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Council of Europe meets with youth representatives

On 14-16th March, the Council of Europe (CoE) hosted new meetings of the Joint Council on Youth and the Advisory Council on Youth in Strasbourg. The meetings saw representatives from youth NGOs meet with government officials to decide upon youth sector priorities, as well as make recommendations for future budgets and programmes.

Up for discussion were recent reforms to the CoE, youth participation and the rights of young people in Europe. Proposals made will now be adopted by the Committee of Ministers, the CoE's decision-making body.

The meetings were held within the Council of Europe's Co-Management structure, which aims to foster greater youth participation in decision-making. Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland assured participants that, despite recent reforms to the Council's structure and co-operation with civil society presently under-review, youth participation was not under-threat. "Cooperation with civil society is essential and the co-management system is vital part of that", he said. Transversality was also mentioned as important to the reformed CoE, meaning youth concerns should be present in all parts of the CoE. He also indicated that tools such as the European Youth Foundation and European Youth Centres would not be threatened.

The European Youth Forum believes that these new reforms will bring about necessary renewals and new energy to the Council of Europe. The CoE's co-management system is unique and the most far reaching process for including young people in decision making. It should hence be seen as a role model for civil society participation throughout the CoE. In particular, the European Youth Foundation and European Youth Centres are important tools for ensuring that youth organisations can promote human rights and democracy to young Europeans.

 

 

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