The “UfM Youth Strategy 2030: Euro-Mediterranean Youth towards a Common Goal“, is a combination of a clear vision, concrete actions, realistic ambitions and good practices. This Strategy brings together 42 UfM Member States with different horizons to agree on common actions for youth in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
A first of its kind, the Strategy comes as a targeted response to the call of the 2nd UfM Regional Forum of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, who agreed to launch a positive agenda for youth in the Mediterranean.
It is also a concrete response to urgent Mediterranean Youth needs and obstacles that prevent them from gaining full access to their inherent potential as agents of positive change towards securing a human and sustainable development, hence enhancing their empowerment.
1/3 of EU’s population are under 30.
48% of the people in the Southern Mediterranean region are under 30.
15% of young women and men (between 15- 34)
within the EU were neither part of the labour force nor receiving education or training
In North Africa and Middle East,
25% of young women and men are unemployed.
Strategic Objectives and Priorities
Objectives
The overall objective is then to build trust, empower and give opportunities. The vision of the UfM for the Mediterranean Youth is clear and concise: striving to make them full actors of the socio-economic life and make the region a resilient space of prosperity and development where no one is left behind. In a region that has some of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world, exceeding 40% in some countries, concrete actions must be undertaken.
This strategy is based on the fundamental value of trust that considers that Youth empowerment can never be achieved unless youths are seen and treated for what they are.
Process
The UfM considers that Youth should not only be subjects to policies and strategies, but rather be active architects in their implementation through a concrete involvement in their processes and frameworks. Youth should be given space and prominence in policy-making across Euro-Mediterranean countries. Therefore, the UfM Youth Strategy worked closely with Youth-led organizations and networks, in addition to its Member States, that contribute to the development of skills and leadership, as well as civil society from the whole region, and will continue to do so during its whole implementation phases.
Content
The UfM Youth Strategy 2030 is fully in line with UN Youth 2030 and the EU Youth Strategy. It identifies human development, and sustainable development as two distinct, yet interconnected dimensions for the inclusion of Youth and their full participation in the region. Each one of these two dimensions, tackles various topics which are climate action and energy, environment, urban and rural development, economic development, education and training and social inclusion.
Focusing on priorities that fall under the UfM Mandate, the Strategy provides a vision that supports the power to act and mobilize of youth, through proposing “Solutions for youth, by youth”, which invest in skills, education, quality jobs…
Key Actions
The Strategy identifies six priority areas. Some of the key actions linked to them are listed below:
- Climate and Energy. By raising awareness among young people about climate change and energy issues and by involving them in the promotion and adoption of sustainable behaviours.
- Environment and Water. Through effective local solutions that provide the necessary skills to integrate the green and circular economy.
- Urban and rural development. Through providing the necessary support to existing platforms, working to reduce the negative impact of urban and rural displacement on young people.
- Economic development. By promoting innovative youth entrepreneurship, facilitating access to financial support for project leaders and raising awareness of the importance of the jobs of the future.
- Education and training. By supporting the development of skills, access to information, the reduction of inequalities and the introduction to communication and digital technologies.
- Social inclusion and participation. By reducing cultural gaps, actions to fight racism and extremist discourses.
Youth and Sustainable Development
The first dimension of the Strategy is Sustainable Development. Mediterranean Youth became agents of change, mobilizing to advance the Sustainable Development Goals to improve their lives and the resilience of the region. Hence, the Strategy helps:
- Ensuring that young people are aware and informed of climate action and energy challenges, that their views and concerns are considered through consultations and participatory decision-making processes, when formulating policies and that they are encouraged, supported and facilitated to take appropriate actions in the field through initiatives and activities that concern Youth.
- Ensuring that young people are informed and aware of environmental challenges, including in the areas of biodiversity, pollution, and resource efficiency, and that their views and concerns are considered when formulating policies, while opportunities for environmentally friendly action and employment are made available to them.
- Ensuring that the interests of young people are considered when formulating policies, programmes and initiatives for sustainable urban and rural development and that the issues of displacement and migration of young people is actively tackled.
Youth and Human Development
The Strategy explores the challenges and potential of youth development and seeks to discuss investment in youth social development through education and job creation. In an attempt to influence national policies for youth development, key messages and action points aimed at shaping further policy debate and creating a platform for dialogue, are proposed.
- Strengthen and enhance decent job creation and employment opportunities for young people (including apprenticeships); support them in developing their employability with skills-base, particularly their entrepreneurial and ICT skills, and address the particular needs of young people currently not in employment, education or training, thereby accounting for the diverse needs of vulnerable youth.
- Promote and support quality education, training, and lifelong learning for all young people, facilitate smooth transitions from education to working life, and address the needs of early school leavers and young people not in employment, education, or training.
- Promote and strengthen young people’s potential for active citizenship, the empowerment of young women as well as addressing the needs of vulnerable and at-risk young people and combat extremism.
