Task Force Balkans Tentative (2)

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

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

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.
“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. 

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.

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
“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

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.

DEFINITIONS AND
METHODOLOGY
DEFINING KEY TERMS 
Youth and Young People
Youth 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 Approaches
Bottom 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.
Peacebuilding
Peacebuilding 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.
Sustainability
Sustainability integrates economic, social,
and environmental spheres and maintains a
long-lasting impact beyond the short-term.
Marginalized/Vulnerable Youth
Marginalized 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.

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. 

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. 

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 and3
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

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
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 communities
and 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 declaration5
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.
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.
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 to7
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 youth4
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.

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
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
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
CORE OUTPUTS OF THE
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.
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.

KOSOVO: CAPACITY BUILDING 
BACKGROUND
The unrecognized state of Kosovo8
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 World9
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
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 specific10
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 severe11
dearth of employment opportunities
domestically, young men favor migrating to
BlockbyBlock Mitrovica Project in Kosovo (1)
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. This12
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. These13
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
Youth unemployment in
Kosovo remains a
staggering 57%
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 European14
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. These16
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
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 for17
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
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 promote19
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
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 Pristina20
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
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. 

MACEDONIA: YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT 
BACKGROUND
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 former21
Yugoslavia, Macedonia suffered serious
economic repercussions characterized by
inflation, fiscal deficits, and a lack of foreign
direct investment. Although GDP grew at22
a rate of 4.5% from 2002 – 2008, in 2009 it
dwindled to 2.1%. Macedonia has strived23
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 the24
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 are25
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 the26
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 high27
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 caused28
the transition time between education and
employment to grow. Despite this surge in29
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
MACEDONIA: YOUTH FACTS
“Youth” is age group 15-24, but given
the socio-economic crisis, it can be
expanded to 30 years of age.
✴ 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 youth31
are employed in the informal economic
sector of the economy, which warrants32
“short-term or temporary work
arrangements” and general instability
within their jobs. The approach to33
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, the34
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 the35
World Bank notes that “Gender gaps in
accessing economic opportunities are tightly
linked to differences across ethnic
groups.” Therefore, UNDP and its36
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 Mapping37
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
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 UNDP38
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 emphasizes40
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 these41
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
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
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. 
Youth Council of the U.S. Embassy in the
Republic of Macedonia (3)
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 PARTICIPATION 
HISTORY 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, a45
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
SERBIA: YOUTH FACTS
“Youth” is age group of young people
between 15-31
✴ 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. Surveys47
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 to48
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 from49
different ethnicities in South Serbia face
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, the50
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
“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
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 joint51
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
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 on53
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
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
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
“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. 
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

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. 
• 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.  
• 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.

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