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- Ελληνικά
Mr. Kyriakos Hatzigiannis, Special Representative of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA) for Civil Society Participation, participated today in an online dialogue organized by the Assembly on the contribution of young people in strengthening the rule of law, democracy and human rights.
In his intervention, Mr Hatzigiannis stressed that the active participation of young people in democratic processes contributes significantly to building more democratic and participatory societies. However, the encouragement of youth participation, Mr. Hatzigiannis stressed, should not be limited to their attendance at the polls, when elections are held or when they run for political office, but should be aimed mainly at the effective participation of youth in decision-making processes.
The Cypriot Special Representative pointed out that while youth throughout the OSCE region can be an agent of change and improvement, they are often underrepresented and, in some cases, completely excluded from formal decision-making processes. Hatzigiannis noted that the grouping of young people in civil society organisations is an important factor in strengthening their participation in democratic processes and the positive impact of this participation on society and should be further encouraged.
Finally, noting that young activists active in the defence of democratic rights are often retaliated against or intimidated in a number of countries, Mr. Hatzigiannis warned that the possibilities for young people to strengthen their action for the rule of law, democracy and human rights are limited due to the shrinking democratic space in OSCE participating States.
(EC)
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