On this page

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. Revisions/ Updates

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

The Constitution of the Portuguese Republic enshrines the right to participation to all citizens, including the ‘right to participate in public life’, the ‘right to vote’, the ‘right to access public positions’, the right to constitute or participate in ‘associations and political parties’ and the ‘right to petition and right to class action’ (chapter II – Rights, freedoms and guarantees of political participation: articles 48^th, 49^th, 50^th, 51^st, 52^nd).

The National Youth Plan is the political instrument of intersectoral coordination of youth policies’ in Portugal. One of its key themes is «Governance and Participation», a section with more than 40 measures, framed in five strategic goals under the priority «To promote multilevel, inclusive, participative and participatory government practices, in view of the institutional strengthening of youth policies».

The national policies for the promotion of the political and civic participation of young people had been implemented through a set of measures framed in other national plans and specific programmes, that  with the approval of the National Youth Plan 2018-2019, know their aggregation and strategic orientation.

Due to their relevance, we highlight the measures that were developed in the National Education Strategy for Citizenship, a reference document implemented in the 2017/2018 school year, in the state and private schools that joined the Curricular Flexibility and Autonomy Project (PACF), in accordance with The Profile of Students When out of Compulsory Education and Essential Learning.

The Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth, PI (IPDJ, I.P.), and the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports (SEJD) have particular relevance in the promotion of action that stimulate youth participation. The following initiatives are examples of such measures:

- Support programmes for youth organisations (e.g., PAJ, PAE, PAI and Formar +);

- Volunteering programmes targeting young people (Now Us (Agora Nós), with initiatives such as Dating with Fair Play (Namorar com Fair Play), Generation Z (Geração Z) and Youth Volunteering for Nature and Forests (Voluntariado Jovem para a Natureza e Florestas) (see chapter 2);

- The 70 NOW! Campaign (Campanha 70 JÁ!);

- The Youth Parliament programme;

- Euroschool competition;

- Celebrations of the Associationism Day and International Volunteer Day;

- Creation and implementation of advisory bodies for youth policies, such as the Youth Advisory Council (CCJ) and the Advisory Board of the IPDJ;

- Youth Development Academy;

- Youth Participatory Budget Portugal.

Besides these specific and real measures, IPDJ encourages in Municipalities the enhancement of the Youth Municipal Councils, and participates in many of them through their decentralised services.

Scope and contents

The National Youth Plan is the political instrument of intersectoral coordination of youth policies’ in Portugal. One of its key themes is «Governance and Participation», a section with more than 40 measures, framed in five strategic goals under the priority «To promote multilevel, inclusive, participative and participatory government practices, in view of the institutional strengthening of youth policies».

Responsible authority for the implementation of the strategy

The implementation of the National Youth Plan and, subsequently, of the measures in the key theme «Governance and Participation» is responsibility of each of the entities that executes them. It is, therefore, a shared execution, of interministerial nature, although the coordination is made by IPDJ, I.P. and the supervision by the member of Government responsible for Youth.

Revisions/Updates

Not applicable