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1. Existence of a national strategy to increase young people's political and civil society participation

2. Scope and contents

3. Responsible authority for the implementation of the strategy

4. Monitoring and evaluation

5. Revisions/ Updates

Existence of a national strategy to increase young people's political and civil society participation

The National Youth Work and Youth Policy Programme sets goals to develop and improve listening to and dialogue with children and young people, and their opportunities to participate (for more information, visit Youth Wiki/Finland 1.3 National Youth Strategy).

The National Democracy Programme 2025 has been published in spring 2020. It contains objectives of democratic policy including measures concerning young people. It highlights the role of civic/democratic education as well as the need to co-operate with children and young people during decision-making processes.

Scope and contents

According to the National Youth Work and Youth Policy Programme the objective is that: 'The knowledge capital of young people will be improved through democracy and human rights education in schools and educational institutions while aiming for more broad-based participation in other opportunities to exert influence. A precondition for ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to participate and exert influence is that young people’s inputs are recognised and acknowledged as part of decision-making.'

National Democracy Programme 2025 is cross-sectoral with an idea of strengthening the involvement of citizens and new kinds of communication between the decision-makers and citizens. Democracy is also seen as a core element in all public structures and processes. In the programme, a part entitled ‘Democracy and human rights education and participation of young people’ is dedicated entirely to young people.

Responsible authority for the implementation of the strategy

As previously mentioned in Youth Wiki/Finland: 1.3 National Youth Strategy, according to the Youth Act, the Ministry of Education and Culture is primarily responsible authority that implements the National Youth Work and Youth Policy Programme in conjunction with various other ministries.

The National Democracy Programme 2025 will cover the numerous measures related to civil society and participation outlined in the Government Programme of Prime Minister Marin. The programme will function as an umbrella for democracy-related projects to be carried out by different ministries. The realisation of the Programme is led by the Ministry of Justice.

Monitoring and evaluation

As mentioned in Youth Wiki/Finland 1.3 National Youth Strategy, the State Youth Council attached to the Ministry of Education and Culture has a statutory duty to annually review the implementation of the National Youth Work and Youth Policy Programme.

Revisions/Updates

Revisions and updates are described in Youth Wiki/Finland 1.3 National Youth Strategy.