Federation of Youth of Northern Cyprus: IV Congress forums will ensure more active youth participation in decision-making

The leader of the Youth Federation, Mustafa Özbilgehan, stated on September 4, 2025, on Genç TV that the IV Youth Congress and the forums created afterward should provide the youth of Northern Cyprus with more effective access to decision-making and strengthen human rights advocacy.

According to Özbilgehan, the federation intends to develop local youth councils and regional associations that unite youth from different social groups. In addition to discussions, the forums will receive physical infrastructure and advocacy resources and will serve as a platform for generating proposals in youth policy. The federation plans to conduct a study on youth unemployment to justify measures and reforms.

Özbilgehan noted that since 2019, efforts have been made to create a bicommunal Youth Technical Committee together with the Cyprus Youth Council; these initiatives were accompanied by lobbying in Brussels and Ankara. He also reminded of a protocol with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Environment, under which the federation became a partner of the State Council on Youth Programs.

For residents of Northern Cyprus, this means increased opportunities for youth participation in public consultations and access to new platforms for raising social and economic demands.