Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe: Over half of its people are under the age of 25, and about 21 percent of population of Kosovo is between the ages of 15 and 25. Therefore, the challenges related to political, economic and social development during the ongoing transition period are first and foremost the challenges of young people, who are Kosovo’s future workers, business people, parents, citizens and leaders.

For this reason, the Kosovo Human Development Report 2006 (KHDR 2006) is focused on youth. It examines the problems and challenges they face, their current and likely future role in Kosovo society, and ways to strengthen young people’s participation in and influence on political and economic developments.

The report consists of four chapters. The first assesses the current situation of young people and concludes that greater investment in them will help stimulate progress and accelerate poverty reduction. These developments can only be realized through young and highly educated people who are equipped with the appropriate knowledge, skills and competence.