2024-09-02

The Diversity Youth – Enhancing Public Policies Regarding Youth from Single-Parent and One-Parent Families

Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE

The Diversity Youth is one of five regional informal groups whose project “Building youth policies of young people from single-parent and one-parent families in North Macedonia, Serbia & Bosnia and Herzegovina” has received financial support through the “Active Achievement Fund”, a sub-granting activity of the “Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE” project funded by the European Union.

The “Active Achievement Fund” aims to empower youth in the Western Balkans to participate in a structured dialogue on public policies relevant to youth, to advocate for the adoption of European values and strengthening of democratic and responsible institutions, and to promote regional cooperation and political, economic and social benefits of the EU integration for the Western Balkans societies. Support is provided through the direct payments by RYDE partner organization, NGO Info Centar from Skopje, North Macedonia, which serve as intermediary organizations for their project.

Project background: The socio-economic challenges faced by single parents and one-parent families have become a growing concern in many countries, including those in the Western Balkans – specifically, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Single parents and one-parent families often experience a combination of financial difficulties, social exclusion, and limited access to essential services, all of which affect the children and young people within these families.

The lack or absence of another parental figure, coupled with additional economic strain, can impact a child's development, their educational achievements, and their social integration, creating long-term challenges that often extend into the teenage years and adulthood. Addressing these issues requires comprehensive approaches that combine economic support, educational opportunities, social inclusion initiatives, and health services tailored to the needs of youth from single-parent and one-parent families.

This project aims to promote the inclusion and equality of young people from single-parent families in the Western Balkans, aligning with European social policies and the rule of law. It advocates for their rights and needs, focusing on improving their socio-economic status through cooperation in North Macedonia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Through this project, the recommendation policy for the institutions in each of the countries involved will be formulated. The project addresses legal regulations, social support, youth policies, and works to reduce discrimination, prejudice, and stigma faced by young people from single-parent and one-parent families.

Research and Policy Focus

The Diversity Youth group consists of five young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Two members come from single-parent families and have actively worked for three years to improve legal protections and visibility for this community in North Macedonia. With support from their Serbian and Bosnian counterparts, they seek to share information and collaborate on legislative reforms.

The project includes a comparative study on youth policies in the three countries, evaluating their effectiveness in addressing the needs of young people from single-parent families. By analyzing existing policies, the study identifies gaps, assesses the role of governmental and non-governmental organizations, and proposes solutions for more equitable outcomes. The findings will contribute to future youth policy strategies in the Western Balkans.

Using both qualitative and quantitative methods – such as policy analysis, legal document reviews, and statistical data evaluation – the research will provide recommendations for government institutions and advocacy materials for civil society organizations.

The key findings from the “Comparative Analysis of Compliance of Existing Youth Policies With the Needs of Young People from Single Parents and One-Parent Families in N. Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina“ were presented online through infographics in three languages.

Download: Youth Policies for Single Parents and One-parent Families in the Western Balkans – ENG / MK / SRB

The 16 policy recommendations for improving the position of young people from single-parent and one-parent families have been addressed to the ministries in Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia:

Republic of Serbia: Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Ministry of Family Welfare and Demography, Ministry of Health;

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Federal Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Justice of the Government of the Republic of Srpska, Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Government of the Republic of Srpska;

North Macedonia: Ministry of Social Policy, Demography, and Youth, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Ministry of Education and Science;

The members of the informal group held a meeting with the Macedonian Minister of Education, Ms. Vesna Janevska, during which they presented the project’s objectives, highlighted the challenges faced by young people from single-parent families, and shared recommendations for institutional support. Ms. Janevska acknowledged the concerns and assured that the Ministry would take the necessary steps to enhance the position of these young individuals.