Exploring Armenia’s new law on youth policy

Why is it important to have a law on youth policy in Amenia?

Armenia’s youth sector is well-developed, with a knowledgeable and active network of non-governmental organizations and international partners implementing youth-focused development programmes. We also have unique communities across the country that are dedicated to working with and for young people. However, at the national level we lacked a strong legal framework to regulate the sector. While previous efforts included development and implementation of strategies and action plans, a comprehensive legal foundation for it remained absent.

The development and adoption of this law, for the first time, has established a legal foundation for the national youth policy and will help structure the development and implementation of youth programmes across Armenia. It will also regulate the legal relationships between state bodies, local self-government entities, youth organizations, and youth centres. Simply put, the law will serve as a unifying framework, bringing together these institutions and individuals while providing essential tools and resources. This will help prevent the sector from concentrating efforts to just a few communities or relying solely on individual efforts. Instead, it will foster a shared understanding, a systematic approach, and a long-term vision for supporting young people and ensuring that they have opportunities to develop, voice their needs and participate in various processes.

Through my work at UNICEF, I have witnessed firsthand how much such a unified approach is needed, how everything otherwise depends on the willingness, awareness, and commitment of specific individuals to the needs of young people. I have seen investments in communities disappear with a single decision or lose their value due to a lack of long-term vision. I believe this law can help address these challenges.

Both professionally and personally, I highly value several key aspects of the proposed law, as I have seen their impact in practice. These include the establishment of youth centres, the development of operational procedures and methodologies for the centres, support for youth-led initiatives, the ability to shape community-level youth policies, strengthening the capacity and training of youth workers, and, equally importantly, collaboration with and involvement of local self-government bodies to shape local youth policies.

One crucial aspect of this law is cross-sectoral cooperation, ensuring that the needs and expectations of young people are incorporated into broader sectoral strategies - something that I hope will be strengthened going ahead.

What will change for young people with the adoption of this law?

Like any law or legal framework, its impact will take time to see. It would be unrealistic to expect immediate changes in the lives of young people right after its adoption. The law will need to be followed by additional legal acts, decisions, and policy documents. At this stage, it has been crucial that state institutions have invested their full effort and resources to prepare a legal draft that is very comprehensive.

In the long run, this law can bring significant improvements and opportunities for young people. It will address their needs and challenges while creating new pathways for engagement and innovation. Young people will gain access to tools, resources, and support systems that will empower them to contribute to community development. They will have more opportunities to showcase their potential, take initiative, and drive positive change.

Young people are our present and our future. They need strong supporters to thrive: individuals and organizations that trust and believe in them.

What has been UNICEF’s role in this process?

As an organization dedicated to protecting child rights, UNICEF has also been actively engaged in the youth sector in Armenia for the past decade. If we believe in ensuring the full protection and implementation of child rights, we must also create opportunities for them to gain knowledge and skills early on, realize their full potential, and build the future they aspire to as they grow into adults. This is why UNICEF, alongside our partner, the United Nations Population Fund, has supported the development of this law from the outset.

We made sure that there is technical expertise available for specific areas of discussion during the development, as well as organized an exchange visit to Latvia and Lithuania to share best practices. UNICEF’s role was to also ensure that the draft is youth-centred and addresses the needs and priorities of adolescents and young people. So, in addition to my weekly work as part of the working group, I also made sure to share and consult on it with our target groups.

In today’s fast-changing world, engaging with young people from an early age is crucial. The earlier we invest in their growth and empowerment, the better we can support them to develop into independent, responsible adults who actively contribute to their communities.

From this perspective, lowering the minimum age threshold in the draft law to 13 was a crucial step. As children enter into adolescence and then adulthood, working with them from that age is what will set them on the path to grow into self-sufficient and resourceful adults.

Being involved in this entire process has been an insightful learning experience for me. I now have a much clearer understanding of the complexities of the development of laws and the effort it takes to ensure cross-sectoral inputs and thinking around it, as well as the negotiation process behind it.

What role did young people play in the development of the law?

I was particularly inspired by how open and participatory the entire process was, which reflects the commitment of our colleagues at the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports, as well as other government bodies, to drive real, meaningful change. The direct engagement of diverse organizations, sectoral partners, and individuals ensured that through them multiple perspectives were considered, making the law more balanced and comprehensive.

Naturally, young people’s voices were central to this process. Their engagement and participation were essential, as the law was being designed to serve them. Ensuring their direct involvement was a group effort and meant that the law would truly reflect their needs, challenges, and aspirations.

We have worked with various partners across Armenia to hold meetings and discussions with young people throughout the process of development of the law. This has allowed us to consider regional differences and the diverse needs of young people from various backgrounds. I do believe that this participatory process not only strengthened the law but also helped young people to grow from that experience and be able to demand participatory decision-making in the future too. We saw firsthand how it empowers young people to be proactive and demand the changes they deserve.

How can young people contribute to the implementation of this new law?

The most rewarding part of my job is engaging with young people, talking to them, hearing their ideas, and witnessing their enthusiasm for new opportunities, knowledge, and experiences. I’d like to remind young people that their dreams, ideas, and potential are the foundation of our collective progress. No matter where you live, you can be a driving force for change because even the smallest actions can have a lasting impact.