The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković, participated in an event organized by the National Youth Council of Serbia (Krovna organizacija mladih Srbije – KOMS), dedicated to the promotion of the Youth Impact Test and the integration of European practices for including young people in decision-making processes at both the national and local levels.

In her address to the participants, the Commissioner emphasized that the inclusion of young people, as well as other vulnerable social groups, must be an integral part of the process of creating public policies, as only in this way can we build a society based on the principles of equality and fairness.

She stressed that the assessment of the impact of regulations on young people — the “Youth Test” — must not be just a formal procedure, but an effective and meaningful mechanism, developed based on the actual situation and a concrete assessment of how specific measures affect the position of young people, especially those who are at increased risk of discrimination.

On this occasion, the Commissioner also presented the methodology for assessing the impact of regulations on socially vulnerable groups, developed within the competences defined by the Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination, which the Commissioner’s institution created in cooperation with civil society organizations. As she stated, this model could also be useful for assessing the impact of regulations on young people, given the similar goals and approaches.

“To build a just society, we need tools such as impact tests, but also the genuine participation of young people in decision-making processes. Respecting procedures in the creation of public policies must not be reduced to an administrative obligation, but must be their very essence,” concluded Commissioner Janković.