EU4Youth: over 500 young people help shape Armenia’s Youth Policy Law with EU support

To celebrate the official signing of Armenia’s first-ever Youth Policy Law by the President, a national event was held on 28 March, bringing together over 50 representatives of youth organisations, international partners, and government stakeholders. 

During the event, the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia, Zhanna Andreasyan, officially presented the Youth Policy Law to youth organisations and the broader public for the first time, underscoring the government’s commitment to transparency, youth engagement and participatory policymaking.

The new law marks a major achievement in youth participation and policymaking. It is the result of an inclusive, youth-led process that involved over 500 young people from all ten regions of the country. 

Throughout 2024, through the highly interactive Information and Public Consultation Sessions, young people across the country were provided with the opportunity to express their thoughts, comments, and suggestions regarding the draft Youth Policy Law of Armenia. These sessions, implemented in partnership with the Youth Organisations Union of Armenia, gave young people a direct role in shaping the draft law, resulting in 30 formal recommendations, nine of which were accepted by the Ministry and included in the updated version of the draft law.

The law now ensures youth participation in decision-making and will be supported through follow-up initiatives, including Youth Policy Labs, regional trainings, and an annual National Youth Forum.

This initiative was organised by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia and Youth Organisations Union of Armenia within the framework of the ‘EU4Youth: Youth Engagement and Empowerment’ project, co-funded by the European Union and German Government and implemented by as part of the Strengthening Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Project.