Stanisha Stankovikj, Young European Ambassador from North Macedonia

Given the positive outcomes and efforts, the story of the fight for the rights of young people from single parents and one-parent families is well-known, supported, and accepted among the North-Macedonian citizens. However, I believe that the citizens of the Western Balkans should also be aware of the institutional struggle for young people from various family structures.

In addition to my status as a Young European Ambassador, which in some ways helps me carry out all activities pertaining to people's rights, I have spent years working as a youth activist, raising awareness of the plight of young people who are from single parents or one-parent families. As a young man who has grown up in a particular kind of family, I know that the struggle for representation, equality, and justice in North-Macedonian institutions never ends.

I can mention three national volunteer recognitions in the youth family story, followed by a World Youth Day recognition award from the state president, five initiatives to improve the rights of these young people, an award from the European Confederation of Youth Clubs, and co-authorship of the first brochure on the rights of young people from family and single-parent families in North Macedonia, the Western Balkans, and Europe.

Prior to last month's end, I was the youngest speaker at an international conference for single parents in Budapest, Hungary, from November 21 to 23. The representation of North Macedonia and the Western Balkans entails a unique obligation to demonstrate that there is inspiring youth activism for these young people from N. Macedonia, the Western Balkan nations, as well as more broadly while addressing this issue, some for the youth of these kinds of families.

In light of Hungary's EU presidency, this issue is becoming more and more prominent on the political agenda. Despite the fact that North Macedonia has strategies, documents, and recommendations that we can safely and persuasively present before the institutions, Montenegro leads the Balkans in this regard, followed by Serbia which has a comparatively broad range of policies regarding these families.