1. Background and Purpose

This document presents consolidated Youth Sounding Board (YSB) inputs to inform the development of the Civil Society Roadmap (CSRM) 2025–2027. The recommendations are drawn from thematic group discussions focused on youth inclusion and co-creation, visibility and access to information, and civic space, governance, and accountability.

The objective of this brief is to translate youth perspectives into clear, actionable priority actions that can be integrated into the CSRM to strengthen meaningful youth participation in EU–Kenya cooperation.

Across the thematic discussions, YSB members highlighted that while youth engagement within EU programming is increasing, it remains uneven and largely consultative. Structural barriers including limited access to information, restrictive funding models, shrinking civic space, and weak accountability mechanisms continue to constrain meaningful youth participation, particularly for grassroots and marginalised groups.

At the same time, youth-led and community-based actors demonstrate strong commitment, innovation, and legitimacy at community level, positioning them as critical partners for effective CSRM implementation.