As the “engine of keeping rural areas alive”, young people living in these areas are currently facing “a number of major difficulties”, notes the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in a ‘Recommendation’ to Member States adopted on Wednesday 7 May.
To remedy this situation, the text calls for young people in rural areas to have “better access to essential rights and services and more active participation in economic, social and political life”.
Five priority areas for action have been identified: - strengthening an enabling and accessible environment; - promoting youth engagement and democratic participation for all; - strengthening youth structures; - ensuring access to quality formal and non-formal education; - creating economic opportunities in rural areas.
This includes focusing on decent housing, quality education, affordable and safe public transport, an adequate Internet connection, access to health care, mobile youth support services, and so on.
All within the framework of policies and programmes tailored to rural areas.
Based on an initiative by the Advisory Council on Youth in 2020, this ‘Recommendation’ will be subject to an implementation review within five years.
Link to the ‘Recommendation’: https://aeur.eu/f/gpb (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)