This article is part of our special report Voice to the youth: Political participation in the EU and beyond.
The EU is stepping up its efforts to promote civic engagement and political participation with a new initiative targeting young people in third countries through its Youth Action Plan.
The plan was first presented in October by the EU Commission in a bid to “increase the voice and leadership” of young people in decision-making within the bloc’s external action for 2022-2027.
On Monday (28 November), the EU Council agreed on conclusions on the new initiative and called on the Commission, the EU external action service and member states to “mainstream meaningful youth participation and engagement in international fora and at multilateral, regional, country and local level”.
Underrepresented youth
While young people make up 16% of the global population, their participation in decision-making remains relatively low. Currently, only 1.6% of members of parliament worldwide are in their 20s and less than 12% are in their 30s, according to the Commission.
“We need to create a new sense of partnership with young people around the world,” the Commission’s vice-president for democracy Dubravka Šuica said while presenting the plan, which is part of the EU’s activities for the European Year of Youth.
The plan
The plan was co-created by the Youth Sounding Board, an organisation of 25 young people from different global regions, and is a “response to the call from children and young people to achieve more participation and inclusion”, the Commissioner said.
In her view, the plan can also help address the current demographic transition and help “empower children and young people across the world”.
The Commission’s plan includes the launch of a €40 million initiative to support youth-led organisations to push for electoral and democratic reforms. Moreover, it includes €10 million to finance youth-led initiatives in partner countries focusing on sustainable development.
Beyond ‘wishful thinking’
During a debate on 17 November, MEPs welcomed the plan but also pointed out difficulties in implementing it in third countries.
Sabine Verheyen, chair of the committee on culture and education, stressed the need to make sure the plan does not just remain on paper.
“I would like to send a clear message that this plan should not only remain a framework for wishful thinking but rather its ideas really need to be implemented on the ground,” Verheyen said.
Responding to Verheyen, the Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen agreed that currently, the plan “is only paper,” but added that the Commission will work to “make it a reality on the ground”, with the help of Youth Sounding Boards in EU delegations.
[Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]
Source: euractiv.com
