TIRANA, Aug. 9 – The National Youth Network and the CRCA Center completed the National Youth Index, as part of the “Youth in Albania” study, in which the youth, which accounts for 35 percent of the country’s population, claims it is not a priority for any public institution.
The index is a survey of 15 youth organizations and it showed the government and municipalities have operated without implementing the national youth action plan and do not fulfill state obligations attached to it.
“The first problem raised in all consultations conducted with young people from all 12 regions of Albania is the lack of studying opportunities. They complete their study cycle and feel this difficulty since their student years. Then, when they finish their studies, they have no employment opportunities due to the lack of incentive policies for youth employment by the government,” head of the NYN and study’s author Ervjola Osmanaj said.
Youth participation in decision-making processes is also very low. The report found that over 70 percent of young people do not have government support to be represented in decision-making processes or local government branches.
Polls show that young people are being used only as a political background, but do not have any effective participation in policy-making or political decision-making and do not find support from it.
In addition, one of the main challenges for youth remains employment, while about 80 percent of youth organizations say they do not have government support for promoting youth employment.
The report also cites data from the International Labor Organization (ILO), which show Albania occupies one of the first places in Europe for youth unemployment.
“81 percent of young people say the Albanian government does not support, encourage or develop supportive policies for their employment. This is an alarming figure, when international organizations also point out that 30 percent of Albanian youth is unemployed. The government should therefore attach great importance to this situation,” Klaudio Pulaha from the CRCA said.
Young people claim that they are facing lack of chances and disregard from decision-making institutions on employment and development issues that affect their lives.
Since last year, no funds were spent on youth, while the state budget for it was only 0.01 percent even though youth accounts for over one third of the population.
Municipalities also lack budgets for youth, and 80 percent of respondents claimed in the Index that friendly services are seriously lacking.
Hence, they ask for for a Youth Card, a Youth Law, a parliamentary youth subcommittee and a multifaceted budget for them both in the central government and in the local government.
