RCC launches awareness campaign on social rights in the Western Balkans

The Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP 3) of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) has launched an awareness-raising campaign to promote the importance of social rights in the Western Balkans, ahead of the publication of this year's performance assessments of the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR), the RCC announced today.

The campaign, which was launched yesterday, envisions what life in the region could look like if the principles of the EPSR were fully implemented, which include fair working conditions, gender equality, access to quality education, and health and social protection.

Project manager Ratka Babić stated that the EPSR "is not just a vision, but a practical roadmap for more just and inclusive societies in our region."

She added that, as the Western Balkans progress towards membership in the European Union (EU), "alignment with the principles of the ENPS represents both a political obligation and a social necessity."

The RCC added in a statement that numerous social indicators reveal persistent challenges in the region compared to the EU average.

According to the Social Scoreboard for the Western Balkans, the gender-based employment gap in the region is almost 20 percent, while the EU average is 11 percent.

Adult participation in learning as a percentage of the population aged 25 to 65 ranged from 0,7 to 4,8 percent, significantly lower than the EU average of 10,8 percent, the statement added.

These data highlight structural barriers in terms of inequality, poverty and labour market participation that will be monitored at the regional level within the EPSR assessments in 2025.

The EPSR sets out 20 principles structured in three chapters, which deal with opportunities and access to the labour market, fair working conditions, and social protection and inclusion.

The progress of each Western Balkan economy in implementing these principles will be assessed in 2025 and build on previous assessments from 2022, and the campaign aims to foster public understanding of the role of social rights in the EU enlargement process, as well as raise citizens' expectations regarding decent work and fair access to services, the statement added.

The findings and assessments of the 2025 EPSR will be publicly presented at a Western Balkans regional meeting later this year, which will bring together policymakers, civil society organizations, and international partners to reaffirm commitment to the social dimension of European integration, the RCC announced.