On World Youth Skills Day, the EU Global Diaspora Facility (EUDiF) publishes recommendations from diaspora youth on how to integrate youth perspectives in migration policy processes and beyond. The recommendations cover recognition of youth expertise, access to funding and inclusion in governance structures.
Young people are universally recognised as agents of change and some of the most active, effective and dynamic advocates for sustainable development. This recognition is underlined by this year’s World Youth Skills Day which celebrates "Youth Skills for Peace and Development". Diaspora youth have a special place within peace and development thanks to their comprehensive soft and hard skills, and transnational connections; they drive discourse and action for peace and development in the countries they live and have heritage in. Including young people across EUDiF’s work brings great added value and creates impact.
EUDiF invited 10 diaspora youth representatives to a workshop on “youth” as both a topic and a stakeholder in the project. One of the results was a set of recommendations on integrating youth perspectives in migration policy and programming.
The comprehensive recommendations are grouped into three sections:
- Recognition of youth expertise,
- Access to funding,
- Youth inclusion in governance structures.
Within these sections, the authors provide concrete recommendations ranging from crediting and remunerating young researchers to flexible funding models and participatory funding, transparent recruitment, inclusion in high-level dialogues and generational-impact assessments.
The recommendations were co-drafted by Oumou Diallo, Adelaide Hirwe, Marianna Hu and Gilberto Morishaw, with inputs gathered during the workshop from Oumnia Bouaddi, Hajar Erraji, Jennifer Kwao, Oksana Muzychuk, Savannah Schuurbiers and Maria Regina Tongson.
