1.4 Youth policy decision-making
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Structure of Decision-making
The decision-making process and responsibilities of youth policies in North Macedonia has recently shifted. Previously, the Agency for Youth and Sport handled youth-related matters, but as of June 2024, the new Ministry of Social Policy, Demography, and Youth (MSPDM) has taken over these duties. This ministry, formerly known as the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, will now lead the development and implementation of youth policies tailored to the needs and interests of young people in North Macedonia. Its competencies include labor relations, social policy, and youth.
Youth organizations have welcomed this change, viewing the new ministry as a positive step towards enhancing the focus on youth within the government structure. Historically, the Agency had a limited budget and faced challenges due to inadequate resources, which affected its ability to effectively support youth initiatives. With the new ministry's establishment, there is hope for improved support and more substantial investments in youth policy, benefiting young people across the country.
Historically, the Agency for Youth and Sport was the main institution responsible for youth issues in North Macedonia. Before the recent elections, the youth sector fell under the Agency's jurisdiction. Despite this, the Agency operated with a limited budget, allocating only about 5% of its total budget to the youth sector, which significantly constrained its effectiveness.
The Agency briefly held ministerial status from 1998 to 2000 but was subsequently restructured into an agency. Following this change, there were proposals to integrate its functions into other ministries, such as the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Political System and Inter-Community Relations, due to limited human resources and capacity.
The newly formed ministry will be the main institution for decision-making on youth policies, but the process includes other institutions / ministries including the Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Economy and Labour, Employment Service Agency, Education Development Bureau, National Agency for European Educational Programmes and Mobility, and Local Self-Governments.
According to the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies, a National Advisory Body for youth policies will be established. This body will have an advisory and supervisory role and will consist of nine representatives from the youth sector and up to eight representatives from state institutions, as outlined in the law.
In July 2021, the Government reviewed and adopted a decision to establish a National Advisory Body for Youth Policies. The foremer Agency for Youth and Sports, along with several ministries, was tasked with appointing representatives to this body by June 30, 2021. However, despite these initial steps, the body has still not been formally established.
At the local level, Local Self-Governments are responsible for decision-making based on the presence of Local Youth Strategies, where applicable. Many municipalities have formed Local Youth Councils as advisory bodies.
According to the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies, all municipalities in North Macedonia are required to establish Local Youth Councils and adopt a Local Youth Strategy within a year of the law's adoption. However, implementation has been slow, with only 19 out of 81 municipalities (23%) establishing Local Youth Councils.
To assist this process, the former Agency for Youth and Sports and the OSCE Mission to Skopje published a Manual for Local Youth Councils in June 2021, which provides guidance on creating these councils and clarifying their roles for municipalities and council members.
EU Youth Dialogue (formerly known as Structured Dialogue) is an important European practice that facilitates communication between young people and decision-makers on issues that matter to them. However, in the Republic of North Macedonia, there is still no national working group for EU Youth Dialogue, despite the efforts of the National Youth Council of Macedonia to promote and establish it as the biggest participatory mechanism on the European level.
In line with practices from the European Parliament and other Western European parliaments, the Parliament of North Macedonia has established a Club on Youth Affairs and Policies. This informal body consists of members from all parliamentary parties and aims to advocate for youth interests in collaboration with youth organizations, informal youth groups, and the youth wings of political parties.
Main Themes
The priorities set in the National Youth Strategy 2023-2027 comply with the priorities defined with the EU Youth Strategy – Investing and Empowering.
The strategy reflects the views and priorities of the youth for the present and the future of the country and is based on the strategic determination of the Government to work with and for the young people, striving to provide conditions in which young people reach their full potential. The Strategy is a strategic document that results from commitments defined by the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies and represents a key mechanism for promotion of youth policies and recognition of the needs of the youth in the country.
All intended goals and measures mentioned in the previous aim to provide adequate support for all vulnerable groups of young people and better recognition of their specific needs. Within thematic areas, everything translated and a large number of horizontal topics and challenges such as: gender equality, improving the environment, dealing with crises and shocks (such as COVID-19), and digitalization.
To define the goals and measures, policies and principles were taken into account which are framed in the European Youth Strategy 2019-2029 as well as the Sustainable Development Goals of United Nations.
The Ministry of Social Policy, Demography and Youth
The former Ministry of Labor and Social Policy will now concentrate on "social policy, demography, and youth." This means that youth affairs will be handled by this restructured ministry, while the Agency for Youth and Sports will be dissolved.
The ministry's responsibilities will now encompass family planning, child welfare, demographic policy, and migration policies. It will also focus on developing youth policy and ensuring the healthy growth and protection of young people.
Additionally, the draft law includes responsibilities for promoting and supporting youth organizations. It aims to create conditions that encourage capable and talented young people to stay in North Macedonia and incentivize their return if they leave. The ministry will also work to improve young people's employability.[1]