Digital participation extends beyond access to technology and the development of digital skills. A fundamental challenge for democratic societies is ensuring that young people are actively involved in shaping the policies, governance frameworks, and decisions that define the digital environment.
As a partner in the EYDR – Youth Participation in Digital Democracy project, the Center for Comparative and International Studies (CCIS) contributed to advancing youth participation in digital governance across Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, and Spain.
Over a two-year implementation period, the project combined research, capacity-building, and international cooperation to strengthen young people’s capacity to engage in democratic processes within the digital sphere. Through mapping research, the Youth Digital Democracy Accelerator Programme, and international learning exchanges in Belgrade and Oviedo, participants developed the knowledge, skills, and networks needed to transform digital experiences into evidence-based advocacy and policy engagement.
The project demonstrates that digital transformation must be accompanied by inclusive governance, rights-based approaches, and meaningful opportunities for young people to contribute to the design of digital policies that affect their lives.
Read the full EYDR Project Summary Report here: EYDR Project Summary Report
DISCLAIMER: This article is part of Youth Participation in Digital Democracy: From Digital Skills to Digital Rights of Youth with Fewer Opportunities (EYDR) project, aimed to strengthen the capacities of Albanian and Montenegrin youth to meaningfully engage in digital activism through an approach that balances protection and digital participation.
EYDR is funded by the Erasmus Capacity Building in the Field of Youth of the European Union and is implemented under the leadership of SCiDEV in partnership with UZOR, Beogradskicentar za ljudskaprava, AsociaciónYouropia, Centre for Comparative International Studies, Erasmus Student Network in Albania, National Youth Agency in Albania, and SHARE Foundation. Opinions in this article are solely of the author and do not necessarily represent the views European Union stand on the matter.
