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1. Intercultural awareness

2. Young people's rights

3. Key initiatives to safeguard democracy and prevent radicalisation leading to violent extremism

Intercultural awareness

Promotion of intercultural dialogue in North Macedonia is rooted in the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement (2001), which established principles of equitable representation, decentralisation and protection of community rights.

Government-led initiatives

In 2015, the Government launched the public awareness campaign “Multiethnic and Multi-religious Cohesion” (2015–2016). The campaign included 18 short video messages promoting tolerance, mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence among ethnic and religious communities. The materials were broadcast on national television and disseminated online. The campaign primarily targeted the general public, including young people, but was not followed by a structured long-term programme.

The Ministry of Inter-Community Relations (former Ministry of Political System and Inter-Community Relations , established in 2019, is responsible for:

• overseeing implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement;

• supporting projects promoting multiculturalism and inter-community cooperation;

• monitoring equitable representation in public administration;

• ensuring implementation of language rights legislation;

• coordinating with municipalities and civil society organisations.

The Ministry provides annual financial support to civil society projects that promote intercultural dialogue, although publicly available data on youth-specific beneficiaries remain limited.

International and civil society initiatives

The UN-supported regional project “Youth for Inclusion, Equality and Trust” (2022–2024) targeted young people aged 15–30 across the Western Balkans, including North Macedonia. The project aimed to:

• strengthen intercultural dialogue;

• promote gender equality;

• counter hate speech and digital violence;

• build trust between communities.

Activities included civic education workshops, sports-based dialogue initiatives, digital campaigns and community projects. The project particularly targeted youth from ethnically mixed municipalities and vulnerable backgrounds.

Despite these initiatives, intercultural dialogue policies remain largely project-based rather than embedded within a comprehensive national youth cohesion framework.

Young people's rights

Youth rights in North Macedonia are regulated through sectoral legislation rather than a single comprehensive youth rights framework.

The Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies establishes mechanisms for youth participation at national and local levels and obliges institutions to create youth councils and local youth strategies. However, implementation remains uneven across municipalities.

In 2023, a civil society-led “Analysis of the Youth-Related Legal Framework” assessed the alignment of national legislation with EU youth standards. The analysis identified:

• limited awareness among young people regarding their legal rights;

• inconsistent enforcement of participation mechanisms;

• weak monitoring of local youth policies;

• insufficient access to legal remedies.

In employment, young people are protected under general labour legislation, yet challenges persist in relation to:

• temporary and short-term contracts;

• limited enforcement of labour inspections;

• informal employment practices affecting young workers.

In education, disparities in access and quality remain, particularly for Roma youth and youth with disabilities.

Strengthening youth legal literacy, improving institutional accountability and enhancing cooperation between public authorities and youth organisations remain key priorities.

Key initiatives to safeguard democracy and prevent radicalisation leading to violent extremism

North Macedonia addresses radicalisation through the National Strategy for Prevention of Violent Extremism 2023–2027, adopted in 2023.

National Strategy for Prevention of Violent Extremism (2023–2027)

The strategy identifies young people as a priority group due to socio-economic vulnerabilities and exposure to online extremist narratives.

Key objectives include:

• strengthening early prevention mechanisms in schools;

• promoting media literacy and critical thinking;

• improving coordination between institutions and civil society;

• supporting rehabilitation and reintegration measures;

• enhancing community resilience.

Implementation involves cooperation between ministries, municipalities, law enforcement institutions and civil society organisations.

Civil society initiatives

Youth Civic Education Platform for Countering Radicalisation (“Youth Counter”)
Launched in January 2021 (2021–2023 implementation period), the platform was led by the Initiative for European Perspective (IEP) in partnership with:

• Center for Intercultural Dialogue – Kumanovo;
• NEXUS Civil Concept;
• AKVA – Struga;
• CBM – Mitrovica.

The project, funded by the EU, targeted young people aged 15–29 and aimed to:

• develop counter-narratives to extremist content;
• promote civic education;
• strengthen digital literacy;
• encourage youth-led community initiatives.

Horizon Civitas – P/CVE Programme
Horizon Civitas implements Preventing/Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) activities focusing on:

• community resilience building;
• youth engagement in civic initiatives;
• training for teachers and local stakeholders;

• dialogue between institutions and youth.

These initiatives contribute to local-level prevention; however, systematic public evaluation of long-term impact remains limited.

Overall, while North Macedonia has adopted strategic documents addressing intercultural dialogue, youth rights and prevention of violent extremism, implementation remains partially project-driven and dependent on external funding. Strengthening institutional coordination, monitoring mechanisms and youth-centred preventive education would enhance sustainability and long-term democratic resilience.