4th Eastern Partnership “Youth for Revitalisation of Democracy”

On July 11-12, 2022, the 4th Eastern Partnership Youth Conference “Youth for the Restoration of Democracy” took place in Prague.

Civil society in the EaP region continues to face challenges that threaten its existence and fundamental principles. Democratic space and the influence of civil society are becoming increasingly limited, with violence against human rights defenders calling for transparency, freedom, equality and justice.

Youth is one of the five groups most frequently subjected to attacks on fundamental freedoms in civic space. Of particular concern in the Eastern Partnership region is Belarus — the liquidation campaign against civil society organizations and activists completely excluded us from any decision-making processes and led to the fact that among the youth activists there were more than 800 political prisoners.

The conference was attended by Daria Rublevskaya and Lavon Marozov. Chairwoman of the RADA, Margo Voryhova, took part as an expert in the first panel on Shrinking Public Spaces: Ensuring a Safe and Favorable Environment for Youth Participation in the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

The panel discussed the consequences of the narrowing of civic space for youth activists and human rights defenders, the main barriers and threats to youth participation and possible ways to overcome them, the main vulnerable groups within youth groups. And, most importantly, recommendations were presented to provide safer and more supportive public spaces for young people, addressed to a wide range of stakeholders.

“We are seeing a growing gap between the political community of the world and the youth. We are excluded from all decision-making processes and considered inexperienced, uneducated, impatient and incompetent. Youth are just like that, and we should be treated like any other equal in any situation or context.”

Margo Voryhova