UNFPA study in 14 countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia 2006 - 2007 Presentation for EYCA Trafo Youth Information Training Course 8-10 June 2009 By Yael Ohana, Ditta Dolejsiova and Chris Grollman

The Review Process Covers youth realities and policy provisions in 14 countries of Europe & Central Asia and Kosovo Provides evidence to assist UNFPA in contributing to youth policy development and appropriate youth programming Contribution to a broader process of UN support to youth policy and programming

Covers youth realities and policy provisions in 14 countries of Europe & Central Asia and Kosovo

Provides evidence to assist UNFPA in contributing to youth policy development and appropriate youth programming

Contribution to a broader process of UN support to youth policy and programming

Global T rends I n Y outh D evelopment Lengthened and more uncertain transitions from childhood to adulthood Increased vulnerability to risks posed by globalisation Growing difficulty to gain access to and stay in employment in comparison to other age groups Lacking perspectives – strong tendency towards migration, growing risk of trafficking Risk - taking (voluntary or involuntary) begins earlier Girls and young women, LGBT young people, very poor youth, those living with HIV/AIDS, minorities, the disabled and young people in conflict regions are particularly vulnerable to risks and shocks and are less likely to bounce back

Lengthened and more uncertain transitions from childhood to adulthood

Increased vulnerability to risks posed by globalisation

Growing difficulty to gain access to and stay in employment in comparison to other age groups

Lacking perspectives – strong tendency towards migration, growing risk of trafficking

Risk - taking (voluntary or involuntary) begins earlier

Girls and young women, LGBT young people, very poor youth, those living with HIV/AIDS, minorities, the disabled and young people in conflict regions are particularly vulnerable to risks and shocks and are less likely to bounce back

Emerging Trends Between Countries? Migration and mobility Young people want to leave these countries because they do not feel they have a future perspective there and because travel is still an attractive “luxury” due to visa restrictions and the high financial cost it involves Un/employment Young people have difficulty in accessing the labour market and have difficulty to find satisfying, correctly paid and protected work. Once on the labour market they have difficulty to progress and access further training and skills development. There is a notable lack of specific job creation mechanisms for young people

Migration and mobility

Young people want to leave these countries because they do not feel they have a future perspective there and because travel is still an attractive “luxury” due to visa restrictions and the high financial cost it involves

Un/employment

Young people have difficulty in accessing the labour market and have difficulty to find satisfying, correctly paid and protected work. Once on the labour market they have difficulty to progress and access further training and skills development. There is a notable lack of specific job creation mechanisms for young people

Emerging Trends Between Countries? Education Despite the general availability of education, the quality of the education on offer is poor and does not help young people to compete on the labour market. In some countries of the region basic school completion is even falling and high school enrolment is also falling Poverty and vulnerability This is a big problem in general in these countries, with the gap between rich and poor growing ever deeper. Some categories of young people are particularly poor: Roma, LGBT, young women in rural communities and young men and boys who are neither in school nor in work.

Education

Despite the general availability of education, the quality of the education on offer is poor and does not help young people to compete on the labour market. In some countries of the region basic school completion is even falling and high school enrolment is also falling

Poverty and vulnerability

This is a big problem in general in these countries, with the gap between rich and poor growing ever deeper. Some categories of young people are particularly poor: Roma, LGBT, young women in rural communities and young men and boys who are neither in school nor in work.

Emerging Trends Between Countries? Health Unsafe sex is the norm and there is a growing incidence of intravenous drug use. A HIV/AIDS epidemic is feared. The fragility of social institutions in the region has taken its toll on the health of adolescent girls and young women. Childbearing under age 24 is still common although, the age of marriage and first childbearing is increasing. Risk taking is becoming more common, a problem given the general lack of support institutions and prevention activities

Health

Unsafe sex is the norm and there is a growing incidence of intravenous drug use. A HIV/AIDS epidemic is feared. The fragility of social institutions in the region has taken its toll on the health of adolescent girls and young women. Childbearing under age 24 is still common although, the age of marriage and first childbearing is increasing. Risk taking is becoming more common, a problem given the general lack of support institutions and prevention activities

Emerging Trends Between Countries? Values High value is placed on entering or becoming closer integrated with the EU. It is increasingly difficult for young people to balance traditional values with the modern lifestyles they come into contact with through information and communication technologies. Growing minority of young people tempted by extremism of different kinds (religious, political). This can be used against young people by political elites.

Values

High value is placed on entering or becoming closer integrated with the EU. It is increasingly difficult for young people to balance traditional values with the modern lifestyles they come into contact with through information and communication technologies. Growing minority of young people tempted by extremism of different kinds (religious, political). This can be used against young people by political elites.

And, some very worrying particularities! The growing instance of trafficking of young people The lack of social support for young working parents – child care is now sold as a commodity and very difficult for young working parents to afford so young mothers stay at home Lack of social support mechanisms for growing numbers of homeless children growing into adolescents on the street Juvenile crime – young people are affected both as perpetrators and as victims and juvenile crime is becoming more violent (exception is Armenia) Lack of participation channels and policies

The growing instance of trafficking of young people

The lack of social support for young working parents – child care is now sold as a commodity and very difficult for young working parents to afford so young mothers stay at home

Lack of social support mechanisms for growing numbers of homeless children growing into adolescents on the street

Juvenile crime – young people are affected both as perpetrators and as victims and juvenile crime is becoming more violent (exception is Armenia)

Lack of participation channels and policies