international awareness and empathy is necessary in order to ensure our collective survival. Youth opinions and experiences must be used as a tool to counter and prevent violent extremism, and build sustainable peace.

With the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, we are at a crucial juncture in leveraging action for the implementation of these goals that aim to create a safer, more equitable, sustainable world by 2030. Young people are key actors in this process. As incoming Secretary General Antonio Guterres put it in his statement upon taking oath, “[t]he 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development… ha[s] opened a pathway to a safer, more just and peaceful world for all of us. And during these years, youth took on new levels of leadership.” This report touches on facets of this leadership and youth action on the implementation of a few of these goals, including quality education (Goal 4), decent work and economic growth (Goal 8), industry, innovation, and infrastructure (Goal 9), reduced

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inequalities (Goal 10), climate action (Goal 13), peace, justice and strong institutions (Goal 16), and global partnerships for the goals (Goal 17). These issues are extremely relevant to young people, as we have seen in many of our case studies in this region. Young people in these around the world suffer from high levels of unemployment, lack of access to quality education and seem to be largely ignored as a demographic by governments. In order to tackle these issues, strong partnerships are essential.

This view has been echoed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his calls to action to young people around the world, notably in his recent message to his Envoy on Youth. “[In] this time of rampant poverty, hateful discrimination, rising violent extremism, environmental degradation and other global threats, we must look to those hardest hit, especially young people, for solutions…incremental progress adds up. When we steadily support the world’s youth, they can create a safer, more just and more sustainable future for generations to come.” 1

There are more young people alive now than at any other time in human history. 2

Young people bring bold ideas, new perspective, passion, and curiosity to their societies, and to not harness and empower this growing demographic would be a disservice to ourselves. Youth need to be equipped with the proper resources, tools and skill sets to tackle modern plights facing the international community.

Resolution 2250 urges member states to recognize youth as powerful agents of change and encourages collaboration across sectors. Governments, civil society actors and stakeholders alike must also treat youth as valuable assets and abandon the notion that young people are troublesome and lack the capacity to shoulder some of the worlds most difficult issues. No longer can the rhetoric around youth be focused solely on the future. The future is theirs, but so is the now. The time for youth is now.

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DEFINITIONS AND METHODOLOGY

DEFINING KEY TERMS Youth and Young PeopleYouth and young people are defined as those aged 18 to 29, as in Security Council Resolution 2250. The UNDP Youth Strategy, however, focuses principally on young persons aged 15-24, with some scope for those aged 25-30. Local understandings of youth and adulthood can be different and determined by variables such as marital or economic power. Due to the fluidity of definitions across different contexts, the report considers younger ages at times. This will be explicitly stated where relevant.

Bottom-up ApproachesBottom up approaches rely on grassroots, community-led initiatives. Bottom up approaches are often very effective at shifting norms compared to top-down approaches – offering a more organic and integrated attitude. Top-down approaches attempt to implement change through laws and policies enacted by the government.

PeacebuildingPeacebuilding promotes social cohesion and empowers nations and communities to become inclusive and resilient to external and internal shocks. Peacebuilding can involve supporting and strengthening of key governance institutions needed to peacefully navigate countries away from

potential conflict and ensure necessary societal transformations are durable.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda The 2030 Agenda seeks to stimulate action for sustainable development over the next fifteen years through goals and targets. This universal agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets that focus on: people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership. These goals are integrated to balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social, and environmental.

SustainabilitySustainability integrates economic, social, and environmental spheres and maintains a long-lasting impact beyond the short-term.

Marginalized/Vulnerable YouthMarginalized youth often lack access to education, opportunity, and knowledge of their human rights. While the degree of marginalization and vulnerabilities vary from country-to-country, each country has marginalized or vulnerable youth irrespective of their high, middle, or low-income status. The term marginalized can also refer to those who are vulnerable due to race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disabilities, gender, etc.

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METHODOLOGY 1. Initially, our team analyzed the major trends within the area to find the archetypal case

studies in which we would draw our conclusions and recommendations.

2. After determining four critical country case studies and subsequent thematic realms,

we researched the country context, UNDP’s presence and projects within the region,

and interventions beyond UNDP’s scope.

3. Our team conducted nearly 15 individual and group individual interviews with local

youth, experts, organizations, and implementers to identify best practices. Following

these interviews, we analyzed the core strengths and weaknesses within the case

studies and determined ways to strengthen these process towards a peacebuilding

framework.

4. Additionally, we recognized that one of our strongest assets is that we ourselves are

young people. Therefore, we created a “youth voices” section to highlight the ideas of

young people we interviewed.

5. After analyzing the case studies and interviews, we synthesized the main themes of

our research to provide concrete recommendations contained with specific examples

aimed at how UNDP and similar organizations can build awareness of youth, peace,

and security.

6. In an effort to bridge the limited access to in-person feedback, we have taken a number

of steps to integrate youth voices around the world. We requested feedback on related

topics to youth participation and peacebuilding, and received feedback form 37 young

people from 20 countries. You can see key quotes highlighted in the Youth Voices

section.

7. In conjunction with this report, we have also developed a related video campaign,

available on the Youth4Peace platform. We encourage readers to visit the Youth4Peace

platform or visit the Youth4Peace Facebook page for further information on the efforts

of young people globally in peacebuilding.

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LIMITATIONS While our team strived to make this report as comprehensive as possible on the youth

and peace efforts in the Balkans region, as this document was a review conducted remotely, it

is crucial to acknowledge that there were several key limitations. First, and most importantly,

we were only able to speak directly with a handful of youth from the region, and as a result,

their voices do not feature prominently as we would have liked in our report. We also had

limited access to professionals and organizations which engage with youth in the Balkans

region. The individuals that we were able to interview offered invaluable insights into their

work and practical knowledge of the region and the context of peacebuilding. We are grateful

for their generosity in sharing their time and opinions with us. Secondly, many program

websites and social media pages did not include follow up data on the successes and results

of their programs, which limited our ability to provide strong recommendations for certain

interventions. Lastly, our case studies included countries which have outdated census

information and are currently revising their government policies. This limited the availability

of recent data on youth and youth involvement over the last five years. Given the information

and resources available to us, we have worked to provide the most cohesive overview of

youth, peace and security in the Balkans and the role youth play as change makers.

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TYPOLOGY Over 600 million youth live in fragile and conflict affected regions across the world

today. These young people have huge potential to actively engage in their governments and 3

civil society structures, but often the post- (or current) conflict contexts make it challenging for them to be able to engage in these spheres, and they often face serious obstacles to entering the work force or finding employment in the informal sector. The Balkans region is an example of a post-conflict area that faces some of these classic obstacles. Beginning in 1991, the Yugoslav Federation dissolved and six sovereign states emerged within the Balkans region. For the next decade, the Balkans faced a series of civil and inter-state wars. These conflicts were often driven by ethnic divides, and created long lasting development and social problems for the emerging states.

Thematic priorities in terms of challenges facing the Balkans region as a whole include addressing the aftereffects of prolonged ethnic conflict within the region, and engaging in serious efforts to promote youth employment, as youth unemployment in many regions of the Balkans remains higher than 30%, a major obstacle to development.

Many states implement National Development plans in order to create a vehicle and vision of strategic growth for the state. Because of the post-conflict status of the Balkans states, development agendas in these states included peacebuilding plans that highlighted the national reconciliation challenges that these nations faced. Yet many of these plans, both development and peacebuilding, left young people out of the fold, and put them at a distinct disadvantage in terms of being able to actively participate in creating government and policy initiatives that reflect the best interest of those who will be the future of a nation. Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina have all implemented national youth action plans to develop their young populations. While these plans are often well-intentioned and have concrete steps that could be taken to address youth development, they are often not renewed, or not implemented effectively, once again leaving youth out of the fold.

One type of framework often implemented as part of a national strategic development agenda is a Peacebuilding Priority Plan, which establishes national priorities for peacebuilding and reconciliation. A review of these assessments by Mercy Corps, however, found that most PPPs do not frame youth as being agents of change or actors within the peacebuilding arena, and instead as being at risk of creating further instability— a theory that is increasingly disregarded in most concrete assessments of youth and conflict.4

Another common type of youth engagement platform is youth parliaments that encourage and engage youth engagement in civic life. Promoting and encouraging youth to become active participants in their communities through public and civic participation is crucial. These have been effectively implemented in numerous states in the region, meaning that there is potential for these to be expanded to other states. Other initiatives that harness

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youth leadership can take the form of entrepreneurship initiatives, business training programs, and youth mentoring programs that encourage consistent engagement.

EXAMPLE OF LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE IN THE BALKANS

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Title/ Name Kosovo’s Young Leaders (SKYL)

Organization Mercy Corps, Centar za Razvoj Zajednica (CRZ), Kosovo Center for International Cooperation(KCIC) and Mundësia

Theory of Change Theory of Change: If young people from diverse communities in conflict-affected contexts are provided with the opportunity to:- Enhance job skills and experience, they will find employment;- gain confidence and skills, they can play a more active leadership role

in their communitiesand public life;- increase their interethnic reconciliation, tolerance and collaboration on

concrete projects,they will advance shared interests across ethnic groups

Description The SKYL program strategy was to build toward the overall goal of helping young people from Kosovo’s diverse communities become active participants in creating a viable, shared future for themselves and their communities through a phased approach: In Phase 1 all young participants learned basic life skills then they self-selected into one of two activity streams: jobs/entrepreneurship or civic engagement. In each track they built work skills, gained a commitment to participate in the well-being of their own lives and their communities, raised community confidence and realized the tangible benefits of their efforts. In Phase 2 emerging Kosovo Albanian and Serb young leaders received advanced training, planned joint projects and sought community support for their implementation. SKYL repeated Phases 1 to 3 each year with new participants and those from the previous year served as peer mentors.

Results - 2,483 young people have received training, leadership, and education in negotiation skills

- 459 youth have received follow on employment with outside employers- 12 businesses were started by youth and continued for at least one year- Participants planned and implemented 27 community projects, which

affected 11,600 people

More Information www.mercycorps.org/sites/default/files/skyl_eval_final_31_jan_2012.pdf

CASE STUDIES BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: ETHNIC

RECONCILIATION CONTEXT AND CHALLENGES

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is located in Southeastern Europe, in the center of the Balkan Peninsula near the Adriatic Sea. It has a diverse ethnic population of an estimated 3.8 million constituting of Bosniaks, Serbs, Croats, and 17 recognized minorities collectively referred to as “Others” by the rest of the population. After years of rule under numerous empires, Bosnia and Herzegovina finally declared its independence from the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia and became a member of the United Nations on May 22, 1992. This declaration 5

of independence was met with heavy resistance from Bosnian Serbs, and resulted in a violent conflict that displaced half of its pre-war population of 4.2 million. Over 100,000 were killed or disappeared, and most of its infrastructure and economy was destroyed. The political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina   were created by the Dayton Agreement in December of 1995, which recognized a second tier of government in   Bosnia and Herzegovina comprising of two entities: The  Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), with mostly Bosniaks   and   Croats, and the Republika Srpska (RS) with mostly Serbs – each governing roughly one half of the state's territory.

In the 1991 census, the country had a population of 4.37 million, which was believed to have dropped to 3.9 million during an unofficial UNHCR census in 1996. The population has dropped even further to 3.79 million. As a result, Bosnia and Herzegovina faces a major population crisis. While the war in Bosnia ended 18 years ago, its scars are still visible in the area as mass graves are still being discovered. Although death rates are steadily increasing, birth rates are dropping at an alarming rate (Trading Economics). Ethnic tensions were also aggravated leading up to the most recent census. Bosnia's population is expected to continue a slow decline in the coming years.

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BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: YOUTH FACTS

✴ Population: 3,798,536✴ Government definition of youth: The

youth law (2010) for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) defines youth as between 15-30 years, but the youth policy briefing (2011) notes that in Republika Srpska (RS), it is between 16-30 years

✴ Youth as percentage of population: ~20%✴ Youth unemployment: 57.5%

During the last several years BiH has experienced a number of challenges in its political, economic and social spheres. Widespread corruption, accompanied by weak rule of law and complicated bureaucratic apparatus, have created a high-risk environment. The large, expensive, and inefficient government itself represents a heavy burden for the budget and weakened economy. There are also issues with governance, as a recent study by Transparency International showed that

67% of Bosnian citizens believe that the government works in its own interest.6

The legacy of war crimes and the slow implementation of transitional justice are critical issues that BiH needs to address in order to move forward. Facing the past, truth-telling and civic dialogue need to be strengthened in order for social educational and political institutions, as well as the media, to work as one to bring BiH’s communities together so that they can more effectively address common problems. Additional peace-building and reconciliation is still required. In order for

youth to become actors in peacebuilding, ethnic reconciliation must be a priority. Blending differences and finding methods must be done organically and not forced.

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United Nations BiH, 3rd Dialogue Platform Conference (1)

YOUTH AS ACTIVE AGENTS OF PEACE

Although it is well-noted that the role governments and larger institutions create positive grounds for youth as changemakers within society, it would be a mistake to ignore the power that youth themselves have as active agents of development and peace. Namik Hadzalic, the UN Regional Coordinator for BiH and Dialogue for the Future, noted the importance of taking youth as not merely the primary target group of interest in peacebuilding initiatives, but as agents of change. This is particularly critical because youth do not stay young for long, hence, there is a large turnover of young people who remain engaged. According to a short survey done with youth within the Dialogue for the Future program, youth value personal dignity the most. This would mean that youth want to develop the capacities to empower themselves. This goes beyond mere methods for creating employment opportunities for youth. Young people’s positions in society and decision-making processes should be emphasized and celebrated. This could be done by involving them in more political processes or creating work environments for them to thrive in. This way, youth can take more proactive roles in peacebuilding.

The devastation of social structures and social values alongside the slow economic recovery and dependency on foreign aid have created apathy amongst the population. This particularly the case among youth. 32% of BiH’s population is

under the age of 35, and research has shown that over 60% of young people, regardless of their ethnic background, do not see their future in BiH. Therefore, there is a need to 7

create space in BiH for dialogue, reconciliation, and building of trust.

THE ENABLING FACTOR NEEDED TO ENCOURAGE YOUTH

PARTICIPATION Youth empowerment involves an

attitudinal, structural and cultural shifting process whereby young people gain the ability and agency to make decisions and implement change in their own lives and in their societies. The importance of youth 4

empowerment for peacebuilding was reflected in the words spoken by Marko, a youth from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who attended the United World College in Mostar (UWC Mostar). UWC Mostar is a school with the explicit theme of post-conflict education and reconciliation. He emphasized the efficacy of this school in its mission not because of its deliberate

attempts to instigate youth dialogue, but the physical, enabling space of residing and learning with persons from other ethnicities that ultimately bred positivity in the relationships between young people of different ethnic backgrounds.

DIALOGUE FOR THE FUTURE In response to the BiH Presidency’s request for the UN assistance from the Secretary-General to further advance peacebuilding efforts in BiH, a joint UN project (UNDP, UNICEF, and UNESCO) was created called Dialogue for the Future Promoting Coexistence and Diversity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Launched in 2014, the overall strategic focus of this project was to address the deterioration of relations amongst communities and decrease the threat of renewed conflict and violence by promoting peaceful coexistence amongst youth. The project created spaces for open dialogue that enabled a country-wide peacebuilding process that promoted trust, coexistence, and diversity, while simultaneously increasing youth involvement in policy dialogue surrounding development reform. The platform served as a participatory program aiming to connect high-level decision makers with civil society and citizens, with emphasis on youth.

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EVALUATION OF DIALOGUE FOR THE FUTURE

Overall, the Dialogue for the Future project was considered to be successfully implemented, as evaluated per the Evaluation Terms of Reference as well as the Evaluation Inception Report. The Evaluation Team was of the opinion that the Project had reached its goals, stating that “there is no doubt about [the] importance of this Project and [the] concrete results it has achieved.”5

• Half of the Project’s funds ($1 million), were allocated to the small grants facility (SGF) with 40 projects that were financed through the join SGF. The project showed an adequate level of efficiency in regards to its activities and key outputs.

• The implementation of the aforementioned 40 SGF projects were successfully conducted; they were in line with the stated objectives of the grants facility.

• From the point of view of the achievement of concrete, tangible results

as targeted in the main Project document, the Dialogue for the Future program can be considered as successfully implemented. However, it must be noted that its long-term effects are difficult to assess given a short time-span of the project of 24 months.

Specific Sustainable Development Goals that were relevantly targeted included:• SDG 4: Quality Education• SDG 5: Gender Equality• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic

Growth• SDG 10: Reduces Inequalities• SDG 16: Peace and Justice, Strong

Institutions• SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals

LESSONS LEARNED FROM DIALOGUE FOR THE FUTURE

1. The Project showed that the creation of an alternative space for dialogue which is not obstructed by institutional deadlocks proved to be the appropriate approach.

2. The fact that the Project has maintained strong endorsement from the highest state level, the BiH Presidency, has

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SDG CONNECTION: SDG 10 There are widening disparities that require the adoption of sound policies to empower the bottom percentile of income earners and promote economic inclusion of all persons regardless of sex, race, or ethnicities. As Bosnia still suffers from ethnic tensions, this SDG is particularly critical in alleviating differences between the ethnic groups. Furthermore, according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development, in post-conflict Bosnia, women from rural areas are often more marginalised, because of lower level of education and their inclination to tradition, which dictates that they must be subservient to men. Therefore it is critical to address the gender inequality gap and enhance the role of women within the country.

resulted in a positive atmosphere, but this was not a guarantee for implementation of grant activities in more local communities. Given the absence of a

typical subordination mechanism (i.e., state vs. lower levels of government), certain initiatives could be blocked at the level of ministries and schools. Therefore,

there must be an amalgamation of top-down and bottom-up approaches in grant promotion in implementation.

3. This initiative must have a more sustainable method of secured funding. Because there is no funding for the follow-up SGF projects, the effects of them are greatly threatened.

CONNECTION: PEACE AND SECURITY

This program begins with the initiative to provide safe spaces for which youth can discuss topics by promoting peaceful coexistence with other ethnic groups. This is the foundational component in building secure relations between youth and developing mechanisms to maintain a sense of trust amongst the population. Without the initial space for productive dialogue, there would be no methods to promote peacebuilding initiatives. The small grants facility is a paragon for an effective means to garner positive impact projects that are birthed by integrated thought processes. Such projects are particularly powerful due to their innate nature of being from the intersection of a

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CORE OUTPUTS OF THE DIALOGUE FOR THE FUTURE

PROJECT ✴ Established dialogue spaces for decision

makers, civil society, and citizens that enable country-wide peacebuilding processes to promote coexistence and dialogue.

✴ Increased participation, awareness and influence of youth and youth civil society organizations in policy dialogue with decision makers on issues impacting B&H’s development and reform agenda.

✴ Promoted education and peacebuilding initiatives that support greater social cohesion at both at a national level and in targeted communities.

✴ Citizens and communities have begun to promote culture, trust building and appreciation of diversity to advance reconciliation.

✴ The creation of a grants facility to fund local initiatives that promote coexistence and respect for diversity.

✴ A communications and outreach component to enhance public perceptions of peace, reconciliation, and respect for diversity.

✴ A greater representative participation of women in dialogue, conflict resolution and peacebuilding process.

3rd Dialogue for the Future Conference (3)

wide variety of ethnic, socioeconomic, and gender backgrounds.

RECOMMENDATIONS Namik Hadzalic, the UN Regional

Coordinator for BiH and Dialogue for the Future stated that the broad, general outlook of youth towards the government is “rebellious.” There is a need to raise youth awareness about the advantages of political activity and activity within the nongovernmental sector. Young people in BiH are relatively uninterested in politics and they do not believe that they have a lot of influence over the decisions beyond the circle of their own family and friends. Therefore, the finding that a large percentage of young people do not vote and that they do not even attempt to influence decisions in general is not surprising. Therefore, all of the recommendations below encourage the creation of spaces for dialogue and approaches to ethnic reconciliation.1. Enable legislative and policy environments

focused on youth empowerment. Such frameworks should guide public officials, guarantee protections, eliminate discrimination, identify priorities, and oversee the allocation of resources. Youth empowerment requires laws and policies to specifically address the needs of youth and encourage their participation in society. Young leaders in particular have an essential role to play to promote a youth-inclusive environment.

2. Increase civic participation and discourse. In light of the above, it would be particularly powerful to have clear platforms for youth to engage directly with their political leaders. This could

take the shape of youth fora or youth councils for young people to interact directly with government.

3. Create alternative spaces for free-flowing dialogue. It is critical that there are enabling and safe environments built for youth. As was shown by the Dialogue for the Future program, this was incredibly effective in initiating peacebuilding dialogue. Therefore, there is a need to “anchor” the Dialogue Platform to continue this positive impact, hence, additional space needs to be created where the importance of peacebuilding and diversity can be discussed. There must be continuation of this work that provides youth with the opportunities to influence policy-making in order to increase their participation, awareness, and influence on policy dialogue in BiH.

4. Formulate inclusive partnerships and spaces to foster youth engagement and networking.

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Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Bakir Izetbegović and UN Resident Coordinator

in BiH, Yuri Afanasiev signed a project document "Dialogue for the Future:

Promoting Coexistence and Diversity in Bosnia and Herzegovina (4)

Articulating needs and finding innovative solutions to shared problems on a broad range of issues requires that an accessible and shared infrastructure be in place to allow young people and youth organizations, including the most marginalized, to connect with each other, to dialogue with relevant stakeholders, to exchange solutions and work collaboratively.

5. Include gender in youth empowerment. It is crucial to systematically include women in the development of youth empowerment initiatives to ensure gender balances as society grows.

6. Encourage and facilitate international education. Students who attend the United World College and similar thematically and internationally focused institutions are able to gain exposure to different cultures, ethnicities, and viewpoints through his education with an international focus. Education and governmental institutions, such as the ministries of education and foreign affairs, as well as non-governmental organizations can participate in this process. However, it is important to take note that there must be means for young people to be motivated to return to BiH after completing their education in order to use their expertise to support the development of their country.6

7. Increase the focus on youth employment. Because unemployment has a large influence on social and ethnic inclusion, there must be a greater emphasis on the curation of jobs and a resolution of the unemployment and housing issues pertaining to young people. How are we

to expect conflict resolution if people are not economically satisfied? In addition, 69.2% of youth do not own their own living space and lack the economic resources to live independently. 7

Unemployment and housing are the main issues facing youth and they expect the government to address them through the direct aim of improving the economic situation of young people through the indirect, long-term aim of increasing the natural population growth rate in BiH.

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KOSOVO: CAPACITY BUILDINGBACKGROUND

The unrecognized state of Kosovo 8

faces a dual challenge in uplifting regional youth. Not only must the government and external actors support youth initiatives and overall development, but Kosovo itself must have the capacity and infrastructure to utilize available resources. Capacity building here means the government should not only broaden the reach of its policies to more of Kosovo’s people, but also employ and entrust youth to lead in the development and implementation of future policy. There is vast potential among the youth of Kosovo, but wealth of possibility cannot be unleashed without the proper public policy and execution. While Kosovo is faced with issues similar to those in the rest of the Balkans, its government must first address this specific issue of capacity building. To do this, they must recognize that young people can not only serve as leaders in expanding the outreach of development initiatives, but can also lend their voices and ideas in the creation of future programs.

Human development in Kosovo has been delayed for decades by armed conflict and political strife. Kosovo declared itself an independent state in 2008, shifting the geopolitics of the region once again. The Kosovo region is mostly composed of Albanians and Serbs, with other minorities comprising a small percentage of the population. Historically, Serbs maintained the majority in Kosovo up to and during the

Yugoslav administration of Slobodan Milošević. Following the NATO intervention in 1999, ethnic Albanians became the majority group in Kosovo with Serbs maintaining a heavy population in certain regions. 2015 data shows Kosovo’s population at nearly 1.9 million, with ethnic Albanians making up nearly 93% of the population and ethnic Serbs comprising the second largest demographic. The World 9

Bank estimated in 2013 that Kosovo’s youth population (classified here as below 35) hovered above 70%.

The sudden shifts in population and history of conflict laid the foundation for Kosovar-Serbian protest to the Kosovo declaration of independence in 2008, which included some instances of violent dissent. During EU-facilitated negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia, it was agreed that areas heavily occupied by ethnic Serbs, mostly concentrated in the northern Kosovo area bordering Serbia, would maintain a certain level of autonomy. They remain loosely

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KOSOVO: YOUTH FACTS ✴ Population: 1.9 million✴ Government definition of youth:

“Youth” is age group of young people between 15 and 24 years old. For operational purposes different actors have used other classifications (i.e. 18 – 35 and other)

✴ Youth as percentage of population: 70%✴ Youth unemployment: 60%

bound to Pristina’s jurisdiction, but are fairly self-sustaining with support from Serbia. Negotiations on the final status of Kosovo are still ongoing between Pristina and Belgrade.

IMPORTANT CHALLENGES Kosovo is a unique case in the

context of development as it not only faces the typical obstacles to youth empowerment, but has to address them in conjunction with establishing itself as an independent state. Many UN development programs are structured for developing countries, rather than unrecognized states. Kosovo is not recognized by the United Nations, so it does not receive the same access to its direct foreign assistance as other Balkan states. Statehood is typically a requirement for most international

development conventions or agreements. Even so, the United Nations recognized that international and regional actors should play a role in Kosovo’s development, as mandated in Security Council Resolution 1244. Before Kosovo can focus on specific 10

issues regarding youth, the government must expand its capacity to work with external actors to function as a formal state would. Without the proper infrastructure to make use of development resources, Kosovo cannot make quick and efficient strides to promoting success among youth.

Unemployment for young people is still extremely high in Kosovo. The unemployment rate among youth is at a staggering 57%, resulting in a fountain of untapped potential. As a result of a severe 11

dearth of employment opportunities domestically, young men favor migrating to

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BlockbyBlock Mitrovica Project in Kosovo (1)

CONNECTION: PEACE AND SECURITY

Kosovo only declared itself independent in 2008, and as such is still developing the institutions and stability it requires to govern and function effectively. Unemployment in Kosovo is among the highest in the Balkans at just above 50%, with young people facing meager prospects of employment opportunities. The youth population in Kosovo is high in numbers and incredibly versatile in pursuing their personal success, so putting them at the forefront of development efforts in the region would tap into a wealth of potential. Sustainable job growth, economic prosperity, and stable incomes are key to ensuring the success of peoples and their country. Putting youth in the position to lead the development of business, industry, and public policy can help insure the security and success of Kosovo and its people.

find work, while young women and girls in particular are often the victims of trafficking to sustain their families. Poverty worsens desperation among youth, as recent figures show a 22% extreme poverty rate between ages 15-24 and 36% for ages 25-64. This 12

reality paints a stark picture for youth in the region: the Kosovar government should focus on developing the infrastructure and policy necessary to support business and employment growth. The youth workforce is present and capable, but there is no business infrastructure that can accommodate such employment.

EMPLOYMENT The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has implemented economic and educational initiatives to reduce widespread unemployment throughout Kosovo. By focusing on youth, the largest age demographic in Kosovo, the UN is promoting stable economic growth in the region, as well as facilitating long-term sustainable development. If the youngest generation benefits from economic

opportunity, Kosovo can experience decades of stability and growth.

UNDP has instituted a comprehensive and inclusive education initiative that tackles school dropout rates, inefficient curriculums and programming, while also promoting funding for more qualified instructors and staff. These 13

programs work in conjunction with government initiatives such as the Kosovo Youth Action Plan (2007-2010) and Youth

Employment Action Plan (2007-2010) to improve future Pristina’s ability to combat unemployment. UNDP initiatives are aimed at people across Kosovo with a special focus on rural areas and women, because location and gender play key a role in dropout and unemployment rates. While rural citizens are typically self-sustaining, they have the

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Youth unemployment in Kosovo remains a

staggering 57%

SDG CONNECTION: SDG 9 Kosovo’s unemployment is one of the most substantial setbacks to developing regional youth. Kosovo has the highest youth population (classified here as under 35) in the Balkan region and over half face unemployment. It is critical that international and national actors strengthen both the capacity for entrepreneurship and economic infrastructure to unlock the potential of Kosovo’s youth. These young individuals have the versatility to not only thrive with new employment opportunities, but be the leading entrepreneurs that develop the future of Kosovo’s economy. Thanks to the widespread use of modern technology, Kosovo youth can efficiently drive innovation forward towards a more prosperous future with a base of economic infrastructure.

potential for long-term economic growth and eventual employment opportunities within a larger developed region. Additionally, UNDP and other actors in the region have implemented programs to incentivize youth to join the workforce, across all skill levels.

Establishing rule of law and developing state infrastructure would have effects extending beyond the public sector. Because Kosovo is not an established state, it lacks the formal stability and structures that business feel comfortable investing in, creating further obstacles to creating employment opportunities in the region. Kosovo is not currently in a position to compete economically on a regional nor global scales. Despite this, the European 14

Union has funded small and medium businesses in Kosovo since 2005, resulting in higher export and employment rates. 15

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has directly invested in small businesses to spur growth in Kosovo with fantastic results. Kosovo exports and its industry have increased in high numbers, except during the 2008 financial crisis and its recovery, as shown by an average annual growth of 48.5 between 2001-2011. These 16

actors can work in conjunction with government initiatives such as the Kosovo Investment and Enterprise Support Agency. This program from Kosovo’s Ministry of Trade and Industry manages investment from foreign entities to increase the capabilities of businesses and industries to work towards the capacity to compete on a regional and international scale.

Increased international investment in Kosovo stemming from more robust rule of

law and state infrastructure could provide youth with opportunities of employment, as well as professional development skills to establish a stable private sector. With the proper public policy, the government can promote small-business growth in urban areas, where high levels of unemployment are the most prominent. By addressing youth unemployment, Kosovo’s government would also be countering one of the main drivers of crime and illegal activity. Giving young Kosovars the economic opportunity to forge their own futures would indirectly promote striving for success in legal manners. In spurring entrepreneurship, the government could eventually ease involvement in the

economic sphere and allow youth to create employment and growth for their own communities. This would reduce crime and violence, since youth would be at the forefront of establishing and developing sustainable economic models that best combat the local and regional issues they themselves overcame.Kosovo is still developing itself as a state, so foreign investment plays a critical role in freeing up government resources to focus on other public development sectors. By directing foreign investment and trade deals

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UPSHIFT Social Impact Workshop (2)

in an efficient manner, Kosovo can see increased competition in its markets, providing economic opportunities for unemployed youth and young entrepreneurs alike. Due in part to the mandates of Security Council Resolution 1244, Kosovo has received a steady flow of

investment for development and reconstruction from a varied base of international actors. It is important for 17

government actors to divert these resources into youth initiatives and organizations, so that young individuals can they themselves lead the economic development their peers and community require. Kosovar youth have proven to be eager to embark on entrepreneurial endeavors, and it is imperative that Pristina position itself to harness this human capital and channel investment towards youth. Youth are the key to bolstering Kosovo’s economic future, but they need public policy to pave the way for the establishment of a steady supply of opportunities.

EXPANDING CAPACITY IN POLITICAL SPHERES

Kosovo’s status as an unrecognized state presents unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to youth development. There are several international organizations working in the region to promote youth development, but ultimately, Kosovo does not have the public institutions and infrastructure needed for rapid and efficient development.

Development actors working within Kosovo have recognized the importance of increasing transparency and dialogue between the Kosovar government and its constituency in order to shift this view and strengthen the connection between youth and public work to promote change from within. This is where youth come in: having young individuals serve as policy advisors or liaisons between governments and communities could be an invaluable tool in

effectively addressing the needs of this age demographic. Local and national actors could employ young individuals as youth representatives to provide innovative ideas in the realm of policy and governance. By treating the youth population as capable and responsible, government authorities

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UNKosovo Team, Upshifting Gender. Twitter. (3)

Kosovo’s status as an unrecognized state presents

unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to

youth development

could open the gateway to a wave of new interest among youth for politics. The International Republican Institute works throughout the Balkans to promote greater transparency and fair representation between government and its constituents. The organization trains political groups on how to better market their platform for greater visibility while simultaneously promoting youth participation in the election process. In this manner, political factions are more capable of representing the general population, thereby dissuading notions of corruption.

Offering political training and positions for the younger generation can promote a future of capable Kosovar leaders. Engaging the largest age demographic in Kosovo can open public policy to innovate for an inclusive and integrated development capacity.

The Women’s Democracy Network works in the region to improve female government participation by educating and training young women to enter the public sector from a young age. In this regard, to

attempt to change the system from within and establish youth programs early on. 18

Addressing gender inequality can expand the pool of future political leaders. Because of the diversity of the current generation of youth, it is especially important to promote inclusive public and private systems to forge a truly representative government.

Emerging leaders can also learn the functions of national and international politics at a local and state level. By encouraging youth participation in civic and public affairs, policy can shift to streamline future development in Kosovo. The Europe Whole and Free Leadership Institute promotes political participation specifically among youth and marginalized peoples. While it has done little work directly in Kosovo, the organization has expanded the opportunities for young individuals to make their voices heard in the Balkans. The initiative focuses on preparing young individuals succeed in the realm of regional and international politics. The initiative works to promote 19

further integration with Europe, since most youth in Kosovo see their future with Europe. To that end, providing a sufficient space and inclusion in politics for youth, in conjunction with an already vibrant civic society, would surely promote internal success for the future.

These conditions make it even more imperative to promote youth participation in government. Since Kosovo is still developing and seeking recognition, young leaders have the potential to ultimately lead their country into the future. With such a large population of youth and still-developing political structures, giving

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Young woman employed after ALMP training in Kosovo (4)

youth the chance to lead could produce a government that truly represents the wants and needs of its people. Youth in Kosovo are not just agents of change - they have the capacity, resilience and strong desire to serve as the actors that develop their home institutions from the ground up.

RECOMMENDATIONS Kosovo must continue developing its

government and NGO outreach to citizens. This capacity building can promote job growth, a stable economy, reduced poverty, and increased cooperation between ethnic divides. This can be done in a number of ways both independently and with the assistance of the UNDP.

1. Inclusive education programs: Education is key to developing a capable and skilled workforce for the future of Kosovo. Developing an education system that can retain youth through to adulthood would make individuals more resilient to the needs of a developing region. In this capacity, youth would be positioned to lead the workforce and increase the self-sustainability of Kosovo. While there are over 30 private universities in the region, there are only 2 state-run educational institutions. It is imperative that Pristina 20

expand the opportunities for lower-income citizens to be educated, whether that be by creating new universities or increasing scholarship opportunities. The government can also create programs to fund study abroad for Kosovar youth, to allow them to harness the vast network of European educational institutions and return with new skills and perspective. This would enable youth to expand their employment opportunities to a more diverse range thanks to an enhanced skillset.

2. Promote small-business growth: Most urban areas have high rates of unemployment even with a high supply of workers. By creating opportunities for small businesses, the government could create a sustainable job market. Businesses must find incentives to base themselves in Kosovo, rather than just outsourcing certain elements of the supply process to Kosovo. To this end, the government and external actors should draft policy that makes use of available foreign investment. Government and external actors could also promote vocational programs for youth focused on entrepreneurship and developing their own business models. Allowing employment opportunities and entrepreneurship to thrive could be a disincentive for youth from turning to illegal activity and violence to sustain themselves.

3. Strengthen government institutions: Kosovo must establish public policy and government capacity to function as an independent state. The government must connect and assist with the development

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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR KOSOVO

✴ Inclusive education programs✴ Promote small-business growth✴ Strengthen government institutions✴ Encourage youth engagement in politics✴ Continue to assist Kosovo’s

development at a state

of rural areas of Kosovo, which comprise a majority of the population. International organizations and UNDP could coordinate with the government by promoting and executing public policy beyond what limited resources Pristina may have. Proper governance and rule of law work in conjunction with all realms of public, private, economic, and social life, so it is critical that the government is fit and ready to address all development issues affecting youth.

4. Encourage youth to join politics: Giving youth a voice in the political future of Kosovo can tap into a spring of innovation and direction from a new generation. Increased opportunities to work in public service will incentivize youth to be the catalyst for Kosovo’s future success. Moving forward, Pristina should value the input from young individuals so they can create a unified, inclusive, and efficient government that will serve interests across age and ethnic lines. UNDP can help establish training seminars for up and coming Kosovar leaders to make change from within. Allowing Kosovo youth to find their place in their government or civic society could prove useful to countering violent extremism. If young individuals see peers their age optimistically working within government and society, they may be inspired to follow in their footsteps for their personal and communal success.

5. Continue to assist Kosovo’s development as a state: While it seems unlikely that Kosovo will be fully recognized as a state in the near future, UNDP and related actors should make it a priority to help it

develop as if it were one. This means continuous follow up and improvements on existing and future UNDP/government initiatives. The UN must make a region-specific set of recommendations for development efforts in Kosovo to make efficient use of existing resources. Pristina’s leadership is stronger than it was a decade ago and surely deserves praise for the substantial development in Kosovo thus far, but its work cannot end there. By promoting proven governing techniques and effective public policy implementation, the UNDP can help Kosovo expand its capacity to govern over itself and increase its ability to grow.

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MACEDONIA: YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENTBACKGROUND

Between 1991 and 1996 the Yugoslav federation was dissolved and six sovereign republics emerged. In 1991, the passage of the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia established the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as an independent state. After the breakup of the former 21

Yugoslavia, Macedonia suffered serious economic repercussions characterized by inflation, fiscal deficits, and a lack of foreign direct investment. Although GDP grew at 22

a rate of 4.5% from 2002 – 2008, in 2009 it dwindled to 2.1%. Macedonia has strived 23

towards EU accession since 2005, however has still not been accepted into the EU. According to the World Bank, “economic growth has not yet translated into significant poverty reduction” in Macedonia. 34.3% of the country lives in poverty, and as of the first half of 2016; labor force participation had fallen to the lowest it had been since 2012, at 56.2 %. Despite the 24

implementation of a national youth employment strategy by the Macedonian government in conjunction with the ILO and UNDP, youth unemployment was 50% in 2016. According to the ILO, there are 25

three main policies that affect youth unemployment: “macroeconomic and sectoral policies and their impact on job creation; education and training policies and their relevance to labour market needs; and labour market policies that bridge labour supply and demand gaps.” If the 26

implementation of any development program is to be successful, it must analyze

these three economic policies and their effects on youth unemployment in Macedonia.

PARTICULAR CHALLENGES For Macedonian youth, there are

several challenges and obstacles to employment. Because economic growth has not yet translated into “tangible poverty reduction” jobs must be created through “faster growth and better competitiveness”, a challenge in itself. Because of the high 27

unemployment rate and limited employment opportunities, Macedonian youth are pursuing higher education for a longer period of time. Enrollment in higher education has increased due to increase in youth unemployment but has also caused 28

the transition time between education and employment to grow. Despite this surge in 29

higher levels of educational attainment among Macedonian youth, 40 per cent of youth are employed in jobs that do not “align to their educational attainment.” 30

This is sure to shorten the life cycle that one would stay in a single job, and could reduce one’s productivity, because their strengths

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MACEDONIA: YOUTH FACTS ✴ Population: 2,082,141✴ Government definition of youth:

“Youth” is age group 15-24, but given the socio-economic crisis, it can be expanded to 30 years of age.

✴ Youth as percentage of population: 15%✴ Youth unemployment: 50%✴ Total labor force participation: 56.2%

would not be utilized to the fullest extent. This can be explained, in part by “mismatch between labour market needs and the educational and training system; employers demanding workers with experience; and a massive increase in the gray [informal] economy.” Almost half of employed youth 31

are employed in the informal economic sector of the economy, which warrants 32

“short-term or temporary work arrangements” and general instability

within their jobs. The approach to 33

overcoming this challenge must be two-fold: creating new job opportunities for youth, and improving the capacity of opportunities that already exist—for example, matching youth to jobs based on their skills and educational attainment.

The EEO report identifies several groups of young people that are categorized as disadvantaged unemployed youth, which includes “rural and urban poor young people, young Roma, youth without skills/qualifications for employment, youth finishing general secondary education and graduate students.” However, the 34

summation of these groups would indicate that all Macedonian youth struggle with unemployment. The ILO identifies women, people with lower levels of educational attainment, and rural youth – as groups that are likely to be unemployed, while the 35

World Bank notes that “Gender gaps in accessing economic opportunities are tightly linked to differences across ethnic

groups.” Therefore, UNDP and its 36

partners should seek to engage women, specifically women of diverse ethnic backgrounds, and ensure that they are equally represented in youth employment initiatives, and that they receive support that is sensitive to cultural nuances.

UNDP INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT YOUTH

In 2013, UNDP pledged to support the National Youth Employment Strategy of the Government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, in conjunction with the ILO. (UNDP ECIS Youth Mapping 37

Project) The national youth strategy lays out goals, strategies and objectives for combating youth unemployment in Macedonia, as well as other strategies to

satisfy the needs of youth in Macedonia. UNDP’s support of the National Youth Employment Strategy contributed to the establishment of 930 micro companies, helping to combat some of the main challenges surrounding youth

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40% of youth are employed in jobs that do not align with their

educational attainment.

UNDP Resident Representative Louisa Vinton launches the country's first youth

info club (1)

unemployment. That same year, Dejan Dokuzovski, a UNDP project assistant in Macedonia, found that “even though 90 percent of young people in fYR Macedonia have access to the Internet, there [were] currently no online tools to provide them with easy access to updates on the latest job opportunities, internships, or traineeship programmes.” Dejan and the UNDP 38

Macedonia office worked with branches of the Macedonian government and members of civil society to create an app that “maps all existing data on opportunities for jobs, training internships and volunteer programs” so that youth were able to access information and opportunities more easily. 39

As of 2015, UNDP reported that the app, called “PRV.MK” had reached 7,100 downloads. These types of initiatives are effective because they can provide access to job opportunities to a large group of young people: all one needs is a mobile phone and

an internet connection. This mobile app search engine for jobs gives youth agency, because they can search for job opportunities that fit their preferences and needs, which allows them to shape and determine their own futures, with the support of UNDP.

FACTORS TO INCREASE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND

PARTICIPATION

Macedonia’s Youth Employment Action Plan lists several specific youth employment objectives and targets for youth participation in the labor market. They include 1) Strengthening the governance of the youth labor market; 2)

Enhancing youth employability; 3) Promoting youth employment through private sector development; 4) Ensuring labor market inclusion of disadvantaged youth through targeted labor market measures. The action plan also emphasizes 40

lessening the transition time between education and employment, and also the need for better access to educational opportunities as well as vocational training opportunities, apprenticeships and internship opportunities. In order for these 41

objectives to be realized, youth must be engaged through all phases of the process, from the beginning of their education up until they have gained employment. Finding practical yet enticing entry points for youth to get involved with the four

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As of 2015, UNDP reported that the app, called “PRV.MK” had reached

7,100 downloads

Paper prototype of the new "Youth Mobile App" to help young people find jobs (2)

phases of the employment action plan will be crucial for its success.

RECOMMENDATIONS In order to best assure that UNDP

initiatives and UNDP-supported programs in Macedonia are effective and constructive, UNDP should follow up with the youth participants that the programs have engaged, as well as the partners with whom UNDP collaborates to implement the programs. UNDP should set specific goals with measurable targets for youth employment programs, and include a comprehensive strategic plan to meet said targets and reach the goals. This is particularly necessary in the realm of youth employment, because it is important to keep track of how long people stay in the jobs they have obtained, in order to assess job stability. A good example of this kind of project implementation tracking is the Youth Employment Action Plan Matrix included in the Action Plan on Youth Unemployment report (2015), which was developed by the Government of

Macedonia in partnership with the ILO. The matrix includes specific objectives and targets, along with outcomes and outputs, indicators and time frames. To this end, a revitalization of UNDP website so that UNDP’s programs and initiatives in Macedonia are visible and accessible to the public would be incredibly beneficial. The UNDP country website for Macedonia should have an aesthetically pleasing interface, be easy for anyone to navigate, and include a clear and detailed index of current and past UNDP programs. The website should also include a detailed description of each project, including, but not limited to: specific markers and indicators of program goals; program strategy; program implementation and program outcomes and results for each program. This will allow Macedonian youth, as well as other members of civil society to fully comprehend the opportunities that UNDP provides for youth, as well as understand the ways in which UNDP already supports youth employment in Macedonia. To increase

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SDG CONNECTION: SDG 8 The challenge of youth unemployment in Macedonia directly relates to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Target 8.5 mandates, “By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.” By promoting youth innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as creating opportunities for youth employment in Macedonia, UNDP can strengthen their commitment to SDG 8 in the Balkan context. Employment can empower youth because it gives them a sense of purpose, financial independence, and it allows them to gain experience in order to shape their career paths.

youth participation, the website should include a forum (some type of “submission box”) where Macedonian youth can submit their thoughts, questions, suggestions and concerns about UNDP programs in Macedonia, in order to shape future amendments and solidify best practices. This could easily be achieved by having an in-website submission form on the UNDP Macedonia country website. The “submission box” would allow for Macedonian youth voices to be heard, and it would also help UNDP to engineer more effective and engaging programs for youth in the future. UNDP should also work to expand and promote youth participation in politics and empower young leaders to be agents of change, in order to combat youth unemployment and promote peacebuilding. UNDP and its partner organizations could do this by encouraging participation of youth in existing programs, such as the National Youth Council of Macedonia, the

European Youth Parliament, and the United Nations Youth Delegate program. Expanding educational opportunities for youth, such as study abroad programs and international cultural exchange programs

will also allow young people to be ambassadors of their countries, and lead them to effect change through peacebuilding .Strong communication and coordination with the Government of Macedonia, the ILO, NGOs and other civil society actors is crucial in order for UNDP-supported initiatives to be more successful and allow young people to engage in sustainable peacebuilding.

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Youth Council of the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Macedonia (3)

CONNECTION: PEACE AND SECURITY

Making UNDP youth employment initiatives more inclusive for all participants will promote a more peaceful society, with the youths seeking employment as agents of this change. In many cases, economic subordination of one ethnic group or another can contribute to ethnic tensions, structural discrimination, and pronounced economic inequalities between ethnic groups. As history reveals, ethnic tensions may often lead to ethnic conflict, as they did in the case of the Balkans. To promote peacebuilding in a post-conflict setting like the Balkans, UNDP should include engage a diverse group of youths in employment initiatives in order to ensure that societal change and economic growth will endure through times of political uncertainty. Macedonia, whose December 2016 election caused a shift in the parliamentary majority, must keep youth at the forefront of its peacebuilding efforts in order to maintain stability in the region and strive towards EU accession.

SERBIA: POLITICAL PARTICIPATIONHISTORY AND CONTEXT Located in southeastern Europe, in

the central Balkans, Serbia is a small, landlocked country defined by a number of characteristics including a post-conflict legacy; multiple transitions; significant outward and rural-urban migration; and substantial ethnic minorities. Furthermore, 42

with over 1.5 million young people between the ages of 15 and 31,youth in Serbia make up around 20 percent of the population. 43

While Serbia has certainly made significant strides in introducing policies that cater to and recognize youth, young Serbians still face several significant economic, political and social challenges. According to a recent report, Youth and Public Policy in Serbia, while Serbia as a country has experienced

stable economic gains since the democratic changes of 2000, Serbia’s young people “continue to suffer from high rates of unemployment, lack of access to the labor market, and remain vulnerable to

macroeconomic instability.” Similarly, 44

from a political standpoint, while Serbia has successfully made the transition to an electoral democratic state, the report highlights that young people continue to be “far removed from decision-making processes and are often denied a stake in the decisions that affect their lives.” Today, a 45

majority of youth in Serbia seem to be apathetic towards political issues, and are not actively engaged. This report asserts that a primary goal for youth in Serbia remains positioning youth in the labor market and resolving youth unemployment.

In addition to these challenges, the country has also faced a harrowing past, having been a part of a series of violent civil wars, while still within the former Yugoslavia, which saw thousands of young Serbs being drafted. In addition to these major economic challenges, the country is still reconstructing itself after a series of violent civil wars that saw thousands of young Serbs drafted to the Yugoslav army. The wars started a challenging period of interethnic tension, creating an atmosphere of nationalism and xenophobia which continue to permeates Serbian society to

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SERBIA: YOUTH FACTS ✴ Population: 7,041,599✴ Government definition of youth:

“Youth” is age group of young people between 15-31

✴ Youth as percentage of population: 20%✴ Youth unemployment: 44.2%

Youth at KOMS

this day. For example, Milica Škiljević, a Board member of Serbia’s National Youth Council, asserts that there is still tension between young people from different states in the region, with Serbian youth not wanting to interact with those from other Balkan countries due to challenging histories between the nations. These tensions are also present within the Serbian society, and there are several minority ethnic groups within the country that remain marginalized. Several surveys conducted in the past few years indicate that although young people’s perception of security is increasing, crime and violence—in particular, hate crimes and hooliganism—continue to be a problem for young people in Serbia. 46

According to a recent report on the Participation of Young People in Societal Life, members of the Roma population and

Bulgarian minority responded that they do not feel safe in the country—with about half of respondents reporting that they feel less safe than in the past two years. Surveys 47

also indicated that apart from women and the uneducated, youth from ethnic

minorities and youth from lower socioeconomic strata are not only the most vulnerable to transition and the effects of economic crises, but also are most likely to remain in a vicious circle of poverty and unemployment. Furthermore, according to 48

a UNDP report on its Peace Building and Inclusive Local Development Programme (PBILD), vulnerable youth and their families in South Serbia have limited access to public services. This is particularly true for Roma children who are faced with a lack of birth registration, lack of information about their rights, language barriers, poor access to quality services, and discriminatory attitudes of service providers. In addition, young people from 49

different ethnicities in South Serbia face

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KEY ACTORS IN YOUTH INVOLVEMENT

The Serbian approach to greater youth involvement has focused on the realm of economic and political empowerment, and included action through both formal and informal channels. Currently, the institutional framework for youth involvement at the national level includes several government bodies and civil society organizations. At the government level, some of the primary actors include the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS), the Youth Council, and the Fund for Young Talents. From a civil society standpoint, one of the primary organizations is the Umbrella Youth Organization of Serbia, Krovna Organizacija Mladih Srbije (KOMS), also known as the National Youth Council.

Youth at KOMS

numerous challenges, including lack of social inter-action among groups, and few opportunities to participate in actively shaping and developing their society. Minority children have poor knowledge of the Serbian language, limiting opportunity for inter-ethnic interaction, and reducing their changes to study in Serbian and eventually find employment outside their minority communities.

THE PEACEBUILDING-DEVELOPMENT NEXUS

A significant milestone for Serbia in its

approach to youth involvement was the introduction of the National Youth Strategy

in 2008, which emphasizes five key thematic priorities of the NYS: education and information; health and social protection services; economic opportunities; participation of youth in public life and active citizenship; and institutional capacity. Following these themes, the 50

UNDP in Serbia recognizes that peace building through youth in the country lies in the field of economic empowerment, and broader youth involvement in critical issues.

Namik Hadzalic, Joint UN Project Coordinator and UN Regional Coordinator

for Bosnia & Herzegovina, emphasized that the primary goal of UNDP within Bosnia

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“Young people work together to talk about ordinary, every day issues. And when discussing issues such as the floods affecting the country, economic challenges, or environmental issues, ethnic and

political differences are set aside. Community reconciliation is achieved by working together on issues of mutual interest.”

-—Namik Hadzalic, Joint UN Project Coordinator, UN Regional Coordinator BiH

SDG CONNECTION: SDG 17 It is clear that for the realm of youth and peacebuilding in Serbia, the creation of strong networks and partnerships is critical. This is especially relevant in relation to the implementation of Serbia’s National Youth Strategy, which must leverage networks from the government, civil society, UN bodies and other actors in order to ensure effective and successful outcomes. In addition, one of the key components within the inter-state peacebuilding framework: the Regional Youth Cooperation Office of the Western Balkans which aims to alleviate tensions between youth of the Balkan states will rely on powerful partnerships within and among states.

and Herzegovina, as well as the greater Baltic region, in relation to youth engagement has been to mainstream youth into all projects related to development. For instance, peacebuilding in the sense of ethnic reconciliation is not seen as an independent topic for project focus— instead, the concept of ethnic reconciliation is incorporated into broader youth empowerment projects. “Young people work together to talk about ordinary, every day issues. And when discussing issues such as the floods affecting the country, or environmental issues, ethnic or political differences are set aside”, he stated. “Community reconciliation is achieved by working together on issues of mutual interest.” This approach is mirrored in the National Youth Strategy in Serbia.Mainstreaming youth into broader agenda

items is a strategy that has been taken by other UNDP projects in Serbia as well, such as the UNDP Peace building and Inclusive Local Development Programme (PBILD). PBILD was an initiative that leveraged support from a range of different UN bodies, states and donors and was aimed at

promoting peace building and local development in the Southern region of Serbia. In the Final Programme Narrative Report, Tatjana Strahinjic-Nikolic, Deputy Programme Manager of UNDP, asserts that the programme aimed to “[address] the legacy of Europe’s last armed conflict of 2000, helping Serbia fulfill a great many of its EU Acquis and Copenhagen criteria goals, a key strategic goal of the country in its pursuit of European Union entry; from human rights fulfillment to regional development and gender equality. PBILD joined people to their municipalities, to private businesses and helped implement national strategies in which the programme is well-anchored.” While these joint 51

programs did not specifically target youth, they nevertheless recognize youth as a key group. This approach ties into Mr. Hadzalic’s recognition that the UNDP has been attempting to mainstream youth into all projects connected to development.

Joint Partner projects targeting youth and women have focused on the preparation and implementation of the adopted action plans for development of youth entrepreneurship, increasing employment opportunities through NES and from their own municipal budgets. A UN assessment of the projects show that they have been successful because they focus on creating economic opportunities for marginalized populations. They assert that the youth and gender initiatives have a good chance of being replicated across other vulnerable communities in Southern Serbia.

The UNDP Peacebuilding and Inclusive Local Development Programme has been cited by the United Nations

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Youth at KOMS. Source: KOMS

Headquarters as providing one of the six most interesting practices on sustainability and replicability. They highlight that the reason for its success is the close collaboration with the government on ownership, visibility of results and impact.52

YOUTH AS CHANGEMAKERS: THE CASE OF KOMS

Established in 2010, the Umbrella Youth Organization of Serbia, Krovna organizacija mladih Srbije (KOMS) is the highest independent representative body of youth in Serbia, with a mission to represent the interests of youth by developing partner relationships with the state, cross-sector and international cooperation. Supporting a network of 81 youth membership organizations, KOMS is truly a force to be reckoned with, and one of the largest platforms for youth engagement within Serbia. Their primary goal is to “strengthen

the negotiating position of young people within the government in relation to youth policies, and creating mechanisms for youth participation in decisions that affect them” , and has been working on 53

developing capacities of youth across the country in many different sectors. The organization also has a strong focus on

youth unemployment, with several programs aimed at enhancing the employability of young people, and facilitating entrepreneurship. Milica Škiljević, a Board member for the organization, and Đorđe Jovićević, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, explain that primary goals of their organization

incorporate local, national, international, and regional initiatives. One of the primary areas of focus for the Youth Council is supporting and strengthening local initiatives through capacity building programs and providing resources and guidance. On a national level the organization works to advocate for policies that affect young Serbians, and had a prominent role in the creation of the National Youth Strategy for Serbia. The organization has also had several successes on the international and regional level, recently joining the European Youth forum, which is the highest independent platform for youth in Europe.

KOMS MODELS OF SUCCESS Active Outreach

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Youth at KOMS

"Young people don’t vote, don’t feel like they can

change things " —Đorđe Jovićević, Policy and Advocacy

Coordinator

It is clear that there are some groups within the Serbian community who seem to be consistently less likely to be involved in National Youth Strategy (NYS) activities, and who are less likely to be reached by NYS action. These include groups of marginalized young people including Roma, LGBTQI+, differently abled, minority, rural, and poor youth. Milica asserts that the place of origin of young people plays an extremely significant role,

with young people in urban areas being significantly more engaged in issues in comparison to their counterparts in rural regions. She asserts that KOMS is highly aware of the divides that exist and actively attempt to engage with these marginalized groups through all their activities, and recommend this approach to all their member organizations. “Engaging these marginalized youth is a priority to a large extent”, she states.Leveraging the youth desire for economic opportunity

When analyzing the situation of apathy and lack of engagement among Serbian youth, Jovićević makes the observation that while young people have extremely low levels of political

engagement, a significant percentage of them are nevertheless members of specific political parties. Jovićević observes that young people join political parties as a means of networking and leveraging themselves in their search for employment. He asserts that the discrepancy between youth political participation in terms of voting and youth engagement with political parties highlights the power of economic opportunity as an incentive for youth engagement. Having seen this, KOMS has been able to use the fact as a powerful tool for the organization in incentivizing youth to become more actively engaged by highlighting the potential economic benefits involved and the value of active engagement in the job search.Harnessing the Strength of Civil Society and NGO’s

One of the primary facets of the work of KOMS is in engaging and building the capacity of its member organizations by harnessing the power of civil society in implementing change on the ground. Although one would assume that Serbian civil society would focus solely on issues of national interest, it is interesting to see that they are also being leveraged by KOMS for the purpose of peacebuilding within the region as well. As previously mentioned, one of the primary realms of peace building in Serbia and the greater Balkans region ties into addressing issues of tension between states. One of the primary organs currently working on this issue is the the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) of the Western Balkans, which was established during the Western Balkans Summit in July 2016. The office works to promote

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KOMS MODELS OF SUCCESS ✴ Active outreach✴ Leveraging the youth desire for

economic opportunity✴ Harnessing the strength of Civil

Society and NGOs

reconciliation, participation, active citizenship and intercultural learning between youth in the region. The office consists of Working Groups within each of the countries that work to develop concrete proposals for the mission, structure, activities and financing of RYCO within their respective states. In Serbia, KOMS plays a large role in this process. KOMS has been working with local non profits and civil society organizations to be consulted on all issues related to the RYCO, with over 40 NGOs involved in direct consultative meetings. With the diverse range of breadth and expertise of the non- profits, the approach to incorporate their insight and support in implementation has proven a very successful strategy.

CHALLENGES FACED In a report analyzing the

implementation of the Serbian National Youth Strategy, authors Yael Ohana & Marija Bulat assert that there are structural barriers hindering access to and participation of young people in decision-making, including the fact that existing structures of youth policy and decision-making do not involve coordinated decision making between governmental and non governmental actors on youth related policy, even if the coordination principle is acknowledged and recommended in key policy development processes. They highlight that for this to be the case, some representative bodies of young people would have to be involved in the day-to-day implementation and steering of the NYS and about how National Youth Strategy money gets spent.

This notion is also relevant to KOMS, because while the mandate of the National Youth Council (KOMS) is acknowledged formally, in reality, it is undermined because it has to survive on project funding. Although KOMS does receive financial support from the MoYS, this is not institutional support and does not foster

consolidation as a national body representing the interests of young people in the policy making process. For example, Jovićević asserts that the Ministry of Youth does not have enough resources on its own to exhaustively support youth initiatives on the ground, however, one of the primary challenges that KOMS faces is creating consolidation between different Ministries to support its work. “It is a challenge to create cross-sectoral support and mainstream youth into government priorities,” he states. The same can be said for other umbrella organizations with advocacy objectives and functions— there are few, if any, formal mechanisms for youth involvement in decision-making at the local

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“There are young people still in the education system stepping

into age group of ‘youth’. Youth participation and political

engagement is still an issue. It is important not to simply

focus on unemployment— we must stay focused on our path

and goals.”—Milica Škiljević, Board member of

Serbia’s National Youth Council

level, and few representative bodies that could act as a partner in local policy making processes (i.e. platforms of youth organizations, broad based youth parliaments) both in regard to youth issues, specifically, and in regard to general issues of local policy making.

Furthermore, an analysis of the implementation of the National Youth Strategy identifies the challenges of “too little investment for problems too large, single activities conducted for a particular objective, donor driven financial investments, absence of monitoring and evaluation, a ‘onceoff’ project approach, insufficient staff resources to work with results of any evaluation and monitoring done, problems of communication and cooperation up and down and across levels and sectors of government (national to local; inter-sectorial).” According to Jovićević, 54

the majority of funding for the implementation of the National Youth Strategy comes from the Ministry for Sports and Youth, which has limited resources, and it is difficult to mainstream youth into other Ministries or parts of the government.

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SUCCESS IN SERBIA: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR

ENGAGING YOUTH IN PEACEBUILDING

• Mainstream youth into all development projects—youth engagement and involvement in broader issues paves the way and provides a platform for reconciliation among youth.

• Actively engage marginalized youth— expanding the reach of projects within communities must be a priority, not a side-effect

• Cater to youth— young people have more incentive to engage when there is potential for tangible outcomes. Projects must work to highlight the benefits of engaging in political activities or peacebuilding, and how they might benefit.

• NGO’s are key— The role of NGO’s and civil society in supporting local initiatives and engaging diverse communities of young people must not be underestimated. These networks must be leveraged, and individual organizations strengthened.

YOUTH VOICES

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CONCLUSION OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES:

RECOMMENDATIONS A synthesis of the individual case studies in this report has led to several thematic

areas where UNDP can strengthen its practices and create new opportunities for youth engagement. These recommendations have evolved from research on specific UNDP initiatives, as well as other contextual challenges in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The recommendations fall under the umbrella of the three ‘E’s: Education, Employment, and Engagement, which are all ultimately interconnected.

EDUCATION Education can often be the launching pad to employment and economic opportunity. Expanding educational opportunities for Balkan youth could serve as a gateway to future employment and success.

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• National and international actors should incentivize youth to pursue advanced academic, technical, or specialized vocational degrees.

• State and private education institutes can partner with the private sector, NGOs, and government actors to provide grants or make internships and entry-level positions available for recent graduates.

• Increase accessibility of schools or education centers for girls, ethnic minorities, and marginalized youth, including in rural and low-income areas.

• Develop and strengthen international programs or study abroad opportunities that youth can participate in; offering youth a forum in which they can engage with government as well as international and civil society actors.

EMPLOYMENT Innovating new youth employment initiatives, while remaining committed to engaging young people in those that already exist will ultimately bolster the potential and impact of youth.

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• UNDP must stay connected with youth participants that UNDP youth employment programs have previously engaged, as well as the partners with whom UNDP collaborates to implement the programs.

• Actively expand the reach of these programs to youth from marginalized sectors of society, including but not limited to rural areas, and those of lower socioeconomic standing. For existing programs, UNDP should set specific goals with measurable targets for youth employment programs, and include a comprehensive strategic plan to meet said targets and reach the goals.

• Revitalization of UNDP website and electronic resources in order to make UNDP’s programs and initiatives more visible and accessible to the public.

• Greater coordination with Balkan governments, universities, the ILO, NGOs, and other civil society actors in order to promote youth employment opportunities.

• Strengthen relationships with civil society actors in order to create long-standing, foundational opportunities for youth employment that ease the transition from education to employment.

• Encourage youth to be architects of employment initiatives and leaders in the field of youth employment.

• Encourage youth participation in building program strategies for youth unemployment. In order to increase youth participation, UNDP’s respective country websites could include a forum where youth can submit their thoughts, questions, suggestions and concerns about UNDP programs in their respective regions, in order to shape future amendments and solidify best practices.

ENGAGEMENT Engaging youth in political processes will incentivize young people to be catalysts for their countries’ future prosperity. Governments and external actors should continue to promote youth participation in politics and empower young leaders.

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• Coordinate between civil society, local and state governments to create public policy pertaining to youth political engagement and promoting the establishment of youth groups such as the National Youth Council in Macedonia

• Develop youth forums in which they can engage with government and civil society actors; and ensuring that programs like youth parliaments and youth councils flourish, while maintaining strong relationships with those that already exist, such as the European Youth Parliament and the United Nations Youth Delegate program.

• Create alternative spaces for free-flowing dialogue. It is critical that there are enabling and safe environments built for youth. There is a need such platforms to continue this positive impact, hence, additional space needs to be created where the importance of peacebuilding and ethnic, socioeconomic, and gender diversities can be discussed. There must be continuation of this work that provides youth with the opportunities to influence policy-making in order to increase their participation, awareness, and influence on policy dialogue.

ENGAGING UNDP • Have youth at the forefront of UNDP programs as actors

and agents of change, especially those pertaining to follow-up of ongoing initiatives and suggestions for improving future programming.

• Young people could work for UNDP as representatives in local communities, in order to suggest ways to improve UNDP programs, increase outreach to rural or marginalized communities, and also serving as a link between the agency and local/state governments to promote effective coordination.

• Include youth at all levels of program implementation— allow them to be effective agents of change— UNDP would benefit greatly from this type of grassroots coordination.

WORKS CITED AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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Azanjac, Tanja. Bradic, Donatella. Krivokapić, Djordje. Stojic, Tatjana. “Youth and Public Policy in Serbia”. Demokratie & Dialog e.V., 2011.

Bosnia Voices of Youth: Survey on Youth in BiH Quantitative Research Findings, MDG Achievement Fund, 2012.

"Country Snapshot." The World Bank Group in Kosovo. World Bank. April 2015. n.d Web. 04 Dec 2016. <http://www.worldbank.org/content/dam/Worldbank/document/eca/Kosovo-Snapshot.pdf>

CeSID i MOS (2007), “Istrazivanje o aktivnom ucescu mladih u drustvenom zivotu” (Report on the Participation of Young People in Societal Life).

CeSID (2009), Public Opinion SurveyCvetan Cvetkovski, “Constitutional History of the Republic of Macedonia.” Center for

European Constitutional Law.Dejan Dokuzovski, “Youth Mobile App: Bringing job opportunities to young people in fYR

Macedonia.” Blog, UNDP Europe and CIS. November 7th, 2013.Dipa, Dino and Salminka Fazlic. Bosnia Vocies of Youth: Survey on Youth in BiH Quantitaitve

Research Findings. Sarajevo: MDG Achievement Fund, 2012.“FYR of Macedonia Overview,” The World Bank, accessed November 22, 2016.Huxley, Sarah. Youth Participation in Development: A Guide for Development Agencies and Policy

Makers, London: DFID-CSO Youth Working Group, 2010."IRI Launches New Leadership Institute Europe." IRI. International Republican Institute, 20

Nov. 2015. n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016. <http://www.iri.org/resource/iri-launches-new-leadership-institute-europe>

International Labour Organization, "Action Plan on Youth Employment 2015." October 17, 2012, 1-70.

KOMS Website. https://koms.rs/"Main Export Sectors." Kosovo Investment and Enterprise Support Agency. The Republic of

Kosovo Ministry of Trade and Industry, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016. <http://www.invest-ks.org/en/Main-Export-Sectors>

National Youth Strategy of Serbia (2008) Ohana Yael. Bulat, Marija. “Evaluation of the National Youth Strategy (2008-2014) in the

Republic of Serbia and Action Plan (2009 – 2014)”. Commissioned by the Ministry of

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Youth and Sport of the Republic of Serbia and the United Nations Population Fund in Serbia, 2015.

"Overview: Grow Your Business in Kosovo." European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016. <http://www.ebrd.com/work-with-us/advice-for-small-businesses/kosovo.html>

Promoting Peacebuilding and Inclusive Local Development (PBILD) Final Programme Narrative Report, Tatjana Strahinjic-Nikolic, UNDP, 2011

Sasho Kjosev, “EEO Review: Youth Employment Measures, 2010: The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” European Employment Observatory, October 2010. 1-12.

Serbia Statistical Office 2016"Serbs Choose European Over Nationalist Path in Historic Vote." IRI. International

Republican Institute, 28 May. 2008 n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016. <http://www.iri.org/web-story/serbs-choose-european-over-nationalist-path-historic-vote>

Sirco, Armin. Social Inclusion in Bosnia and Herzegovina, National Human Development Report, 2007.

Social Inclusion in Bosnia and Herzegovina, National Human Development Report, 2007.Sosevic, Samir and Amir Cesic. Evaluation of UNDP/UNESCO/UNICEF Dialogue for the Future

(DFF) Project Final Report. Sarajevo, 2016.The World Bank, “Country Partnership Strategy for the Former Yugoslav Republic Of

Macedonia for the Period of Fy2015 – Fy2018” August 25, 2014. 1-100.The World Bank Group, “FYR Macedonia Country Brief.” September 2002.Transparency International. “Global Corruption Barometer,” Transparency International, 2013,

http://www.transparency.org/gcb2013 UNDP Report on PBILD.United Nations Security Council Resolution 757 (1992)United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999)"WDN Co-Hosts European Forum on Women's Political Leadership." Women's Democracy

Network n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016 http://www.wdn.org/news-events-press-center/news/wdn-co-hosts-european-forum-women%E2%80%99s-political-leadership/

Weller, Marc. “Kosovo's Final Status” International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs Vol. 84, No. 6. Royal Institute of International Affairs (Nov., 2008), pp. 1223-1243.

"Youth: A New Generation in Kosovo, Human Development Report." UNDP In Kosovo. United Nations Development Programme, 2006, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016. <http://www.hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/kosovo_nhdr_2006_en.pdf>

Youth Global Programme for Sustainable Development and Peace, 2016Youth Participation in Development: A Guide for Development Agencies and Policy Makers

(DFID-CSO Youth Working Group, 2010)

PHOTO CITATIONS, BY CASE STUDY BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

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1— United Nations BiH, June, 2016. 3rd Dialogue Platform Conference, Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina. https://www.flickr.com/photos/unitednations_bih/albums/721576683232465942— United Nations BiH, n.d., Infographic for Dialogue for the Future.http://ba.one.un.org/content/dam/unct/bih/PDFs/Infographic%20Dialogue%20for%20the%20Future.pdf3— United Nations BiH, June, 2016. 3rd Dialogue Platform Conference, Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina. https://www.flickr.com/photos/unitednations_bih/albums/721576683232465944— Subject: Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Bakir Izetbegović and UN Resident Coordinator in BiH, Yuri Afanasiev signed a project document "Dialogue for the Future: Promoting Coexistence and Diversity in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

KOSOVO

1— UNHABITAT. "BlockbyBlock Mitrovica Project in Kosovo has brought together youth & adults to work on improving their Public Spaces" UN Habitat. United Nations. 21 Nov. 2016 https://twitter.com/UNHABITAT/status/8006260773915279362— UNWomenECA. "UPSHIFT Social Impact Workshop in Kosovo Empowers Youth to Find Solutions to Gender Issues in Their Communities" UN Women.United Nations. 7 Dec. 2016 https://twitter.com/unwomeneca/status/8064545634651422723— UNKosovoTeam. "We'll Be Upshifting Gender Theme From Now Through Weekend with UNICEF & Youth from 9 Kosovo Municipalities". UN Kosovo.United Nations. 4 Nov. 2016 https://twitter.com/UNKosovoTeam/status/7945082622720778254— “Young woman employed after training provided by ALMP." Boosting Youth Employment in Kosovo. UNDP in Kosovo. United Nations Development Programme. n.d. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://www.ks.undp.org/content/kosovo/en/home/ourwork/povertyreduction/successstories/Boosting_youth_emp.html>

MACEDONIA

1— UNDP Resident Representative Louisa Vinton launches the country's first youth info club (Source: UNDP/Ljubomir Stefanov)http://www.mk.undp.org/content/the_former_yugoslav_republic_of_macedonia/en/home/presscenter/articles/2014/05/07/helping-young-people-make-the-transition-from-education-to-work-the-country-s-first-youth-info-club-.html 2— Paper prototype of the new "Youth Mobile App" to help young people find jobs(Source: UNDP/Dejan Dokuzovski)http://europeandcis.undp.org/blog/2013/11/07/youth-mobile-app-bringing-job-opportunities-to-the-young-people-in-fyr-macedonia/ 3— Youth Council of the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Macedoniahttps://macedonia.usembassy.gov/topic-of-interest/youth-council.html

SERBIA All photos accessed from the National Youth Council of Serbia (KOMS) website and instagram.

Cover photo from UNDP Flickr— https://www.flickr.com/photos/_sid_/2399840809/in/faves-46920115@N03/.

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ENDNOTES www.un.org/youthenvoy/2016/08/call-empower-youth/1

UNFPA. "World Population Day in Six Eye-Popping Charts." United Nations Population Fund. July 11, 2016.2

� United Nations Development Programme, UNDP Youth Strategy 2014-2017: Empowered Youth, Sustainable Future (New 3York, 2014). Available fromhttp://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/Democratic%20Governance/Youth/UNDP_Youth-Strategy-2014-17_Web.pdf.� Mercy Corps, Youth and Consequences: Unemployment, Injustice and Violence (Portland, OR, 2015), p. 14.4 United Nations Security Council Resolution 757, 1992.5

Transparency International, Global Corruption Barometer, 2013, http://www.transparency.org/gcb2013.6

Armin Sirco, Social Inclusion in Bosnia and Herzegovina, National Human Development Report, 2007.7

Sarah Huxley, Youth Participation in Development: A Guide for Development Agencies and Policy Makers (London: DFID-4

CSO Youth Working Group, 2010). Samir Sosevic and Amir Cesic, Evaluation of UNDP/UNESCO/UNICEF Dialogue for the Future (DFF) Project Final Report. 5

(Sarajevo, 2016). Dino Dipa and Salminka Fazlic. Bosnia Voices of Youth: Survey on Youth in BiH Quantitative Research Findings (Sarajevo: 6

MDG Achievement Fund, 2012). Dino Dipa and Salminka Fazlic. Bosnia Voices of Youth: Survey on Youth in BiH Quantitative Research Findings (Sarajevo: 7

MDG Achievement Fund, 2012). References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999)8

United Nations Development Program - Kosovo9

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999)10

United Nations Development Program - Kosovo11

United Nations Youth Development Report12

Human Development Report13

World Bank Snapshot14

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development15

Kosovo Investment and Enterprise Support Agency16

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999)17

Women’s Democracy Network18

IRI Europe Whole and Free Leadership Institute19

Kosovo Investment and Enterprise Support Agency20

Cvetan Cvetkovski, “Constitutional History of the Republic of Macedonia.” Center for European Constitutional Law.21

The World Bank Group, “FYR Macedonia Country Brief.” September 2002. p. 1. 22

“FYR of Macedonia Overview,” The World Bank, accessed November 22, 2016.23

Ibid.24

“FYR of Macedonia Overview,” The World Bank, accessed November 22, 2016.25

International Labour Organization, "Action Plan on Youth Employment 2015." October 17, 2012, 1-70. p. 15. 26

The World Bank, “Country Partnership Strategy for the Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia for the Period of Fy2015 27

– Fy2018” August 25, 2014. 1-100. p. 4. Sasho Kjosev, “EEO Review: Youth Employment Measures, 2010: The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” European 28

Employment Observatory, October 2010. 1-12. p. 2. International Labour Organization, "Action Plan on Youth Employment 2015." October 17, 2012, 1-70. p. 7. 29

International Labour Organization, "Action Plan on Youth Employment 2015." October 17, 2012, 1-70. p. 24. 30

Sasho Kjosev, “EEO Review: Youth Employment Measures, 2010: The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” European 31

Employment Observatory, October 2010. 1-12. p. 2. International Labour Organization, "Action Plan on Youth Employment 2015." October 17, 2012, 1-70. p. 10. 32

Sasho Kjosev, “EEO Review: Youth Employment Measures, 2010: The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” European 33

Employment Observatory, October 2010. 1-12. p. 2.

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Sasho Kjosev, “EEO Review: Youth Employment Measures, 2010: The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” European 34

Employment Observatory, October 2010. 1-12. p. 2. International Labour Organization, "Action Plan on Youth Employment 2015." October 17, 2012, 1-70. p. 25. 35

The World Bank, “Country Partnership Strategy for the Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia for the Period of Fy2015 36

– Fy2018” August 25, 2014. 1-100. p. 7. UNDP ECIS Youth Mapping Project37

Dejan Dokuzovski, “Youth Mobile App: Bringing job opportunities to young people in fYR Macedonia.” Blog, UNDP Europe 38

and CIS. November 7th, 2013. Dejan Dokuzovski, “Youth Mobile App: Bringing job opportunities to young people in fYR Macedonia.” Blog, UNDP Europe 39

and CIS. November 7th, 2013. International Labour Organization, "Action Plan on Youth Employment 2015." October 17, 2012, 1-70. p. 33.40

International Labour Organization, "Action Plan on Youth Employment 2015." October 17, 2012, 1-70, p. 17. 41

Azanjac, Tanja. Bradic, Donatella. Krivokapić, Djordje. Stojic, Tatjana. “Youth and Public Policy in Serbia”. Demokratie & 42

Dialog e.V., 2011. Serbia Statistical Office 201643

Azanjac, Tanja. Bradic, Donatella. Krivokapić, Djordje. Stojic, Tatjana. “Youth and Public Policy in Serbia”. Demokratie & 44

Dialog e.V., 2011. Azanjac, Tanja. Bradic, Donatella. Krivokapić, Djordje. Stojic, Tatjana. “Youth and Public Policy in Serbia”. Demokratie & 45

Dialog e.V., 2011, 4.CeSID (2009), Public Opinion Survey46

Ibid.47

CeSID i MOS (2007), “Istrazivanje o aktivnom ucescu mladih u drustvenom zivotu”48

(Report on the Participation of Young People in Societal Life). Promoting Peacebuilding and Inclusive Local Development (PBILD) Final Programme Narrative Report, Tatjana Strahinjic-49

Nikolic, UNDP, 2011 National Youth Strategy of Serbia (2008)50

UNDP Report on PBILD, 551

UNDP Report on PBILD, 552

KOMS Website53

Ohana Yael. Bulat, Marija. “Evaluation of the National Youth Strategy (2008-2014) in the Republic of Serbia and Action 54

Plan (2009 – 2014)”. Commissioned by the Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Serbia and the United Nations Population Fund in Serbia, 2015.

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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHIES

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KARA ALAM— EDITOR AND LAYOUT Kara is a Diplomacy and World Affairs major born in New York and raised in Lahore, Pakistan. She is currently interning at the United Nations Global Compact, working with the Business for Peace team. Her academic interests include the Responsibility to Protect, Women Peace and Security, and political philosophy. At Oxy, Kara writes for The Occidental Weekly, served as Chair of Occidental’s Honor Board, played two years of varsity golf, and is an active member of Delta Omicron Tau sorority. Outside of school, Kara loves golf, art museums, live jazz, and reading The Atlantic. Contact: [email protected]

JUDY LEE, BALKANS COORDINATOR Judy is a psychology major born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in Portland, Oregon. She is currently working with peacekeeping affairs under the Military and Defense Adviser for the Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the United Nations. On campus, she was the coordinator of Oxypreneurship, Occidental’s student-led entrepreneurial initiative. She was the recipient of Occidental’s Capstone Student Leader of the Year Award 2016. Prior to her internship at the UN, Judy conducted research observing human fear emotion and the role of psychophysiological awareness in classical conditioning procedures. Contact: [email protected]

AMA PEIRIS A senior at Occidental College, Ama is double majoring in International Relations and French. She is a student from Sri Lanka, and is interested in exploring the realm of post conflict development, and the role of education in that context. She has previously worked for several non-profits, and was the 2016 Occidental College recipient of the Davis Project for Peace, through which she was able to set up a community learning center in rural Sri Lanka. At Occidental, she led Oxypreneursh ip , Occ identa l ’s s tudent o rgan iza t ion fo r entrepreneurship and innovation. She currently works as an adviser for the United Nations Permanent Mission to Rwanda, where she follows issues within the General Assembly Second Committee. Contact: [email protected]

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LUIS ROBLES Luis is a Diplomacy and World Affairs major with an Economics minor. He studied European politics and foreign affairs while abroad in Berlin, Germany during the fall of 2015. This past summer, worked at International Republican Institute in Washington, DC. where he focused on promoting political participation in democratic structures and civil society in the Balkans. Luis is passionate about the transatlantic alliance, European affairs, and US foreign policy in the region. He's fluent in English and Spanish, with some experience with French and German. Contact: [email protected]

NETTIE STEIN-MILLER A born-and-bred New Yorker, Nettie Stein-Miller is thrilled to be back in the City working for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Nettie studies Diplomacy and World Affairs at Occidental College, and minors in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies. During her junior year, Nettie studied abroad at the University of Cape Town, in South Africa , and hopes to return there one day. Previous to interning for UNHCR, Nettie worked for the U.S. Department of State at the United States Embassy in Valletta, Malta; Futurefill, an eco-startup that seeks to disrupt the norm of throwaway packaging; and the Voss Foundation, a clean-water NGO. Contact: [email protected]