On the eve of August 12th – International Youth Day, the Centre for Civic Education (CCE) wishes to highlight the concerning marginalization of young people who face numerous challenges, including an inadequate education system, difficulties in employment and career advancement, and a lack of influence over decision-making processes that directly affect them. These issues have negative consequences on their competitiveness in the labor market, personal and professional development prospects, and their desire to leave the country or their actual emigration from Montenegro. Unfortunately, these all remain far from the focus of decision-makers, which only exacerbates the problems.
The latest available data from the Employment Agency of Montenegro from 2022 indicates that the unemployment rate for young people aged 15 to 29 actively seeking work was 32.5% in 2021, meaning that one in three young people was unemployed. The unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 24 was as high as 40.3%, far above the European average. According to Eurostat data for 2023, 26.8% of young people in Montenegro aged 18-24 are living at risk of poverty. These statistics point to a serious problem that requires urgent and effective measures, and it remains uncertain whether the proposed Fiscal Strategy will introduce the necessary incentives for employers to hire young people.
Additionally, young people face significant challenges within the education system. A 2022 CCE survey indicates that the dominant perception among youth is that the Montenegrin education system does not prepare them for the labor market. The lack of practical training and modern technologies in schools and universities, along with the absence of necessary modernization in teaching at all levels based on critical thinking, limits young people in acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to compete in the contemporary labor market.
Education and employment are vital concerns for every young person, and their future is significantly burdened by the inadequate connection between the education process and the labor market in Montenegro.
CCE’s research consistently warns that a significant number of young people want to leave Montenegro, with those in the education process being the most prevalent among them, indicating that often the most promising individuals are the ones leaving. The main reasons cited for leaving the country are the desire for a better standard of living, the lack of prospects in Montenegro, and the possibility of easier employment abroad.
For decision-makers, youth remain merely a convenient pre-election slogan or a talking point for other occasions, which reinforces their sense of apathy and disinterest in social events. Data from the study “Young people between marginalization, radicalization, and potential,” published by CCE in 2023, indicates that disinterest in politics prevails among young people, accompanied by the position that their voice does not significantly influence the actions of institutions and that their interests are either minimally or not at all represented in politics. Furthermore, young people have the least trust in political parties, the Government, and the Parliament of Montenegro, and they perceive that political decisions are often made without considering their perspectives and needs.
A series of findings indicates a trend of retraditionalization among young people, starting with the highest level of trust in religious communities compared to other actors in the country, followed by their statement that religion is one of the most important factors in choosing a future spouse, their stance that they would raise their children in the same way their parents raised them, to their social distance towards homosexual couples, and their views on abortion, as a significant number of young people today do not support abortion, with a similar number having no clear stance on the issue.
CCE emphasizes that recognizing the genuine needs of young people, defining and implementing clear strategies and actions to improve the quality of education and sustainable employment opportunities, along with building youth resilience against political disinformation campaigns, are some of the prerequisites that must be met to create a favorable environment for youth in Montenegro.
International Youth Day is celebrated on 12 August, established by the United Nations in 1999 to raise awareness of youth issues and increase efforts needed to work on youth policies and programmes.
Nikola Đurašević, Programe Associate