51.7% of young people say they have too few rights; many do not know how to seek protection

More than half of young people in North Macedonia believe they have too few rights, but limited legal literacy, fear of consequences and distrust of institutions stop many from seeking protection. The finding appears in a 2024 survey by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation: 51.7 percent of the 504 respondents aged 14–29 held that view.

Legal experts and youth organisations say young people often recognise injustices but do not always know how to respond or where to turn. Professor Jasna Bachovska Nedic of the Faculty of Law "Justinian I" in Skopje warns that online access to information does not automatically translate into practical legal knowledge.

Where can young people seek help?

"One thing is to know that you have a certain right, and quite another to know what to do when that right is violated," Bachovska Nedic says, arguing that the education system does not adequately prepare young people for real situations such as signing contracts, defending labour and consumer rights, digital harassment or filing complaints.

Youth groups such as the Center for Youth Activism KRIK report that young people generally recognise rights like freedom of expression, equality and non‑discrimination, but lack understanding of the procedures to protect them — particularly in employment, education and social protection. Additional barriers affect young people with disabilities and those with fewer opportunities.

Lawyer Dejan Jovcheski points to weak knowledge about remedies before courts, the Ministry of Interior, local authorities and the Ombudsman, including the option to submit complaints to the Commission for Prevention and Protection from Discrimination. According to that Commission, 444 complaints were filed in 2025 by citizens and organisations; 52 percent concerned labour relations and 11 percent related to education, science and sport.

Administrative mechanisms exist: anonymous reports to the State Labour Inspectorate, electronic or written complaints to the Commission for Prevention and Protection from Discrimination, and complaints to the Ombudsman for violations by public authorities. Educational problems can be addressed through school counselling services, school management or the State Education Inspectorate. Free primary legal aid is available through the Ministry of Justice, its regional offices, authorised associations and legal clinics; in 2024, 5,030 people received primary assistance.

Observers warn, however, that access is uneven: young people from rural areas, socially vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities face greater obstacles. Practical support, privacy safeguards and timely, impartial procedures are needed to reduce fear of reprisals — for example, students who avoid filing grievances against professors for fear of consequences. When young people feel heard and see that their action can bring change, they become more confident to defend their own rights and those of others.

Photo: press material from the event