CCE: High unemployment is one of the most serious problems facing young people

High unemployment is one of the most serious problems facing young people in Montenegro, along with other challenges that often leave them without adequate support, perspectives and opportunities for active participation in society, said the Center for Civic Education (CCE).

Nikola Đurašević, a program associate at CCE, said on the occasion of August 12th - International Youth Day, that this date, instead of celebrating the potential of young people, increasingly reminds us of their marginalization and neglect in key areas that determine their quality of life and development opportunities.

"One of the most serious problems is chronically high youth unemployment," said Đurašević.

He said that data from the CCE survey from 2023 indicates that more than 60 percent of young people over the age of 15 do not have a job.

Đurašević stated in the statement that, according to the findings of the Youth Study from last year, on which CCE worked with the German Friedrich Ebert Foundation, 13,8 percent of young people reported that they were actively looking for a job, and 32,7 percent reported that they were unemployed but not currently actively looking for a job.

"Young people are discouraged from looking for work due to a perceived lack of opportunities or other barriers. These figures highlight ineffective employment policies, but also the widespread belief that jobs are obtained through party or other clientelistic networks, rather than based on knowledge and abilities," the statement said.

It is stated that the education system is seen as a tedious and inefficient process in which time is wasted and concrete skills are not acquired.

"According to data from the Youth Study, 55 percent of young people believe that grades and exams can be bought, and 37 percent of them are not satisfied with the quality of education in Montenegro," the statement added.

Đurašević pointed out that the prevailing opinion is that study programs are outdated, with a lot of theoretical teaching and neglected practical components, which contributes to a feeling of unpreparedness and demotivation for the labor market.

He stated that in such an environment, it is not surprising, but worrying, that almost 40 percent of young people plan to leave Montenegro, and an additional 22 percent are seriously considering it.

"This is a serious threat of losing the most educated part of the youth with the greatest development potential, which is obviously not a topic for decision-makers to think about and act on," warned Đurašević.

As he said, the passivity of young people in public and political life further deepens the challenges, because their views are rarely respected, and opportunities for inclusion in decision-making are minimal. Đurašević said that the protests by the informal student group Kamo śutra, at the beginning of this year, were an encouraging sign of the existence of critical awareness and activist potential among young people, but, unfortunately, they also exposed the government's intolerance towards the civic engagement of young people.

He stated that he is also concerned about the trend of retraditionalization among young people.

"The findings of our research, Multiculturalism in Focus, from November last year, indicate that young people are increasingly placing more trust in religious institutions, and that they are less open to diversity," said Đurašević.

He added that only 55,6 percent of young people said they were ready for a relationship or marriage with a partner from another ethnic group, and only 47 percent were open to a relationship or marriage with a partner of another religion.

"The shift towards more conservative, closed, and less inclusive patterns of thinking is highlighted by the high social distance towards members of the LGBT community, as well as the significant number of those who do not support the right to abortion," the statement said.

CCE called on the relevant institutions to abandon the symbolic attitude towards young people and, through strategic policies, improve education, create sustainable employment opportunities, ensure an inclusive and democratic social environment, and create conditions for real participation of young people in decision-making.