The youth policy of the Council of Europe supports both the fight against discrimination affecting Roma young people and the participation of Roma youth in all areas of the programme of the Youth Department.

These are essential dimensions for making sure that the aims of the youth policy of the Council of Europe – providing young people with equal opportunities and experience which enable them to play a full part in all aspects of society – apply also to Roma young people.

Specific policies are needed to address, correct or eliminate the consequences of structural and systemic forms of discrimination affecting Roma communities. This concerns youth policy and youth work authorities and stakeholders, as well as Roma programmes and human rights institutions.

In the youth sector, the work undertaken to develop policy standards to support Roma youth participation, including a draft Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers, is a necessary step to complement work done on capacity-building of Roma youth leaders on human rights education and combating antigypsyism. It must be seen as closely interlinked with existing Council of Europe standards on youth participation and on combating discrimination.