Youth policy

Young people's lives are affected by public decisions and measures in most policy areas of the government and at all levels of society. Therefore, national youth policy concerns a number of different areas, such as work, housing, education, health, leisure and participation.

In Sweden, the Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality, headed by Ms Nyamko Sabuni, is responsible for the coordination of the government's youth policy, issues affecting youth organisations and international cooperation in the youth field. The central government agency, the Swedish National Board for Youth Affairs (Ungdomsstyrelsen), is an important actor in the implementation of youth policy.

In Sweden the local authorities and county councils have a considerable degree of autonomy and many decisions that concern young people are taken at municipal level.

Over 1.5 million of Sweden's inhabitants are young people between the ages of 13 and 25.