YMCA Europe welcomes the Steering Committee on Human Rights’ appointment of a youth rapporteur at its 104th plenary session, an important step forward for youth participation in human rights governance.
This landmark appointment represents clear recognition that young people must have a structured role in shaping the future of rights protection and democratic accountability.
At a time when many young people feel disconnected from institutions, this decision helps create a more direct pathway for youth voices to inform the work of the committee.
Our Advocacy Lead, Dragos Tarta, represented youth civil society at the session and highlighted the importance of youth civil society in governance and decision-making. He stressed that young people’s voices need to be consolidated across human rights processes, treated as essential to building legitimate and future-proof institutions.
This aligns with the broader direction of youth participation work across the Council of Europe, which continues to emphasise that meaningful inclusion strengthens both democracy and human rights.
The appointment of Elīna Vītola of Latvia as youth rapporteur is a promising step toward that goal.
It signals a growing willingness to embed youth perspectives into human rights structures in a sustained way, and it reflects the kind of institutional openness that can help bridge the gap between young people and the systems that shape their lives.
We welcome this as a strong foundation for continued progress on youth rights, participation, and representation.
