The situation of youth organisations across Europe
Youth Organisations across Europe are facing an increasingly challenging situation. Political and economic circumstances are leading to shrinking civic spaces and therefore a shrinking chance of youth organisations to fulfil their purpose and represent the voice of young people. Youth organisations - National Youth Councils (NYCs) and International Non-Governmental Youth Organisations (INGYOs) alike - and the whole youth sector are currently being impacted by wars, democratic, rule of law and human rights backsliding and the overall global economic situation. While they are trying to provide spaces for young people where they can live and enjoy their democracy and freedom of participation, these spaces are at risk.
why this issue matters now
The current situation of democracy in Europe has reached a critical point. Europe is witnessing a rise and normalisation of the far right and other antidemocratic ideologies, burgeoning nationalism, threatening the welfare system, social rights and fiscal distributive justice, while conflicts and war are also threatening the existence of youth civil society in parallel. Many of our fellow NYCs and INGYOs are struggling in these circumstances.
Read the motion to find out which of the European Youth Forum's members have been impacted and how, as well as what we commit to internally as part of our Strategic Plan and what we call for externally.
Related publications
EU Youth Programmes Unpacked: How Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Enable Youth Civic Space
This report maps the ways in which youth organisations and youth civil society organisations experience the Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps programmes. Read the report to find out more.
The future of the Erasmus+ Programme
The relevance of the Erasmus+ Programme gains special light in the current context of global democratic backsliding. However, there are still areas where improvements can be made to ensure that Erasmus+ appropriately reaches all young people and supports the youth sector in Europe.
Expressing support for the safeguarding and expansion of united nations youth delegate programmes globally
The European Youth Forum member organisations are troubled by recent developments surrounding the withdrawal of funds for United Nations Youth Delegate programmes across various European countries, denounces the efforts to challenge the legitimacy of several of these programmes and calls on governments to integrate National Youth Councils and not sideline them into irrelevance.