The Council of Europe held a ground-breaking two-day consultative meeting on the inclusion of a youth perspective in the Organisation’s intergovernmental and other deliberations on 19-20 September 2024 at the European Youth Centre. Consultations were held as the Organisation is committed to increase youth participation in decision-making processes, to improve the effectiveness of public policies and strengthens democratic institutions through open dialogue.
Organised by the Joint Council on Youth (CMJ) Working Group, the meeting brought together key stakeholders, including members of the Advisory Council on Youth (CCJ), the Steering Committee on Youth (CDEJ), the European Youth Forum (YFJ), the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), international non-governmental youth organisations, national youth councils and independent youth experts.
Led by the youth department, other sectors of the Council of Europe also contributed to the development of a reference framework for integrating a youth perspective across the Council of Europe and its member States. This meeting follows the 2023 Reykjavik Declaration, which called for greater youth participation in democratic life.
In his opening remarks, Matjaž Gruden, Director of the Directorate for Democracy at the Council of Europe, emphasised the wider implications of this work: “The integration of a youth perspective is not just about giving young people a seat at the table—it is about transforming the way we shape policies. This framework will ensure that the expertise and experiences of young people are systematically integrated into all areas of our work, making our institutions more inclusive, responsive, and forward-looking.”
Nina Grmuša, Chair of the CCJ and Vice-Chair of the CMJ, stressed the importance of this process: “This consultative process is crucial in ensuring that a youth perspective is integrated in a meaningful and realistic manner across all levels of governance. Young people are the experts of their own lives, and their input is essential in shaping the policies that will affect them.” She also highlighted that young people “need allies in governments and institutions who understand the urgency of involving young people in decision-making processes.”
Liliya Elenkova, Vice-Chair of the CDEJ and Chair of the Group of Senior Officials for the Conference of European Ministers responsible for Youth, pointed to the Council of Europe’s long-standing tradition of youth engagement. “The co-management system, where youth representatives and government officials work side by side, has been a pioneering model of participatory democracy. Our task now is to expand this approach and ensure that a youth perspective is embedded in decision-making processes at all levels. We strive for the Ministers responsible for Youth to adopt the reference framework at their 10th European Conference in October 2025 in Malta.”
Following the consultative meeting, the reference framework will be designed to be user-friendly, practical, and responsive to specific situations. The reference framework will serve as a living and dynamic standard for the Council of Europe and its member States ensuring that youth perspectives are taking account for the benefit of present and future generations.
