Joint Comparative Analysis of Youth Policies in the Western Balkans

The Comparative Analysis of Youth Policies in the Western Balkans (WB) was conducted within the framework of the Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe (RYDE), a project funded by the European Union from 2023 to 2026. Led by the Center for Democracy Foundation from Serbia, in collaboration with partnering civil society organizations from across the WB, including the Academy of European Integrations and Negotiations (Albania), Youth Act Center (Albania), Kosovar Stability Initiative (Kosovo*), Network of Progressive Initiatives (Bosnia and Herzegovina), NGO Info Center Foundation (North Macedonia), and the Regional Academy for Democratic Development (Serbia), this project aims to strengthen participatory democracy, European integration, and regional cooperation in the WB countries. The project’s primary objective is to enhance the influence of civil society organizations (CSOs), especially youth organizations, in promoting democratic values and the political, economic, and social benefits of European integration for the WB societies.

This analysis aims to provide a detailed comparative insight into youth-related public policies across the WB, including policy documents such as strategies, action plans, and laws. It assesses the coherence of measures outlined in these youth policies with other related policy areas and evaluates the alignment of these policies with youth concerns, sustainable development goals (SDGs), and the need for building social resilience. The study also formulates policy recommendations for each public policy field covered by the Analysis.