Youth-Led Initiatives for Inter-Community Trust, Inclusion and Equality in the Western Balkans

In the heart of the Western Balkans, two young activists, Sara Milenkovska, 29, and Sajra Kustura, 19, are spearheading initiatives aimed at building coalitions across community and ethnic divides to promote human rights, equality and inclusivity. Sara, from North Macedonia, is an advocate for gender equality and the founder of the civil society organization Stella Network, which focuses on facilitating mentorships for women and girls. Sajra, who is from Bosnia and Herzegovina, has worked for several years as a children's and human rights activist. She is a member of the regional network, the Youth Advisory Board of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and has participated in youth delegations for UN events across the region.

Both activists draw inspiration from their personal experiences, navigating the landscape of gender equality and social cohesion in their respective countries. For Sajra, these experiences have “instilled a profound sense of mistrust in the protective systems,” such as the state bodies and systems responsible for upholding the rights of all individuals, regardless of gender, identity or background, and thus, fueling a commitment to advocate for positive change. 

Sara shares the challenges she faced as a survivor of gender-based violence and the struggles of reporting such incidents within a system that often fails victims. Despite these hurdles, she remains hopeful. When asked about the most pressing challenges in the Western Balkans, the young activists find it difficult to pinpoint a single issue, instead emphasizing the intersectionality of gender inequality, political disengagement, and the absence of youth representation. 

The recently published research titled ‘Voices of Youth: Gender Equality and Social Cohesion in the Western Balkans,’ conducted as part of the regional UN project 'Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality & Trust', has brought to light compelling insights. The study reveals that toxic masculinities (referring to traditional societal expectations of masculinity that can be harmful to men, women, and society as a whole), entrenched gender stereotypes, hate speech, and the media’s portrayal of traditional gender roles all increase the risk of violence. Notably, violence against women emerges as the most pervasive form of such incidents in the Western Balkans.

This gender-focused research is part of a larger regional United Nations initiative, ‘Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality and Trust’, which empowers young people to engage in constructive narratives, strengthen intercultural dialogue, promote inclusion, and cultivate mutual understanding in the Western Balkans. A collaborative effort involving UNDP, UNFPA, UNESCO, UN Women, and various partners from the public sector, media, civil society, and academia, the project is working together with youth to increase comprehension and respect for diversity in the region. Financially supported by the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund, the project, launched in 2022 for a total budget of $4.5 million, has directly impacted over 10,000 youth through more than 160 trainings and events.

Both Sara and Sajra were involved in the gender research. The youth-led research engaged around 1,500 participants from the Western Balkans through online and in-person consultations and a survey explored intricate linkages between youth development, gender equality, and social cohesion challenges in the region. The research underscores that gender-based inequality stands as a societal challenge, taking a toll on the lives of young individuals. Of the 1,500 youth participants (of which 73% are women) a significant majority shared experiences of discrimination based on gender, contributing to a growing sense of mistrust in social systems. Moreover, gender-based violence affects women in the region not only in the private sphere but also in their public engagements, as women who engage in politics, public decision-making, advocacy and human rights protection have proven particularly vulnerable.

Sara Milenkovska

Crucially, the findings highlight the indispensable connection between fostering gender equality and rebuilding trust. Sajra mentions the need for targeted efforts to unite youth and institutions, stating “Challenges such as the lack of trust between young people and authorities, as well as between governmental and non-governmental sectors, require careful efforts in building bridges of trust to ensure sustainable inclusion, equality, and collaboration for the well-being of young people.” The project is responding by facilitating this reconnection between youth and institutions.

The UN’s regional project aims to cultivate inclusive narratives and counter divisive rhetoric by providing youth with the tools and knowledge to voice their concerns within their communities and across boundaries and to become champions of improved inter-community relations. Youth feedback on the initiative has been highly positive, especially regarding the regional exchanges that have taken place. Over 15 interactions and events have involved young people from the region, providing opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds and communities to meet, discuss shared interests, and develop lasting friendships and collaborations. These activities have led to regional, youth-led campaigns promoting diversity and positive narratives. Participants in one youth camp from Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina developed a regional advocacy campaign aiming to promote the youth-led ‘Pripadas.balkans - Youth Initiative for Equality and Tolerance’ social media channel.

After completing capacity-building activities, young people receive mentorship and support from the project to realize online public advocacy campaigns. They are encouraged to design and produce various media products aimed at countering hate speech online and promoting values of interculturalism and respect for diversity in the region. To further promote regional cross-fertilization, locally created initiatives are then shared regionally. For example, initiatives selected for mentoring and financial support at local boot camps in Albania, such as animated films on Roma issues and history, will be promoted regionally.

The project has also created multiple other dialogue opportunities at local level with an emphasis on bringing diverse youth together to discuss social cohesion problems and solutions. Local consultations held in Belgrade, Pristina, Sarajevo, Skopje and Tirana provided safe spaces for free idea sharing, allowing young people to identify priority issues for engagement. Inclusive engagement of marginalized and vulnerable groups was ensured throughout the process. Active participation was sought from the LGBTQIA+ community in all five consultations, as well as from persons with disabilities. Ethnic minorities were engaged through the involvement of civil society organizations, which facilitated access to their contact base. Particularly noteworthy was the active participation of representatives from the Roma community, demonstrating a commitment to reaching diverse voices.

In another example, the project organized four multi-ethnic youth residential camps in Kosovo* between June and September 2023. These camps saw the participation of almost 100 young people, with over 50% young women, who acquired new knowledge on promoting constructive narratives and addressing divisive narratives, hate speech, and harmful stereotypes. A post-event survey with participants confirmed that 95% of respondents reported an increased appreciation for interaction with other ethnic groups. Notably, the camps welcomed over 30% of youth from non-majority communities, including Ashkali, Bosniak, Gorani, Roma and Serb youth. The transformational impact of exchanges was experienced by a young Serbian woman whose family expressed initial hesitation about her participation in a multi-ethnic youth event co-organized by the project in Prizren in southern Kosovo*. Despite the hesitation, the young woman’s insistence to participate resulted in the positive and enriching experience of meeting and exchanging with people from diverse backgrounds. The project has already witnessed countless positive inter-group encounters, many of which have led to the development of inter-group and inter-ethnic friendships.

In addition to fostering youth-to-youth exchanges, giving young people from different communities a bigger voice in local governance has been another key aspect of this regional initiative. Supported by the project, 57 municipal councils in the Western Balkans (in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia) have improved youth participation in policymaking, including through the establishment and enhancement of youth councils and strategies. Marking a major step in collaborative planning for youth-related issues, 1,170 young people, 57% women, actively participated in the development of national youth strategies, closing the communication gap between youth and institutions. A key achievement of the project is the process towards the adoption of the National Youth Strategy 2023-2027 in North Macedonia. The strategy’s development process included extensive youth consultations and ensured diversity by working closely with CSOs that support marginalized youth. The next steps include formulating action plans and monitoring their implementation. Additionally, four regional exchanges between youth councilors and young decision-makers have been organized to enhance communication, reflecting a growing demand from both youth and authorities.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the partnership with the Sarajevo Canton on its pioneering Youth Strategy has had a catalytic effect, inspiring other cantons to follow suit and create better opportunities for young people – regardless of ethnicity - in areas such as increased safety and (digital) security, and improved education and employment. Youth, young councilors, decision makers, as well as local and central institutions are requesting further cooperation in this area. “Projects like this demonstrate a genuine and effective response to the needs and priorities of young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the broader region. By actively engaging youth in discussions and activities centered around crucial issues such as gender equality, trust-building, and social cohesion, the project provides a valuable platform for collective action,” said Sajra Kustura.

The project will continue to support the drafting of youth strategies in the region and the implementation of existing ones, while combining these efforts with initiatives to promote inter-community trust-building and social cohesion and learning from promising experiences in the region.

* References to Kosovo should be understood in the context of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).