The European Year of Youth: How to rally champions for inclusion

February 3, 2022

Discriminated and scarred

It may seem that young people are less discriminated but they report more perceived age discrimination than other age groups. One in four people between 15 and 24 have personally felt discriminated against or experienced harassment on one or more grounds in the past 12 months. It is even worse for those belonging to a marginalised group.

Hate speech and other forms of violence is only one of many discriminatory experiences affecting young people in particular. For instance, they may encounter barriers in finding a permanent job, accessing information and healthcare services, or in participating in political decision making. The COVID-19 pandemic

Young people worry about their life ‘stalling’ and a loss of independence. The European Youth Forum reported a considerable loss of work and income as a result of unemployment and reduction in working hours. In Germany, a few cases were recently reported about young people being rejected from a position, paid less and getting less holidays because of their age.

Unia’s annual school competition“GiveMe1Minute” makes teenagers think about equality, diversity and human rights.

Furthermore, being enrolled or staying at home is not necessarily a healthier alternative. Still according to the Youth Forum report, two out of three students believe they are learning less as a result of school and university closures. Almost two out of three young people may be affected by anxiety or depression as a result of the pandemic. Also, the wellbeing of women and those belonging to the LGBT+ community was at an even higher risk when being forced to spend more time at home. Yet, while the pandemic hits marginalised youth disproportionately, there is a flicker of hope.

48% want 2022 to focus on inclusion

The European Year of Youth brings young people and their interests in the spotlight. Education, climate and health rank high, followed by a promising fourth issue: Nearly every second respondent selected “Inclusive societies, including gender, anti-discrimination” as their preferred theme. However, 63% do not know how to share their views. Equality bodies can help make their voice heard.
Young people welcome digital and physical events. Online channels work well to convey information about rights and opportunities. They appreciate interactive dialogues, workshops and debates on social media, yet want these to lead to real outcomes presented to EU decision makers. Activities should also include peers, disadvantaged rural youth, trusted influencers and the older generation.

Young people expressing their views at the Fundamental Rights Dialogues in the run-up to the Fundamental Rights Forum

The Croatian Ombudswoman showed how it can be done. She included a young person living in a rural area as a speaker on a panel she organised in the Parliament, called “Away From the City, Away From Rights”. It was a discussion about human rights in rural areas and the young person talked about the youth perspective, giving them equal footing in the discussion with the usual suspects from academia and state officials.

Promoting equality together

Equality bodies can empower young people in three ways. The first step is to make youth a priority for your organisation. This could mean dedicating a budget to youth related work, regularly contacting the national coordinator, collecting relevant data and/or organising specific activities through the European Youth Portal at least every quarter.

Secondly, cooperate with youth organisations. You get access to a larger pool of knowledge, experience, good practises and tools. You can also reach more youth than you would by yourself, particularly those on the margins of society at risk of experiencing violations of their rights. 2022 is an opportunity to establish many long-term partnerships.

Thirdly, engage with educators and the people next door. If you want them to share more than their story, develop a fair cooperation agreement, offer training and compensate them for their work. There are plenty of ordinary people out there who are not famous but broke stereotypes and inspired others to make a difference, too.

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