Youth Needs Assessment on the UN Youth, Peace & Security Agenda

About the Study

This needs assessment was conducted by the Youth Voice Network of Organisations (YVNO) as part of the United Nations initiative “Youth for Inclusion, Equality and Trust”, funded by the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund and implemented in Albania by the local offices of UNDP and UNFPA.

The study explores the most urgent needs and challenges of young people (ages 15–29) in four Albanian municipalities — Tirana, Korça, Pogradec and Shkodër — through the lens of the five pillars of UN Security Council Resolution 2250: Participation, Protection, Prevention, Partnerships and Reintegration.

The research combined a literature review, five key informant interviews and four focus groups with a total of 41 participants from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.

Key Findings

Participation
Albania has made positive steps in institutionalising youth participation through Law No. 75/2019, which established Local Youth Councils. However, meaningful participation in decision-making remains limited due to capacity gaps in both local institutions and young people themselves, as well as insufficient financial and human resources.

Protection
Young people’s primary concern is physical security. The most urgent issue is the alarmingly easy access to weapons. School safety also emerged as critical — participants called for a complete support chain from security officers to school psychologists to parents, to create a genuinely safe environment for young people.

Prevention
Prevention was identified as the most urgent pillar. Cybercrime, online hate speech, bullying and the absence of physical youth spaces were consistently flagged as priority concerns. Young people spend over two hours daily on social media, often encountering harmful content. Participants called for modernised school curricula, stronger extracurricular opportunities and better digital education for families.

Partnerships
Effective localisation of the YPS Agenda requires multi-level partnerships: national advocacy coalitions, stronger local collaboration between youth-focused actors, and regional exchanges across the Western Balkans to counter divisive narratives and invest in peacebuilding.

Reintegration
Given Albania’s high rates of youth migration and the significant number of young people in the penal system, reintegration is highly relevant. The study calls for addressing stigma and ensuring access to education, employment and social integration programmes for these groups.

Key Recommendations

• Establish a youth focal point in every ministry to ensure a cross-sectoral approach to youth policy.
• Align existing youth policies with the priorities of the YPS Agenda, ensuring they translate into concrete, measurable actions.
• Develop dedicated youth budget lines at national and local level.
• Build the capacity of Local Youth Councils and municipal staff on meaningful participation and the YPS Agenda.
• Create permanent physical youth spaces in every municipality, especially outside Tirana.
• Modernise school curricula to address digital safety, human rights and civic education.
• Mandate safety filters on social media for users under 18, including age verification and content controls.

Conclusions

Localising the YPS Agenda in Albania presents both challenges and opportunities. Rather than creating new strategies from scratch, existing youth policies should be strengthened and aligned with the Agenda’s elements. The study’s overarching finding is that efforts must go beyond targeting young people alone — investing in strong communities and educating adults is equally critical to building lasting peace.