Children and youth
Children and youth make up half the population in developing countries. Healthy and educated children and youth are an opportunity for increasing their country's human and economic capital. However, every year over 10 million of them die before reaching the age of 5 and over 200 million are forced to work, under the legal minimum age.
Story from the field
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Youth empowerment leading to improved local environment in Mahallas
The project enhances the responsible and effective participation of youth at the decision-making process on environmental issues in Uzbekistan. The Young Environment Leader training team allows young Uzbeks to work together and reach decision. -
Youth and HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Program in the Cross-border Areas of Burma/Myanmar
Burma/Myanmar has amongst the highest HIV prevalence in South East Asia. This project aims to reduce the risk of HIV infection amongst young people, create awareness about their rights and reduce discrimination. -
Helping rural and tribal youth in India
The EU in cooperation with Oxfam GB works to increase access to information and services on HIV and reproductive health for youth and especially girls. Also, adolescents are trained as peer educators in order to support and advice other youngsters.
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What's On
Winners gender drawing competition 2011
YRAP winners are already in Tanzania
The three winners of the Young Reporters Against Poverty (YRAP) competition have started their press trip to Africa and are already in Dar es Salaam. You can follow them trough Facebook and the YRAP website.
Financial support
For the period 2007-2013, the EU's development action in this field is financed through three types of instruments:
- the implementation of the policy at national and regional level is supported by geographical instruments, such as the European Development Fund (in the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries), the Development Co-operation Instrument (in Latin America, Asia and South Africa), and the European Neighbourhood & Partnership Instrument (in the neighbouring regions);
- the thematic programme Investing in people, where 8.5% of the budget is allocated for "Protection and participation of children and youth". The programme focuses on the global monitoring and policy advocacy for child protection and the rights of children, strengthening children participation, support for pilot country programmes for reintegrating affected children and, finally, promotion of policies to support productive employment and decent work for youth;
- the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).
A regional programme for youth is running in the Mediterranean neighbouring countries: EuroMed Youth phase IV will be launched by the end of 2009.
Background information
As underlined by the European Consensus on Development 
, children and youth are particularly vulnerable and their rights and interests need special attention. The EU's development cooperation addresses many of the essential services that are crucial for the advancement of children's rights, such as health, education, social protection, as well as combating discrimination, child labour and human trafficking.
The EU's long-term strategy on children is contained in the policy papers A Special Place for Children in EU External Action and Towards an EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child . The strategy stresses the need for more policy coordination, so that children's welfare is taken into account in all the EU's dealings with other countries through political dialogue, trade negotiations, development cooperation and humanitarian aid.
The EU has also developed specific guidelines on Children Affected by Armed Conflicts (recently updated) and on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child .