Partners Albania, as part of the regional network “Youth Bank Hub for the Western Balkans and Turkey” in the framework of continuous monitoring of the political, social and economic participation of young people in Albania, published in June the Monitoring Report on Social, Political and Economic Inclusion of Youth, for the period January – June 2018. The third periodic report provides updated statistical data on a set of indicators as well as a comparison of the situation over 3 years of monitoring.

In order to identify and reflect the local stakeholders’ view on the findings of the Albanian and regional report, on 21 September 2018, PA organized a roundtable in Kukës with the participation of 14 representatives from civil society and local government institutions.

The youth unemployment rate mainly in rural and urban areas outside the capital, was another indicator that triggered reactions and discussion among the attendees, more specifically on the low employment opportunities available in the job market in Kukës. The views of representatives of youth organizations and local government units were unified, that there is a need for a strategic intervention based on resource and opportunities that the areas can provide in the economic development of the municipalities in order to increase the demand on the labor market and eventually increase the employment of young people. Developing local incentives to attract business investment, boosting competition in the current market were some of the suggestions shared in these roundtables.

This round table is the first of a series of round tables that will be organized in the following weeks aiming to collect and reflect all actors’ suggestions and point of views into a set of advocacy issues and concrete recommendations for the governing institutions at central and local level.

The project “Youth Bank Hub for Western Balkans and Turkey”, is implemented by Partners Albania for Change and Development in Albania, “Ana i Vlade Divac” Foundation in Serbia, Association for Education – MLADIINFO International in Macedonia, ”Prima” organization in Montenegro and “Community Volunteers Foundation” in Turkey. The project is funded by the European Union.