Youth are not on the list of priorities in current politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are the ones who are most affected by unemployment, they lack social protection and are at highest risk in terms of the budget. Youth are not listed as an important and noticeable factor in the political parties’ programs that we saw during election campaigns in previous election cycles. The general public similarly does not acknowledge youth as an important political factor. Obviously, youth remain unacknowledged as the primary electorate, although they hold over 600,000 votes.
The Training for future youth leaders was held at the Educational-Leisure Center for Youth SPAJALICA in IlidĹľa on July 9 and 10, 2016.
During the 2-day training, youth from Doboj, Bijeljina and Sarajevo learned about the elections process and the methods of developing an election agenda. The aim of the training was to equip youth to recognize a quality election agenda and learn how to lobby for the problems of this population to be included in the election agendas of political parties in the 2016 Local Elections.
The training was attended by 3 youth that will be the leaders of groups in their local commuinties and who will transfer all their knowledge and skills acquired during the training to their peers.
In addition to working on strengthening their peers, the future youth leaders will by October, when the 2016 Local Elections are planned to be held, meet with representatives of local authorities in order to lobby for them to include a list of key youth issues in their election agendas. This list includes problems such as: employment, education, health care, social care, informedness and mobility, and sports, culture and youth leasure time.
At the end of July, an additional training will be organized for the leaders and members of their groups. The training should include around 30 youth.
As a part of the Training for future youth leaders, Doboj, Bijeljina and Sarajevo youth will be learning about the election process, manners of developing the election agenda and attending political educations on July 9 and 10, 2016.
The training will be held at the Educational-Leisure Center for Youth SPAJALICA in IlidĹľa and the aim is to equip youth in recognizing a quality election agenda and in lobbying to include youth in the election agendas of political parties for the 2016 Local Elections.
"It is important for youth to know how to articulate and address problems that they encounter. Youth must adopt greater knowledge about the election process and that they can and should demand for their problems to be on the list of priorities of those aiming to become decision-makers" - stated Mirela Ajanovi? from the Institute for Youth Development KULT.
After the 2-day training, youth will, in their local communities, present the issues and problems that their population encounters on a daily basis and hold meetings with representatives of local authorities in order to animate them to include a list of key youth issues in their agendas.
The training will be attended by 3 youth and after they attend all the educations, they will pass on the knowledge and skills to groups ofyouth in their local communities. Each group will consist of a dozen youth and additional training will be organized for them at the end of the month.
