Summary of organization’s strategic orientation
The Youth Council of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (VMFBiH) is the umbrella organization of youth in the Federation of BiH established by six cantonal youth councils in 2015, based on the Law of Youth of the Federation of BiH. In addition to the six cantonal youth councils, 36 local youth councils in the VM FBiH come from the cantons. The organization’s basic fields of activity are reflected primarily in advocacy processes through which they want to provide adequate space for developing young individuals in society. The Law on Youth serves as the basis for most of our advocacy processes, and we are trying to ensure its full implementation. In addition, VMBiH strengthens youth associations’ capacity, improves youth policies, and informs young people about their rights and obligations.
Three basic strategic directions of the Youth Council of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina:
– Advocating with government institutions for a better position of young people in society, by which we want to improve the implementation of the Law on Youth of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
– Establishing and strengthening youth structures at all levels of organization in FBiH to strengthen the institutional capacities of the Council by the needs of the target groups; and
– Strengthening intersectoral and international cooperation to strengthen cooperation with umbrella youth bodies in BiH and Europe.
Beneficiaries
Through its activities in all areas of work, the Council represents a network with over 100 youth associations in its membership. First of all, the Council provides a platform for young people to improve their cooperation within their local communities, cantons, and higher levels of government, define joint advocacy and other priorities, and more effectively articulate their voice to decision-makers and the public. This way of organizing enables the Council to be a structured voice of young people at all levels of government . It also places a great obligation on all councilors to maintain legitimacy in their work and constantly strengthen their capacities. We are aware that the case is different in different parts of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Those significant investments are needed for the structure of the youth council to respond to the needs of young people and adequately represent their rights, but that is precisely why we believe that supporting such processes is the best way to bring about the change that let’s create, let’s make it sustainable. The activities of young people and for them should be systematic and long-term programmatically recognized.
From all of the above, our vision is that the structure of the Youth Council of the Federation of BiH becomes a strong and indispensable advocacy platform for youth policies in the FBiH and beyond, and in addition to being built as a space for the growth and development of youth associations and structures of youth councils throughout the Federation.
