1.3 National youth strategy
On this page
On this page
-
Existence of a National Youth Strategy
-
Scope and contents
-
Responsible authority for the implementation of the Youth Strategy
-
Revisions/updates
Existence of a National Youth Strategy
In October 2022, the former Agency of Youth and Sport (AYS) began developing the National Youth Strategy for 2023-2027. This strategy is a key document that sets medium-term goals and priorities for youth policy development and promotes the interests of young people in the Republic of North Macedonia.
The process was initiated based on research into youth trends in North Macedonia, aimed at measuring their attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, perceptions, and experiences. The collected data served as a foundation for planning and implementing policies and activities by the Agency of Youth and Sport and other key stakeholders in the youth sector. Eight working groups and consultations with over 500 participants, including youth organizations, students, government representatives, and political party youth wings, ensured the strategy reflects the diverse needs of young people in North Macedonia.
The National Youth Strategy 2023-2027 covers eight key thematic areas:
- Youth participation
- Youth information
- Youth work
- Education
- Culture
- Health
- Entrepreneurship and pre-employment support
- and Security (violence)
The main objective of the strategy is to improve the position of young people in society by establishing core principles, goals, and measures that provide a reform framework, primarily for institutions but also for other stakeholders, to help young people realize their rights, needs, and interests.
The National Youth Strategy comes along with the Action Plan 2023-2025. Following the Strategy, the Action plan itself consist of 8 priority areas:
- Youth participation
- Youth information
- Youth work
- Education
- Culture
- Health
- Entrepreneurship and employment support
- Security
The goals and measures are created together by young people and institutions, working in partnership to make sure they can be achieved within the set timeframe, while recognizing that the needs of young people are always changing.
Scope and contents
The National Youth Strategy focuses on key priorities, challenges, and long-term goals for young people, organized into different themes. Its actions aim to improve the social and economic situation of youth and create an environment where they can fulfill their rights, needs, and interests.
Adopted by the Government of North Macedonia, the strategy covers a five-year period (2023-2027) and was developed in partnership with young people and institutions to ensure its goals are realistic and adaptable to changing youth needs.
In the Strategy, "youth" refers to individuals aged 15 to 29, based on the National Youth Law and aligned with the European Youth Strategy.
Responsible authority for the implementation of the Youth Strategy
The successful implementation of the National Youth Strategy relies on the active involvement of all stakeholders and key actors connected to youth development in North Macedonia. The roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder are clearly defined in the Strategy.
As the main executive authority, the Government plays a key role in supporting the Strategy by adopting and implementing coordinated programs that align with the goals and measures outlined in the document. This ensures the effective delivery of opportunities for youth development across the country.
With the recent institutional restructuring, the responsibility for coordinating the implementation and monitoring of the National Youth Strategy has shifted from the Agency for Youth and Sport (AYS) to the Ministry for Social Policy, Demography, and Youth. While data collection and reporting continue to be carried out by all institutions involved in the Strategy’s activities, the Ministry has adopted the tools and forms previously developed by the AYS to standardize the reporting process. These tools include specialized formats for presenting data and tracking progress on a semi-annual or annual basis.
Local authorities also have their role in implementing youth programs, working in full coordination with the newly established Ministry. Some municipalities are creating local youth strategies that align with the values of the National Youth Strategy.
Other actors addressed by the Strategy are:
- the civil sector who must cooperate with local authorities and the business community in order to develop a comprehensive approach to addressing the most urgent problems faced by young people;
- educational institutions as key actors involved in youth development;
- business community by sharing its resources with institutions and civil society organizations;
- media;
- parents and young people themselves.
Revisions/updates
As more than a year and a half has passed since the adoption of the National Youth Strategy and its action plan, it is evident that substantial progress has not been made in any of the eight key thematic areas. Additionally, there is currently no specific mechanism to evaluate whether the institutions tasked with meeting the goals have fulfilled their responsibilities. In 2025, the process of creating a new Action Plan is anticipated to begin.