“Youth Participation in Crisis: 2024 Report Warns of Sharp Decline in North Macedonia” was published by the National Youth Council of Macedonia (NYCM) on the occasion of International Youth Day. Now in its fourth consecutive year, the Monitoring Report assesses the progress and setbacks in implementing the provisions of the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies, as well as the establishment of the prescribed services and mechanisms at both local and national levels.
General Observations
According to the monitoring findings, the number of municipalities with a local youth council has decreased by six within a one-year period. The data, collected for the period from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024, indicates an overall decline in the implementation of youth mechanisms and services.
At the same time, the report notes a positive trend in the level of understanding of the Law’s provisions by municipalities. At the national level, some progress has been achieved with the establishment of the Research Center for Youth Studies (Department for Youth Research within the Youth Sector of the Ministry of Social Policy, Demography and Youth). However, full alignment of the Law with the new institutional framework of the state and the adoption of all relevant bylaws remain incomplete.
Key Findings
The NYCM report highlights the following trends:
- The number of municipalities with a local youth council decreased from 34 in 2023 to 28 in 2024.
- The number of municipalities with adopted local youth strategies decreased from 18 in 2023 to 10 in 2024.
- Only 4 municipalities have properly conducted the procedure for establishing a youth office.
- Only 9 municipalities have operational Youth Centers functioning in cooperation with youth organizations.
- The number of municipal youth officers decreased from 65 in 2023 to 55 in 2024.
- In 2024, only 9 municipalities allocated the legally required minimum of 0.1% of their total municipal budget for youth-related activities.
- In 2025, only 16 municipalities have planned to allocate this minimum budget.
- In practice, municipal youth budgets most often cover cultural and sports events, rather than broader youth development initiatives.
Recommendations
In order to strengthen the implementation of the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies, NYCM recommends the following measures:
- Urgent adoption of amendments to the Law and relevant bylaws, to ensure comprehensive regulation of all legal provisions.
- Development and dissemination of guidelines and manuals for the implementation of the Law, with a particular focus on the local level.
- Professionalization of youth officers, alongside the establishment of a monitoring and support mechanism for municipalities.
- Strengthening the capacities and role of the Youth Sector within the Ministry of Social Policy, Demography and Youth.
- Introduction of a dedicated budget line for youth in both local and national institutional budgets, ensuring transparent and targeted funding.
- Organization of a parliamentary oversight session by the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia to reinforce the significance and practical impact of the Law.
The findings of the 2024 Monitoring Report reveal both progress and setbacks in the implementation of the Law on Youth Participation. While the establishment of the Research Center at the national level marks a positive development, the decline in youth structures and services at the local level remains a cause for concern. Sustained commitment, stronger institutional support, and targeted policy measures are required to ensure meaningful youth participation in decision-making processes across North Macedonia.
Монтиторинг извештај за имплементацијата на Законот за младинско учество и младински политики 2024 година – Национален младински совет на Македонија