The EU Youth Action Plan and DEAR

 The first ever strategic document establishing a partnership between the EU and young people around the world IS OUT! It will guide the EU external action for and with the youth between 2022 and 2027. 

Engage, Empower and Connect are the keywords to make the EU external action more relevant for youth and children worldwide.

They are the action pillars of the Youth Action Plan (YAP) in the European Union external action (2022-2027), the first ever policy framework for a strategic partnership with young people around the world  (see more here). 

• Engage - Increase young people's voices in policy and decision-making at all levels
• Empower - Fight inequalities and provide young people with the skills and resources they need to prosper and fulfil their potential 
• Connect - Foster opportunities for young people to network and exchange with their peers.

This strategic document is the result of an extensive consultation carried out by DG INTPA with over 220 stakeholders across the globe. The YAP will influence the EU external action to ensure young people's ownership and hence accelerate progress towards the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and other international commitments, such as the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN Youth, Peace and Security Agenda.

Why is the YAP important to the DEAR community?

The YAP reinforces the values and principles promoted by Global Citizenship Education and the DEAR community. The four YAP’s principles are: 

• A human rights-based approach and gender equality
• A participatory approach for transformative change
• Youth inclusion
• Evidence-based policy-making and accountability

Furthermore, the YAP explicitly recognises the importance of global citizenship education/DEAR for the EU work and wants to promote young people’s participation in global citizenship education for a common understanding of global challenges and encourage them to jointly take action. 

How will the YAP work? 

The YAP implementation will be funded mainly through the existing instruments such as NDICI-Global Europe Instrument and the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA), including their contribution to Erasmus+ Programme. 

Many YAP actions will be implemented together with EU Member States through initiatives at country and regional level. Also the Youth Sounding Board for EU International Partnerships (YSB) and the youth advisory structures of the EU Delegations will play an important role in this regard. 

If you want to side with young people in their demands for a fairer and more sustainable world, spread the word!

#euDEARprogramme #YouthLeadstheWay

Read the YAP here

Check out the YAP Questions and Answers here