Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe: Over half of its people are under the age of 25, and about 21 percent of population of Kosovo is between the ages of 15 and 25. Therefore, the challenges related to political, economic and social development during the ongoing transition period are first and foremost the challenges of young people, who are Kosovo’s future workers, business people, parents, citizens and leaders.

For this reason, the Kosovo Human Development Report 2006 (KHDR 2006) is focused on youth. It examines the problems and challenges they face, their current and likely future role in Kosovo society, and ways to strengthen young people’s participation in and influence on political and economic developments.

The report consists of four chapters. The first assesses the current situation of young people and concludes that greater investment in them will help stimulate progress and accelerate poverty reduction. These developments can only be realized through young and highly educated people who are equipped with the appropriate knowledge, skills and competence.

This assumption lays the groundwork for an analysis, in Chapter IV, of ways to increase the overall role of youth in social and political life, including in building and promoting democracy.

KHDR 2006 is based on results from a broad survey of young people that focused on these key issues and on observations gleaned from roundtable discussions with youth and parents in many areas in Kosovo. The report also takes into consideration data and strategic documents provided by various Kosovo public and private institutions and non governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as UNDP’s years of experience in the region.

KHDR 2006 includes concrete proposals for priority measures that are closely related to the issues raised and addressed throughout. The intention was not to repeat recommendations listed in other strategic documents, but rather to identify specific measures to address the concerns raised by young people and their advocates. This report is meant to be a tool that triggers honest and comprehensive debate and discussion among young people, institutions, international donors, civil society and the media.

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The 2006 Kosovo Human Development Report (KHDR 2006)

The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the
views of either UNDP or USAID.

In this report, ‘Kosovo’ refers to the UN administered territory according to UN Security Council
Resolution 1244.

Publication of the Kosovo Human Development Report 2006 is coo-financed by UNDP and USAID.

Forward:

The 2006 Kosovo Human Development Report (KHDR 2006) is the third such report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to examine Kosovo's political, economic and social challenges and opportunities.

The first report, from 2002, focused on indicators such as the Human Development Index, the Gender Development Index and the Human Poverty Index. According to these indicators, Kosovo was categorized as being at a medium level of human development. The second report, from 2004, featured municipal-level human

development data and the first Participation Index, which depicted the levels of civic and political participation across ethnic groups by municipality in both urban and rural settings

This third report has yet another focus: the young people of Kosovo. KHDR 2006 considers the problems that members of this important population group face, hopeful signs for their brighter future, and their overall position in a society in flux. The report analyzes their problems and opportunities from a human development standpoint. It seeks to achieve that goal by examining the role of youth in the development processes in Kosovo, including issues regarding education, employment, decision-making, civil cohesion, and participation in society as a whole. The report urges public institutions and authorities to establish strong relations with young people so their unique concerns are heard and responded to. It also includes recommendations on how to increase their inclusion in monitoring and decision-making processes as well as in the implementation of government policies.

More specifically, KHDR 2006 recommends that government officials, policy makers and donors develop strategies to reform the education and employment sectors. Such strategies might include the delineation of clear and measurable medium- and long-term goals for improving schools and other educational facilities. Similarly, the report recommends that all government institutions in Kosovo collaborate in the development of programs designed to increase employment opportunities for young people. Additional recommendations focus on how Kosovo institutions, with the support of the international community, can evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of government initiatives to improve the lives of young people - and what kind of support the institutions might provide.

The process of researching and writing KHDR 2006 was particularly challenging because of its unique structure and the methodology used. Not only is the report based on analysis of quantitative and qualitative data obtained from numerous sources, but it also relied on a participatory approach for data collection. This consisted of conducting a survey among 1,200 individuals aged 15 to 29 as well as nine focus group discussions with different stakeholders.

Subsequently, seven workshops with youth across Kosovo were organized to hear their concerns and issues and to validate the results of the large survey and earlier focus group discussions. Secondary sources such as institutional working papers and action plans were extremely helpful during the drafting process.

Although these steps proved to be incredibly important in terms of gathering useful information and observations, a consistent challenge throughout the process was the lack of extensive statistical data and limited access to recorded data and databases. The final report is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of all individuals who helped overcome the obstacles.

The final report is divided into several sections. Chapter 1 includes a general analysis of indexes and discusses the links between education and entry into the work force. Chapter II examines the schooling system, identifying weaknesses and offering recommendations for improvement, especially in regard to preparing young people for employment. Chapter III discusses how and why investment in youth, notably in terms of quality education and employment opportunities, represents a direct investment in poverty reduction and future development for society overall. And finally, Chapter IV considers how Kosovo society could benefit from greater youth participation in decision-making processes.

Mor extensive involvement on the part of young people would unleash their enthusiasm, energy and creativity— all of which could likely help remove barriers to economic, political and social development.

I would like to express my gratitude to all contributors to this report. My colleagues at UNDP also join me in thanking USAID Kosovo for the financial support upon which this report depended.

Frode Mauring
Resident Representative
UNDP Kosovo

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