New Report on the Human Rights of Youth in Serbia - Numerous Challenges in 2022 Adversely Affected the Human Rights and Standards of Youth

Belgrade, May 26, 2023 - The Belgrade Center for Human Rights, with the support of the United Nations Human Rights Team (OHCHR), today presented the report "Human Rights of Youth in the Republic of Serbia in 2022." The report presented shows that numerous challenges in 2022 had a significantly adverse impact on the realization of the human rights of youth in Serbia, particularly in terms of the right to adequate housing and the right to decent income. Internal and global social, political, and economic circumstances have led to a drastic increase in rent prices and inflation, resulting in a deterioration of the living standards of youth in Serbia. The report on the human rights of youth extensively addresses the realization of the right to health, with a focus on mental health.

"Young people in Serbia have the right to live in a safe, peaceful, inclusive society that nurtures a culture of dialogue and tolerance. This year, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we will continue to address the challenges that young people face in achieving a prosperous and fulfilling life in Serbia. Young people can significantly contribute to the sustainable development of their communities and become powerful agents of change," said Francoise Jacob, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Serbia.

Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, Tomislav Žigmanov, emphasized that youth are the future of any society, and therefore, it is crucial for all of us to take care and do everything in our power to create conditions for their personalities and potentials to develop freely in the fullness of a humane vision of the world.

"We must think about their health, education, economic rights, as well as cultural development and respect for differences. In doing so, we must involve young people not only in the processes of policy-making and measures that directly concern them but in all issues and areas, because the goals we set today will be fulfilled by them tomorrow, and on their basis, new goals and visions will be created," Minister Žigmanov emphasized.

The report's editor and coordinator of the Youth Program at the Belgrade Center for Human Rights, Nevena Trofymenko, pointed out that young people in Serbia are burdened by housing costs, spending over 40% of their household budget on rent or mortgage payments. She also highlighted that precarity in the rental sector, as well as in the labor market, represents a particular burden for young people.

"A significant share of young people in all three age groups - 41.1% in the 15-19 age group, 31.6% in the 20-24 age group, and 24.0% in the 25-29 age group - receives up to 110% of the minimum wage. The unaffordability of obtaining housing is a significant problem because more than 80% of people in Serbia cannot afford to buy or rent a property on the market. This results in young people in Serbia achieving independence at a late age and staying in their parents' home for a long time. The average age for young people to achieve independence in Serbia is 31.5 years, with women at 28.4 and men at 33.7, while the EU average is 26.2 years," she explained.

The report also addresses the realization of the right to health for young people, highlighting their experiences in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, which revealed their lack of trust in the messages coming from healthcare institutions. It also emphasizes the need for discussions on mental health to be led by relevant experts, based on scientific evidence, and the necessity for decision-makers to listen and hear the needs and concerns of young people. The report on the human rights of youth also highlights particularly vulnerable and marginalized groups within the youth population, including rural youth, young Roma, and young LGBTI individuals.

This is the fourth annual report on the human rights of youth, which represents the result of continuous monitoring of the realization of the human rights of youth in the Republic of Serbia by the team of the Belgrade Center for Human Rights, which began in 2019. Since then, the team of authors has been monitoring and analyzing the protection and realization of the human rights of youth in our country.

The full report "Human Rights of Youth in the Republic of Serbia in 2022" with all findings is available HERE.

The research and publication of the Report on the Human Rights of Youth in the Republic of Serbia in 2022 were carried out with the support of the United Nations Human Rights Team in Serbia.