Youth are central actors for peace
Across the Western Balkans, young people share a core of common hopes and dreams. This shared vision is a powerful yet largely untapped resource for peacebuilding and social cohesion in the region and needs the attention it deserves in policy debates and youth programming on peace.
Regional Study: Shared Futures
Shared Futures: Youth Perceptions on Peace in the Western Balkans was conducted by UNDP in collaboration with UNFPA and RYCO, through a youth-inclusive and participatory research process, and covering the voices of over 5,400 young women and men in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo,* Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
19.5%
Participation:
An average of 19.5% of youth are civically engaged, but over 65% are interested in being more active
42%
Regional relations:
At least 42% of youth expected regional relations to improve. Just 8% expected them to deteriorate, while the rest expected no change
61-91%
Youth collaboration:
61-91% of young people agree that youth exchanges can have a positive impact on regional relations
49-75%
Divisive narratives:
49-75 % of young women and men are concerned about fake news and conspiracy theories
52%
Outward migration:
An average of 52% of youth say that they see themselves living abroad in 10 years
#SHAREDFUTURES
Youth perceptions on peace in the Western Balkans.
*
For the UN, all references to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).
For RYCO, this designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with Security Council Resolution 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.