The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights presents the sixth annual Youth Human Rights Report in the Republic of Serbia, continuing the tradition of systematic monitoring that began in 2019. The report analyses twelve key rights and several thematic areas – from education, work, and health to housing, youth participation, and the position of vulnerable groups – aiming to offer a clear, evidence-based, and accessible overview of the human rights situation of young people in Serbia in 2024.
The findings of 2024 report reveal both the critical challenges that threaten the rights of young people and the powerful examples of their resilience and civic engagement.
An awakening generation
The past year has seen the awakening of student movements and growing civic participation among youth. The tragic collapse of the roof at Novi Sad Railway Station on 1 November 2024, which claimed 16 lives—including nine children and young people—became a turning point for mass protests and university blockades across Serbia. Following the first major protest on 5 November, masked individuals detained activists in Novi Sad without identifying themselves as officials. In response, students of the Faculty of Dramatic Arts launched a blockade of their faculty after attacks on students and professors during a peaceful protest, demanding accountability and justice. Their courage inspired students at other faculties to follow suit. These events marked a shift from the perception of youth apathy to visible, collective action in defense of justice, solidarity, and democratic values.
The right to adequate housing – out of reach
For many young people, leaving their family home remains an unattainable goal. Over 60% of youth (aged 15–29) live in overcrowded housing conditions, while the average age of leaving home in Serbia is 30.2 years, compared to 26.2 years in the EU. Government initiatives such as “affordable housing loans” for first-time buyers have often been criticized for serving financial interests rather than addressing the structural causes of housing insecurity, and for being designed without meaningful consultation with young people. This disconnect between policy and reality further deepens social inequality and delays youth independence.
Precarious work, insecure future
Although the official youth unemployment rate has slightly decreased, one in six young people remains unemployed, and around 15% are neither in education, employment, nor training (NEET). Beneath the surface of these figures lie persistent problems of job insecurity, poor working conditions, and gender inequality. Almost 40% of young workers are employed on short-term contracts, while only about half (52%) have stable employment. Precarious work, combined with limited opportunities for professional growth, continues to push many young people toward uncertainty and migration.
Mental health in crisis
Mental health remains one of the most pressing challenges for youth. Despite rising anxiety and stress levels, nearly two-thirds (62.3%) of young people do not seek professional help, and the rate of help-seeking has dropped from 52.7% in 2021 to 37.7% in 2024. The country faces a chronic shortage of mental health professionals, with only 29 child and adolescent psychiatrists nationwide, and significant regional disparities in access to services. This situation reflects a systemic failure to recognize and respond to mental health needs, leaving young people without adequate support and long-term protection of their wellbeing.
The Youth Human Rights Report 2024 calls for stronger institutional accountability, genuine participation of young people in decision-making, and policies grounded in equality, social justice, and human dignity.
👉 The full report is available HERE (in Serbian).
