JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Youth Action Plan (YAP) in EU external action 2022 – 2027 Promoting meaningful youth participation and empowerment in EU external action for sustainable development, equality and peace
Date: 2022-10-04
Institutions: Directorate-General for International Partnerships, European Commission
Subjects: EU action, EU relations, gender equality, international cooperation, peace, sustainable development, young person, youth movement, youth policy

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY Strasbourg, 4.10.2022  JOIN(2022) 53 final  JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Youth Action Plan (YAP) in EU external action 2022 – 2027            Promoting meaningful youth participation and empowerment in EU external action      for sustainable development, equality and peace  
 
 
‘We  deserve  to  be  heard,  empowered,  protected 
and  also  given  the  opportunity  to  lead’,  Alda 
Soraya (23 years old), Indonesia1.  

1.  Introduction 

At a time marked by multiple challenges and rapidly shifting paradigms, including the ongoing 
Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, there is a clear need to strengthen our partnership 
with young people across the globe to achieve positive transformative change.   

The world’s youth population is larger than ever before2,  with  1.8 billion  young people 
between the ages of 10 to 24. Close to 90 per cent of young people live in low- and middle- 
income  countries.  In  the  context  of  the  global  demographic  transition,  these  numbers  are 
expected to grow further.  

Worldwide,  young  people  are  powerful  agents  of  change.  They  play  a  crucial  role  in 
addressing global challenges, contributing to sustainable development and driving innovations. 
They often stand at the forefront in the fight against climate change, poverty and corruption, 
and  for  peace  and  reconciliation  in  conflict  areas.  Many  of  them  champion  civil,  political, 
economic, social, and cultural human rights. 

However, their prospects and capacity to act are often limited by lack of access to education, 
decent jobs, health care and social protection and, in many countries, by shrinking democratic 
and  civic  spaces.  Legal,  cultural  and  economic  barriers  restrict  young  people’s  civic  and 
political  participation,  which  is  not  conducive  to  building  trust  in  institutions  and  political 
systems. 

Young  people  and  children  bear  the  brunt  of  crises  and  instability  caused  by  armed 
conflicts,  rising  inequalities,  climate  change  and  environmental  degradation.  Around  600 
million  young  people  live  in  conflict  or  fragile  situations,  71  million  young  people  are 
unemployed  and  about  264  million  children  and  youth  are  out  of  school.  Girls  and  young 
women are particularly affected. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on young people’s education, employment, 
mental well-being, and their right to participate in public life3. While many young people have 
shown great engagement to protect older and vulnerable persons during the pandemic, it has 
also  highlighted  the  need  for  greater  intergenerational  solidarity  to  build  more  equal, 
sustainable and resilient societies in the interest of the future of the young generations.  

In such a context, young people must be given a real voice in shaping the solutions that will 
have an impact on their futures and the future of the planet.  

The Youth Action Plan (YAP) responds to this imperative and provides a policy framework 
for a strategic partnership with young people in EU external action, as also called for by 

1 Youth Activist and member of the Youth Sounding Board for EU International Partnerships of the European 
Commission 
2 UN Youth World Report 
3 Global survey on youth and Covid-19 

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the 2020 Council conclusions4. The YAP aims at promoting the engagement of young people 
as  strategic  partners,  supporting  their  empowerment  and  harnessing  the  demographic 
dividend,  to  build  more  resilient  and  inclusive  societies  and  make  progress  towards  global 
commitments such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 
Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement.  

The EU response to the multiple challenges is based on the fundamental values laid down in 
Article  2  of  the  Treaty  of  the  European  Union.  It  is  geared  towards  building  strong 
partnerships  for  the  present,  securing  the  future  of  next  generations  and  contributing  to 
intergenerational equity and justice. 

With  a  focus  on  the  transition from  childhood  to  adulthood,  and  as  a  deliverable  of  the 
European Year of Youth5, the YAP strengthens the international dimension of the EU Youth 
strategy6, and builds on the EU strategy on the rights of the child7 that promotes meaningful 
participation and empowerment from the early years of life. 

It draws on the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy8 that stresses the need for 
equal, full and meaningful participation of young people in public and political life, and the 
European Pillar of Social Rights9. Finally, it implements the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) 
III10, by focusing on the empowerment of girls and young women. 

The  YAP  will  support  as  well  the  implementation  of  the  UN  Youth,  Peace  and  Security 
Agenda  and  the  role  of  young  people  in  building  lasting  peace,  contributing  to  justice  and 
reconciliation and countering violent extremism11.The Youth Action Plan is global in nature, 
but  will  also  be  implemented  through  tailor-made  approaches  adapted  to  the  needs  and 
circumstances of youth in specific regions, e.g. in the EU’s enlargement and neighbourhood 
countries, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean and Asia and the Pacific. 

Young people have a say 

The  Youth  Action  Plan  has  been  drawn  up  after  extensive  consultations  with  over  220 
stakeholders  across  the  world,  in  particular  youth  and  children’s  rights  organisations.  It 
responds  to  the  legitimate  demand  by  young  people,  also  reflected  in  the  outcomes  of  the 
Conference  on  the  Future  of  Europe12,  to  be  involved  in  a  more  structured  way  in  EU 
policy- and decision-making processes.  
As  pointed  out  by  the  Youth  Sounding  Board  for  International  Partnerships13,  ‘young 
people  cannot  be  considered  as  “add-ons”  to  adult-led  initiatives.  Young  people  are  a 
constituency who hold uniquely critical perspectives and skills, necessary for informing and 

4 Council conclusions on youth in external action 
5 European Year of Youth 2022 
6 EU Youth Strategy  
7 EU Strategy on the rights of the child and the supporting Council Conclusions of 9 June 2022  
8 EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy  
9 European Pillar of Social Rights 
10 GAP III  
11 UN Security Council Resolutions 2250 (2015), 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020) 
12 Conference on the Future of Europe 
13 Meaningful Inclusion of Youth: A Promising Future 

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driving policy, service delivery, and research. Barriers to meaningful youth participation can 
only be addressed by an action plan that has been created through processes that, in themselves, 
have tried to transcend such barriers’. 

2.  Towards a strategic EU partnership with young people in external action    

The EU will be guided by four principles in building a strategic partnership with young people:   

•  A human rights-based approach and gender equality 

The EU aims at promoting the participation of young people and children as a right14, ensuring 
no  one  is  left  behind,  by  addressing  inequalities  and  structural  barriers,  mainstreaming 
gender equality and non-discrimination and applying an intersectional approach15. 

•  A participatory approach for transformative change 

Young people will be involved at country, regional and global level throughout the external 
EU policy and programme cycles, thus contributing to youth ownership and sustainability of 
actions. 

•  Youth inclusion  

The participation of young people in civic, economic, social, cultural and political life will be 
promoted  by  specific  actions  targeting  youth  and  by  mainstreaming  their  perspectives  and 
needs in programming, policy and political dialogues across all areas. 

For example, the humanitarian gender-age marker16 ensures that different gender and age 
groups, including youth, are adequately involved and targeted by EU-funded humanitarian 
aid. 

•  Evidence-based policy-making and accountability 

The YAP aims to increase the availability and quality of data on youth bridging thematic and 
geographic gaps17, focussing on young people between 15 and 29 years. The EU monitoring 
and evaluation framework of the external action will be strengthened, by integrating more age-
disaggregated  data,  adopting  youth-specific  indicators  and  promoting  data  collection  and 
youth-oriented and -led research.  

14 In line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the EU human rights-based approach.   
15 Intersectional approach, in line with relevant EU policy frameworks: GAP III, LGBTIQ Equality Strategy, 
EU Anti-racism Action Plan, Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 
16 Gender and age marker 
17 Patchwork: Mapping international data on youth, JRC 

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3.  How to deliver: the three pillars of an action-oriented agenda 

The  YAP  identifies  priorities  and  main  objectives  along  the  three  pillars  ENGAGE, 
EMPOWER and CONNECT, which mirror the three core areas of action of the EU Youth 
Strategy.  

The EU will promote a Team Europe approach18 in the implementation of the YAP, while 
working with key partners and stakeholders at country, regional and multilateral levels. 

3.1 Partnership to ENGAGE 

Young people demand and deserve a comprehensive approach to ensure 
meaningful,  inclusive  and  effective  youth  participation.  To  this  aim,  a 
conducive  environment  to  participation  requires  the  creation  of  safe 
youth- and child-friendly spaces and opportunities, while enabling young 
people  from  diverse  backgrounds  to  engage  in  democratic  decision-
making, raising the awareness and strengthening the capacity of policy-
makers to work with young people. 

The  EU  is  committed  to  increasing  the  voice  and  leadership  of  young  people,  in  particular 
young women and girls,  youth activists and organisations, at all levels of governance, from 
domestic  politics  to  multilateral  forums,  and  within  EU  processes.  The  European  Citizens’ 
Panels of the Conference on the Future of Europe, which were composed in one third of young 
people (age 16-25), provided a lead example for creating a space for intergenerational dialogue. 

3.1.1 Meaningful youth engagement in EU external action  

The EU will enhance institutional youth engagement to: 

  Promote young people’s involvement in the design, implementation and monitoring 

of EU external policies and actions; 

  Ensure  further  accountability  on  youth  issues  through  a  strategic,  inclusive  and 
participatory communication to reach out to young people, including children, in all 
their diversity. 

EU institutional youth engagement will be achieved through: 

  An EU platform for regular dialogue with youth organisations, as a new element 
of  the  Policy  Forum  on  Development19.  Its  main  features  will  be  defined  in 
partnership with youth organisations by 2023.20 

18 Team Europe consists of the European Union, the EU Member States - including their implementing agencies 
and  public  development  banks-,  as  well  as  the  European  Investment  Bank  (EIB)  and  the  European  Bank  for 
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). 
19 Policy Forum on Development 
20 Synergies and exchanges of best practices could be ensured with the future EU Children’s Participation Platform 

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  The Youth Sounding Board for International Partnerships21, set up in 2021, to 

advise the European Commission on youth participation in external action. 

  Mandatory  consultations  of  youth  organisations  in  the  Neighbourhood, 
Development  and  International  Cooperation  Instrument  -  Global  Europe 
(NDICI-Global Europe)22 programming process. 

  The country roadmaps for EU engagement with civil society, integrating a youth 
perspective and ensuring that youth organisations participate in a meaningful way.  

  Youth advisory structures providing advice to EU Delegations (EUDs) on country-

specific priorities. By 2027, these will be in place in most partner countries. 

  Enhanced institutional capacity and expertise of EU staff on how to work with 
and for young people and on child protection through training, guidelines and sharing 
of good practices. By 2024, 80% of EUDs will have youth focal points. 

3.1.2 Improving youth engagement at regional and multilateral level 

In recent years, young people have increasingly championed multilateral solutions to global 
issues.  

  Promote meaningful youth participation in multilateral policy-making, by following 
up on the UN Secretary General’s report on Our Common Agenda23 and supporting 
the establishment of a UN Youth Office24. 
Involve young people in discussions on regional partnerships and cooperation, for 
instance in the EU relations with Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the 
Neighbourhood25 countries, the Mediterranean region and the Gulf countries. 

 

To achieve these objectives, the EU will launch: 

  The  EU@UN  youth  delegates  programme,  which  will  support  gender-balanced 
and diverse youth participation in multilateral fora and strengthen their capacity to 
effectively  contribute  to  multilateral  policy-making.  The  EU  will  advocate  for  a 
formal youth dialogue as a permanent  feature of the Commission on the Status of 
Women and the Conference of State Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of 
Persons with Disabilities, and facilitate coordination among the EU youth delegates 
in  the  United  Nations  Framework  Convention  on  Climate  Change,  the  United 
Nations Environment Assembly and other multilateral processes. 

  The AU-EU Youth Lab, which will enhance dialogue with youth on the Africa-EU 
Partnership26  by  supporting  young  people  and  youth  organisations  from  Africa, 
Europe and the diaspora to co-create solutions to global challenges. 

21 Youth Sounding Board 
22 Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe 
23 UN Our Common-Agenda 
24 UN Resolution A/RES/76/306 
25 EU Neighbourhood and Enlargement 
26 Africa-EU Partnership and  6th EU-AU Summit 

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The EU will also contribute further to youth engagement at regional and multilateral 
level through the following existing initiatives: 

  The Young Mediterranean Voices, supporting cooperation between young people 
on  both  sides  of  the  Mediterranean  in  public  affairs  and  in  local  and  regional 
transformative initiatives. Erasmus+ will also support capacity-building in the field 
of youth in the Western Balkans and the Southern Mediterranean. 

  The EU4Youth programme, fostering youth participation and leadership in policy-

making in the Eastern Partnership27, especially in Ukraine. 

  The network of Young European Ambassadors in the Western Balkans and Eastern 

Partnership and the Goodwill Ambassadors in the Southern Neighborhood.  

  The promotion of youth engagement in the framework of the new Agenda for the 
Mediterranean28,  notably by  building on the  Union for the Mediterranean Youth 
Strategy 2030, and EU-Gulf Strategic Partnership29.  

  The  involvement  of  young  people  in  upcoming  regional  processes  in  Asia,  Latin 
America  and  the  Caribbean,  or  other  regions,  such  as  the  EU-ASEAN  Young 
Leaders Forum. 

  The EU Macro Regional Strategies, involving young people in their governance 
and political dialogues and Interreg programmes supporting youth engagement in 
their  decision-making,  funding  youth  actions  and  promoting  the  Volunteer  Youth 
Initiative30.   

  Co-leading the youth participation cohort of the 2023 Summit for Democracy31. 

3.1.3 An enabling environment for young people’s civic and political 
participation  

Youth and child participation in formal political processes remains low across the globe, due 
to  structural  barriers,  cultural  biases,  and  the  erosion  of  trust  in  democratic  institutions32. 
Demanding  the  full  recognition  and  protection  of  young  people’s  human  rights,  including 
freedom of expression and association, participation in public and political life, and notably in 
fair, inclusive, accessible, transparent and peaceful elections, is an essential part of the EU’s 
action on good governance, democracy, rule of law and human rights in partner countries.  

EU action aims to: 

27 EU Eastern Partnership  
28  A new agenda for the Mediterranean and Union for the Mediterranean Youth Strategy 2030 
29 A strategic partnership with the Gulf 
30 EU Macro Regional Strategies, Youth Manifesto, Interreg Volunteer Youth  
31 Summit for Democracy 
32 Youth and satisfaction with democracy 

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  Foster political dialogue with partner countries, on youth and child engagement 

and participation; 

  Promote  the  inclusion  of  young  people  in  political  and  policy  dialogues  with 

national authorities33; 

  Ensure girls’ meaningful inclusion, participation and leadership in decision-making; 
  Strengthen  national  capacities  to  work  for  and  with  young  people  and  to  support 
relevant  national  youth  policy  frameworks,  considering  the  principle  of 
intergenerational justice and dialogue; 
engagement, 

  Support  youth 

civic 

volunteering and leadership; 

  Advocate  for  the  inclusion  of  young 
people  on  political  parties’  lists  for 
winnable  seats  and  for  boosting  their 
capacity to stand as candidates; 
Increase  access  to  national  identity 
documents  and  voter  registration,  to 
ensure the right to vote; 

 

  Strengthen  the  protection  of  young 
activists  and  human  rights  defenders, 
including LGBTIQ advocates, as well as 
countering  racist  narratives,  hate  speech 
and 
online  while 
defending freedom of expression. 

disinformation 

To achieve these objectives, the EU will launch: 

  The  Youth  and  Women  in  Democracy  Initiative,  which  will  promote  political 
pluralism and inclusiveness of democratic processes by improving participation of 
youth and women in all aspects of public life. Young people’s role in political parties 
and parliaments will be strengthened through capacity building, networking, peer-
learning  and  mentoring.  This  initiative  will  support  grassroots  organisations  and 
young  activists 
institutional  oversight,  anti-corruption,  citizen  election 
observation, democratic reform advocacy, civic education, promotion of the right to 
vote, freedom of association and assembly and human rights.  

in 

The  EU  will  also  promote  further  young  people’s  civic  and  political  participation  in 
partner countries through the following existing initiatives: 

  The new EU human rights defenders mechanism, to address specific threats faced 

by young human rights defenders and activists.  

33  For  example,  the  EU-Arctic  Policy  promotes  dialogue  of  policy-makers  with  the  Arctic  youth,  to  create 
awareness of the current challenges of the Arctic, involve youth in the implementation of the EU  strategy and 
ensure its sustainability. 

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  The  Global  Campus  on  Human  Rights  as  a  major  global  hub  for  human  rights 

education. 

  The Youth  Policy Labs in the Neighbourhood region, the Western Balkans34 and 
non-EU Western European countries, to promote innovative ways to involve young 
people in policy dialogues, to co-create and monitor the implementation of youth-
relevant policies and strengthen youth participation mechanisms. 

  Erasmus+35,  to  back  youth-led  initiatives  in  Turkey,  the  Western  Balkans  and 

Neighbourhood countries.   

  The human development initiatives, building on the EUROsocial+ programme, to 
support  policy  efforts  in  Latin  America  and  the  Caribbean  involving  youth  to 
improve inclusive access to health, education, labour market, good governance and 
political participation. 

3.1.4 Contributing to the implementation of the Youth, Peace and Security 
agenda  

The EU and its Member States fully support the three successive UN Security Council (UNSC) 
Resolutions on the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda and their global implementation. 
In the June 2020 Council conclusions on youth in external action, EU Member States stressed 
the  need  to  actively  and  inclusively  engage  young  people  in  efforts  to  build  lasting  peace, 
contribute to justice and reconciliation and counter violent extremism. The EU is committed to 
follow  the  areas  of  work  outlined  by  the  UNSC  Resolution  2250:  participation,  protection, 
prevention,  partnerships  and  disarmament,  demobilisation  and  reintegration.  This  is 
increasingly  important  in  conflict  situations  around  the  world,  not  least  in  Africa  and  the 
Middle East, and in the wake of the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.  
EU action aims to: 

  Support  inclusive  and meaningful  participation  of  youth  in  national  and  international 

mechanisms for the promotion of lasting peace and resolution of conflict; 

  Promote inclusive partnerships with and among young peacebuilders and support youth 

 

participation and leadership in peacebuilding; 
Increase support for young women and girls in fragile and conflict-affected countries 
in line with the Women, Peace and Security Agenda; 

  Enhance  the  youth  dimension  in  peace  mediation,  including  by  developing  concrete 

guidance and capacity building; 

  Strengthen cooperation on Youth Peace and Security with international organisations, 
and integration in dialogues on conflict prevention, mediation or security sector reform; 
  Develop initiatives to counter violent extremism, in particular online radicalisation36. 
  Protect children in armed conflict, prevent and end violence (including sexual), promote 
compliance with International Humanitarian Law, offer psycho-social support and access 
to  child-friendly  justice  and  help  for  unaccompanied  and  separated  children,  also  in  the 
context of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine 

34 EU engagement with Western Balkans 
35 Erasmus+ funded under external action instruments 
36 Council conclusions on preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism 

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To implement the Youth, Peace and Security agenda, the EU will: 

  Use  appropriate  multilateral  fora,  including  the  UN,  to  promote  the  inclusion  of 

youth and the implementation of the YPS agenda. 

  Improve youth-sensitivity of the EU conflict Early Warning System and in conflict 
analysis, paying attention to intergenerational dynamics and to concrete preventive 
actions incorporating the youth angle. 

  Integrate the YPS agenda into the EU’s political dialogues. 

  Develop concrete guidance on youth in the EU peace mediation. 

  Review  and  update  the  EU’s  Guidelines  on  Children  and  Armed  Conflict  to 

strengthen EU action to protect children affected by armed conflict.  

  Build capacity of EU staff on the Youth Peace and Security agenda, for example 
in  conflict  prevention  and  mediation  trainings  in  the  European  External  Action 
Service. 

  Incorporate the Youth Peace and Security dimension into conflict prevention and 

crisis management efforts.  

  Engage  with  relevant  local  communities  and  civil  society  organisations  in 
developing  strategies  that  endorse  the  positive  role  of  youth  and  children  in 
promoting peace. 

  In the framework of the Strategic Partnership with the Gulf, support initiatives on 

research and education, contributing to regional security and stability. 

  In  Africa,  support  the  implementation  of  the  “Extremely  together”  initiative  on 
antiradicalisation, as well as the ongoing cooperation between youth networks and 
the Executive Secretariat of the G5 Sahel. 

3.2 Partnership to EMPOWER 

Young  people  are  empowered  when  their  voices  are  heard  and  the 
inequalities that affect their lives are tackled.  

3.2.1 Transforming education 

Quality  education  and  lifelong  learning  are  basic  human  rights  and  enable  equality,  active 
citizenship and sustainable livelihoods. 

Too many children and young people are still deprived of equitable access to free and quality 
education,  in  particular  girls  and  those  affected  by  crisis.  Gender-based  discrimination, 
conflicts, humanitarian emergencies, violence, poverty and lack of teachers and schools are the 
main factors pushing millions out of school at an early age. Many of them are subjected to child 

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labour37, modern slavery38 including forced labour or forced child marriage, pregnancies39 or 
recruitment as child soldiers. Vulnerable young people, the displaced, minorities and those with 
disabilities are often excluded from education. 

The  COVID-19  pandemic  has  worsened  the  severe  shortcomings  and  fragility  of  education 
systems,  including  the  digital  divide40.  There  is  a  real  risk  that  an  entire  generation  will  be 
trapped in a downward spiral of diminishing opportunities.  

The EU is working to reverse the learning crisis and to promote equitable access to free and 
quality education from primary to tertiary levels. It aims to invest in education at least 10% 
of the overall funding under Global Europe for Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the 
Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific including through Global Gateway41 investments.  

In  addition,  the  EU  allocates  10%  of  its  humanitarian  aid  funding  to  education  in 
emergencies  and  protracted  crises42  to  reach  the  most  marginalised  children  and  young 
people, including those in areas of armed conflict and refugee sites. 

EU action aims to:  

  Support  evidence-based  education  reforms  in  partner  countries  with  a  focus  on 
access, equity, quality, inclusion, governance, gender-transformative programmes and 
financing, also following up on the 2022 UN Transforming Education Summit43; 
  Promote girls’ education to achieve equal access to all forms of education and training; 
  Support 

sexuality 
comprehensive 
education  for  all  young  people,  in 
particular  marginalised 
adolescents, 
LGBTIQ  young  people  and  young 
people with disabilities; 

  End  child 

labour,  applying 

the 
Commission  zero-tolerance  approach, 
through  legislation44,  remediation  and 
prevention 
including 
measures, 
reintegrating  child  labourers  back  into 

37 160 million children aged 5 to 17 are in child labour. Half of them perform hazardous work, ILO/UNICEF 
38  Modern  slavery  is  defined  by  ILO  through  two  principal  components:  forced  labour  and  forced  marriage. 
According to ILO/IOM 2022 Forced Labour Estimate, there are more than 3,3 million children in forced labour. 
39 127 million girls of primary and secondary school age are out of school, UNESCO 
40 Children and young people with internet access at home, UNICEF 
41 Global Gateway 
42 Communication on Education in Emergencies and Protracted Crisis 
43 2022 UN Transforming Education Summit  
44 Proposal for a regulation on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market  

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education and training, in line with the Durban Call to Action45;  

  Ensure access to safe and quality education during humanitarian crises, minimise 
the  impact  on  the  right  to  education  and  support  authorities  in  resuming  education 
services during or after a crisis; 
Invest in teachers to improve learning outcomes and the socio-emotional development 
of children and young people; 

 

  Promote  21st  century  life  and  work  skills,  including  on  civics,  climate  change, 

 

environment, media and cultural literacy46;  
Invest  in  high-quality  and  inclusive  digital  education  to  ensure  young  people  and 
teachers  have  basic  digital  skills  and  the  opportunity  to  acquire  specialised  digital 
skills47 in line with their professional aspirations and to strengthen resilience against 
disinformation. This also includes improving access to affordable, stable and high-
speed internet48; 

To achieve these objectives, the EU will:  

  Increase  funding,  policy  dialogue  and  technical  assistance  to  support  partner 

countries’ efforts to achieve SDG 4 on quality education49. 

The EU will also further support the transformation of education by:  

  Launching the new Regional Teachers Programme in Africa, which aims to make 

teaching an attractive career for young people. 

  Leading  the  support  to  the  Global  Partnership  for  Education50  and  Education 
Cannot Wait51 initiatives, which empower girls, adolescents and vulnerable groups 
through quality education. 

  Investing  in  formal  and  non-formal  learning  opportunities  in  humanitarian 
emergencies. EU programmes mitigate the disruption of education and  children’s 
psycho-social  development  in  crisis  contexts,  for  instance  in  Sahel,  Ethiopia, 
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Syria or Yemen.  

  Contributing to the rehabilitation of damaged schools in Ukraine.  

  Building on long-standing EU efforts supporting education in conflict contexts and 
learning from the recent experience in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, 
working  with  partner  countries  and  humanitarian  organisations  to  facilitate  the 
access  of  children  and  young  refugees  to  education  and  to  relevant  EU 
programmes in the host country.  

45 Durban Call to Action 
46 The model of the European schools also provides relevant examples that could be used globally 
47 European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens 
48 Digital Education Action Plan 
49 Education is a priority in 80 EU Multi-Annual Indicative programmes in partner countries  
50 Global Partnership for Education  
51 Education Cannot Wait  

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3.2.2 Improving young people’s access to economic opportunities 

Youth empowerment is closely linked to creating quality jobs, fighting precarious and volatile 
incomes,  and  having  self-employment  and  entrepreneurship  opportunities,  while  promoting 
gender equality and non-discrimination, also with a view to limiting brain drain.  

EU action aims to:  

  Support  young  people’s  participation  in  economic  decision-making  and  social 
dialogue  to  contribute  to  a  more  youth-friendly  investment  and  business 
environments;  

  Promote the decent work agenda52, which educates  young people  about  their  basic 
labour rights and supports partner countries in developing social security and active 
labour market measures; 

  Foster  youth  employability,  by  supporting  partner  countries’  efforts  to  improve 
vocational education and training (VET) and better align education systems to labour 
market opportunities;  

  Support  youth  entrepreneurship,  youth-led  micro,  small  and  medium-sized 

enterprises, with a focus on young women;  

  Equip  young  people  with  green  skills  and  support  decent  youth  employment  and 
entrepreneurship in the green economy, including in regenerative farming and the 
sustainable agri-food sector; 

  Promote inter-generational learning between older and younger employees; 
  Foster  sustainable,  gender-sensitive  and 
responsible  corporate  behaviour  and 
governance,  ensuring  environmental  and 
human rights are fully respected53; 

  Facilitate the transition of young people to 
the  formal  economy  and  extend  social 
protection  to  informally  employed  young 
people; 
  Support 

the  Worst  Forms  of  Child 
Labour Convention54, by helping non-EU 
countries  to  deliver  action  plans  against 
child labour;  
Integrate  youth  employment 
impact 
assessments in programmes supporting the 
agri-ecology,  green  and  digital  transitions, 
including for Global Gateway investments. 

 

To achieve these objectives, the EU will launch: 

52 Communication Decent Work Worldwide  
53 Proposal for a Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence 
54 Convention 182/1999 

12 

 
 
                                                 
  The regional Team Europe Initiative on Opportunity-driven skills and VET in 
Africa to promote exchanges on public-private partnerships, enabling young people 
to find jobs. 

  The implementation of the Youth Guarantee following the EU model to improve 
transitions from school to work in the Western Balkans55 and explore the activation 
of similar schemes in the Eastern Partnership region and North Africa.  

The EU will also support further youth employment and entrepreneurship through the 
following existing initiatives:  

  Erasmus+  capacity-building  projects  to  foster  accessibility  and  responsiveness  of 
VET in Enlargement and Neighbourhood countries, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin 
America and the Caribbean.  

  Support to national authorities in the Middle East and North Africa to reengage 
young people, particularly women, who are not in education, employment or training 
(NEETs)  into  education  and  the  labour  market.  The  Union  for  the  Mediterranean 
Regional  Platform  on  Employment  and  Labour  and  its  2022-2025  Roadmap  for 
Action  will  focus  on  young  NEETs  and  develop  the  use  of  “Communities  of 
Practice”. 

  The  EU  initiatives  for  youth  entrepreneurship  and  improved  access  to  finance  for 
youth-led businesses, such as the recently launched Investing in Young Businesses 
in  Africa  Team  Europe  Initiative,  the  African  European  Digital  Innovation 
Bridge, the New Deal for Youth in the Eastern Partnership, and the EU4Youth 
Employment and Entrepreneurship mechanism. 

  Innovative investment schemes set-up under the European Fund for Sustainable 
Development+ with international financial institutions to cater for young people’s 
specific needs, such as the NASIRA Risk-Sharing Facility.  

  The  EU  Global  Action  to  End  Child  Labour  to  strengthen  labour  inspection 

systems to monitor and enforce child labour laws. 

  The work of the European Training Foundation56 supporting partner countries to 
strengthen  human  capital  and  improve  the  quality  of  VET  systems.  Programmes 
such as DARYA, in Central Asia, contributes to better and more inclusive education, 
training and employment systems.  

  The  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships  to  strengthen  the  quality  of 
apprenticeships  and  the  Erasmus  for  Young  Entrepreneurs  programme57, 
offering  peer-to-peer  exchange  of  entrepreneurial  knowledge  in  the  Enlargement 
region. 

55 Youth Guarantee  
56 European Training Foundation 
57 Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
3.2.3 Strengthening young people’s capacity to contribute to sustainable 
development and drive the green and digital transitions  

Young people are  often  the engine  behind  innovative  solutions, behavioural  change  and 
accelerators  of  their  take-up  at  grassroots  level.  However,  to  transform  their  ideas  into 
change-making  initiatives,  they  need  to  improve  their  skills  and  networks,  be  able  to  make 
informed choices, participate in a safe digital environment and access funding opportunities.  

EU action aims to: 

Increase capacity building and funding for youth organisations; 

 
  Provide the resources to develop and scale up youth-led innovative and sustainable 

solutions; 

  Support youth social entrepreneurship58 as a business model to reconcile economic 

progress and sustainability;   

  Enable the participation of young people in decision-making and policy dialogues on 

climate, environment and disaster risk reduction;  

  Promote girls and women’s participation and leadership to ensure gender responsive 

strategies on environment, climate mitigation and adaptation, including water; 

  Strengthen the participation of young people, including girls, in the digital transition, 
and  support  positive  and  safe  digital  environments  by  promoting  the  European 
Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade59 and the Better 
internet  for  kids  strategy  (BIK+)60,  including  youth  participation  activities  and 
support for capacity building;  

  Promote the use of  youth-friendly digital tools to raise awareness  about  the nature 

crisis, with initiatives such as the Pollinator Park61. 

To achieve these objectives, the EU will launch: 

  The Youth Empowerment Fund, a new pilot initiative that will support grassroots 
youth organisations and youth-led initiatives. The overall objective of the Fund is to 
foster  the  contribution  of  young  people  to  the  SDGs  in  their  communities.  It  will 
include  two  dedicated  thematic  components  to  promote  youth  actions  on 
environment and climate change and the inclusion of vulnerable and marginalised 
youth. In a more flexible and accessible way, it will provide youth-friendly, small-
scale  funding  arrangements  and  accelerator-type  support  to  scale-up  impactful 
initiatives (e.g. trainings, peer-learning, mentoring, networking, advocacy).  Young 
people will be included in the governance of the programme, including in monitoring 
and reporting. 

The EU will also provide funding and capacity building for youth organisations through: 

58 An action plan for the social economy 
59 European Declaration on European Digital Rights and Principles 
60 The new EU strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+)  
61 Pollinator Park 

14 

 
 
 
 
                                                 
  the  Thematic  Programme  for  Civil  Society  Organisations  under  the 

NDICI-Global Europe. 
  the Erasmus+ Programme  
  the EU4Youth programme 

3.2.4 Supporting health, mental and physical well-being and access to sexual 
and reproductive health and rights  

Health  and  well-being  is  a  prerequisite  for  young  people  to  realise  their  full  potential  and 
actively  participate  in  society.  They  face  huge  challenges  in  accessing  health  services  and 
information, including on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and mental health. 
COVID-19 pandemic and conflicts have further deteriorated the situation.   Mental health is 
also  affected  by  a  loss  of  perspective  linked  to  climate  change,  protracted  wars,  forced 
displacement, racism or disinformation. 

EU action aims to:  

  Strengthen health systems, tackle inequalities 
and 
towards  universal  health 
coverage,  starting from  maternal  and perinatal 
health;  

advance 

  Support  comprehensive,  safe,  inclusive  and 
child  and  youth-friendly  health  services, 
including  mental  health  and  digital  health 
services;  

  Promote  universal  access  to  youth-friendly 
SRHR, with quality and affordable services and 
information, including comprehensive sexuality education, HIV and AIDS prevention 
and treatment, focusing on adolescent girls, marginalised and LGBTIQ young people; 
  Protect  young  people  from  the  harmful  effects  of  tobacco  and  related  products, 
supporting  the full implementation of the  WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco 
Control and its Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. 

To achieve these objectives, the EU will help to promote young people’s health and well-
being through: 

  A youth-friendly approach to the new EU global health strategy. 

  A new regional Team Europe Initiative on Enabled Environment for SRHR to 

contribute to reaching universal coverage for SRHR in Africa. 

  The Spotlight Initiative62, which contributes to eliminate gender-based violence in 
Africa,  Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, by preventing and 
eradicating female genital mutilation and ending forced and early marriage.  

62 Spotlight Initiative 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
3.3 Partnership to CONNECT 

The EU aims to promote youth mobility, exchanges and networking as 
an  essential  aspect  of  the  people-to-people  dimension  of  the  Global 
Gateway  strategy.  The  goal  is  to  ensure  diversity  and  inclusiveness, 
while paying special attention to social and economic barriers, the digital 
divide and risks related to disinformation. 

3.3.1 Increasing opportunities for mobility in education, training and work 

Going  abroad  to  study,  train  or  work  drives  young  people’s  educational,  professional  and 
personal achievements, as well as intercultural understanding and innovation.  

EU action aims to: 

  Promote inclusive learning mobility and increasing learning opportunities; 
  Foster exchanges for the professional and personal development of young people. 

To achieve these objectives, the EU will support youth mobility through:  

  Several initiatives under the EU-Africa Global Gateway Investment Package, such 
as the Intra-African Academic Mobility Scheme, the Harmonisation of African 
Higher  Education  Quality  Assurance  and  Accreditation  initiative,  and  the 
African Continental Qualifications Framework, to (i) boost youth mobility within 
Africa,  and  with  the  EU,  (ii)  strengthen  continental  integration,  (iii)  increase 
attractiveness  of  Africa  as  a  study  destination  and  (iv)  improve  employability  of 
young people.  

  The Erasmus+ Programme and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, which support 

the professional and personal development of students, staff and researchers.  

  The EU-ASEAN SHARE programme, promoting harmonisation of higher education 

and scholarships. 

  The EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis and the Facility 
for Refugees in Turkey with scholarships for young refugees to access education, 
acquire skills and become self-reliant. 

  The Western Balkans School Exchange Scheme ‘Superschools’, which increases 
skills  and  knowledge,  promoting  reconciliation  and  intercultural  dialogue  among 
schools, students and communities. 

  The Study in Europe Team Europe Initiative, providing young people around the 
world  with  information  about  study,  research  and  scholarship  opportunities  in  the 
EU. 

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Opportunities for young people to travel, study, work or train in the EU under the 
envisaged  Talent  Partnerships63  with  identified  partner  countries  in  Africa  and 
Asia, as well as potentially under an EU Youth Mobility Scheme whose feasibility 
is being explored. 

3.3.2 Promoting contacts among young people 

Young people are eager to connect and exchange ideas with their peers all over the world. 

EU action aims to: 

  Promote young people’s participation in global citizenship education for a common 

 

understanding of global challenges and encourage them to jointly take action; 
Increase networking opportunities for young people, including peer-to-peer learning 
and exchanges; 

  Encourage participation by young people, including indigenous people, in the field of 
culture, and in intercultural and inter-faith dialogues, countering discrimination and 
racism; 
Increase  the  quality  and  relevance  of  information  for  young  people,  and  improve   
child- and youth-friendly communication. 

 

To foster mutual learning and understanding, the EU will launch: 

  The  Africa-Europe  Youth  Academy,  which  will  provide  opportunities  to  young 
leaders  in  their  respective  fields  and  communities  to  connect,  exchange,  improve 
their leadership skills and create a network of change-makers.  

The EU will also  contribute further to promoting young people-to-people contacts through 
the following existing initiatives: 

  The  EU  Alumni  Initiative  and  public  diplomacy  actions  to  enable  young 
participants in EU programmes to foster global and local networks and inform their 
peers, in particular disadvantaged young people, about opportunities offered by the 
EU and its Member States. 

  The  European  Youth  Portal,  with  improved  access  to  quality  information  on 

initiatives and opportunities for young people in partner countries. 

  The Development Education and Awareness Raising programme (DEAR) which 
will increase its focus on youth participation and encourage the involvement of young 
people worldwide.  

63 Talent Partnerships were launched in 2021 as one of the key aspects of the external dimension of the New Pact 
on Migration and Asylum and will underpin a comprehensive policy framework and financial support to engage 
key  partner  countries  strategically  in  all  areas  of  migration  management.  They  aim  to  strengthen  cooperation 
between the EU, Member States and partners and to boost international labour mobility and development of talent 
in a mutually beneficial way. 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
  The Global Erasmus+ Alumni Mentoring Scheme, connecting Erasmus+ Alumni 

with Erasmus+ potential participants, also outside the EU.  

  The  new  programme  Youth  Europe  Sahel  to  support  youth  participation  and 
promote  intercultural  dialogue,  human  cohesion  and  human  rights  and  create  a 
platform to inform youth in the region about personal and professional development 
opportunities. 

  The  Global  Cultural  Relations  programme  and  actions  for  African  and 
European  artists,  to  promote  inter-cultural  dialogue,  mobility  and  co-creation 
between young artists and cultural practitioners from partner countries and the EU.   

  The Regional Youth Cooperation Office in the Western Balkans, promoting the 
spirit  of  reconciliation  and  understanding  between  young  people  through  intra-
regional youth exchanges and cooperation. 

  The European Solidarity Corps, encouraging the participation of young people in 

volunteering and solidarity projects.  

  The EU Policy and Outreach Partnerships64, to improve mutual understanding and 

trust through public diplomacy activities. 

  Campaigns that connect young people worldwide to advocate for the green transition, 
such  as  the  Green  Track  or  the  upcoming  #ReFashionNow  to  empower  young 
consumers on sustainable textiles.  

4.  Monitoring and reporting 

The  Commission,  in  cooperation  with  the  European  External  Action  Service,  will  monitor 
progress on the Youth Action Plan (YAP) at mid- and end-term through the regular reports on 
implementation of EU assistance, and in line with other policy frameworks and commitments 
on human rights, gender equality and youth, peace and security. 

The  implementation  reports  will  track  institutional  change  towards  strengthening  youth 
engagement  in  EU  policy-making,  and  progress  towards  YAP  objectives  in  thematic 
priorities. A monitoring framework will be developed within the first year of implementation, 
in cooperation with experts and youth partners, based on age-disaggregated data and youth-
specific indicators.  

An  evaluation  on  YAP  implementation  will  be  launched  in  time  to  feed  into  the  next 
programming cycle.  

64 Policy and Outreach Partnerships 

18 

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
5.  Conclusion 

With  the  Youth  Action  Plan  in  EU  external  action,  the  EU  recognises  the  essential  role  of 
young people ‘as dreamers and makers’65 to address complex global challenges and sets the 
framework for a strong partnership between them and the EU. 

Through its implementation, the EU will support youth engagement in its external action, offer 
an enabling environment and opportunities for child and youth empowerment and participation, 
and promote building bridges among young people across the globe.  

The Youth Action Plan embodies at the same time a genuine political commitment to the voice 
of children and young people in the world and an operational roadmap to contribute to building 
more  democratic,  equal,  sustainable  and  peaceful  societies  for  present  and  future 
generations.  

65 2022 State of the Union Address by President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen 

19