Right to co-determination: DBJR welcomes Human Rights Report 2025

To the press release To the human rights report 

Focus on the participation of young people
The human rights report documents that children and young people in Germany continue to face major hurdles when it comes to having their voices heard in political processes - for example on issues relating to military service, social media regulations and other decisions relevant to young people. The DIMR emphasises that young people under the age of 18 are still not allowed to vote despite the long-term effects of many decisions at federal level. This makes it all the more important to at least give them other effective ways to have a say and participate.

Recommended measures for more participation and protection
Among other things, the DIMR calls for increased financial support for young people's self-organisations, better protection against hate and violence and practical support services. These include free bus and train tickets and the provision of premises. Youth participation can only be effectively strengthened through concrete and sustainable measures. The DBJR welcomes this recommendation from the perspective of the youth associations, which, as a self-organisation of young people at federal level, have already formulated such concrete demands for improving the framework conditions for good youth participation.

Significance for youth associations and political responsibility
For youth associations and youth organisations, the report underlines how necessary stable structural and political framework conditions are for young people to be perceived as equal actors. The analysis confirms central demands of the DBJR: expand youth participation, strengthen self-organisation, secure safe spaces. The DBJR therefore calls on the federal and state governments to swiftly implement the recommendations formulated in the report so that young people's right to participation is effectively guaranteed.