On March 13, over fifty young people between the ages of 18 and 30 from the Western Balkans participated in a virtual dialogue to address the root causes of gender inequalities. This was the first regional consultation organized by UN Women Albania as part of the UN’s ‘Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality & Trust’ project funded by the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund. The project aims to support young men and women from the Western Balkans to promote constructive and fact-based narratives, as well as foster trust, intercultural dialogue, cultural diversity, gender equality and social cohesion. The consultation drew participants from academia and civil society, with around twenty young women taking part.

The young men and women debated five topics: negative legacies of the past, nationalistic and anti-gender narratives, social acceptance and social distance, gender equality for social cohesion and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The discussion identified a strong link between the undermining of democratic systems, rising nationalism and social vulnerability. The youth felt that they were both a group vulnerable to nationalism and anti-gender equality movements, but also a social group with strong potential to counter the anti-gender equality narrative. Participants emphasized the need for youth to play a more prominent role in policymaking, advocacy, media literacy, and education on social issues.

During the discussion, the participants recognized the significant role of family and education in maintaining and reproducing social inequalities that are commonly accepted as normal in the private sphere. While the family is an important means of socialization, the youth emphasized the strong influence of patriarchal values within the nuclear family. One participant emphasized the need to raise children equally, without gender-based distinctions.

Patriarchal values and women's inequality can contribute to social divisions and increasing hate speech. When women are excluded from social, economic, and political life, their lack of representation and participation can exacerbate tensions within society. To foster a more cohesive and harmonious society, it’s crucial to address gender-based discrimination and promote women's rights and equality.

While young people have the potential to contribute to a more positive and diverse future, they sometimes have little interest in critically engaging with dominant nationalistic narratives. “There is a lot of hate speech propaganda in the media, especially on social media channels, that young people are mostly following. So, youth start to believe that the only alternative to the status quo they are living in, is the world portrayed by nationalistic rhetoric, because it is easier to be involved in, and simpler to believe” stated a young woman from Bosnia and Herzegovina.  

Nevertheless, promoting gender equality offers the potential to cut across other social lines and build horizontal trust.  “When we talk about gender equality in the Western Balkans, the gender issues we all face are very similar. Even with different backgrounds and differences in how we grew up, we can all find some middle ground and talk about the issues that we all face. So, it is important to have this understanding, and to have solidarity” emphasised a participant from Serbia.

The discussions on politics and gender highlighted the positive role of quotas in political representation in raising women’s representation. However, despite the rising numbers, women in politics still face underrepresentation in terms of effective power, leadership, and decision-making. A young man from Albania observed, “women are often described in politics as ‘trophies’, showing that ‘the numbers are achieved’, but what remains unobserved is the aspect related to ‘how women engage in politics’. Women should be more proactive, negotiate between parties, lead negotiating processes, policy making and parties’ political discourses.”

Through the PBF-funded project, UN Women and partners are increasing efforts to address the gender equality dimension of social cohesion challenges in a region where traditional gender norms further fuel divisive narratives and discrimination. The project emphasizes the involvement of young people from the outset, providing them with the necessary skills and resources, conducting research collaboratively, and creating a safe and supportive environment for their participation.