Promoting Fundamental Rights through Charter Use in Society (FOCUS)

What is the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union?

The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (CFREU) is a document that outlines the fundamental rights and freedoms that all citizens and residents in the EU are entitled to. These rights include dignity, freedoms, equality, solidarity, citizens’ rights, and justice. The Charter ensures that both EU institutions and its member states uphold and protect these rights.

Despite the charter’s importance, many citizens are still unaware of the full scope of their rights and how they can be applied in real-life situations. That’s where the FOCUS project comes in: its mission is to raise public awareness of the Charter’s value and empower the general public and  key stakeholders such as journalists, academics and local authorities  to make its principles more widely known and applied.

FOCUS Activities

Youth Rights Dialogue

The YouthRights Dialogue was an opportunity for National Committees of the European Youth Parliament to engage young people in discussions and activities centred around the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (CFREU). By organising a YouthRights Dialogue event, the selected National Committees provided a platform for young people to explore, discuss, and advocate for fundamental rights issues relevant to their National Committees. The activities were supported by the NC Project Fund.

VisionLab

The YouthRights Vision Lab is designed to engage EYPers in the practice of policymaking and expressing their opinions on the applicability of the CFREU by developing a Vision Booklet on how to advocate and apply Fundamental Rights.
This year, the lab took place from 12–14 September, in Berlin, for which ten young human rights advocates met to explore how the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union can be better understood and applied within the EYP and beyond.
Guided by facilitator Sofie De Jong and expert Nino Tsereteli, they developed practical ideas to make the Charter more accessible and engaging for young people.

In December 2025 “From Dialogue to Change: A Youth Vision for Fundamental Rights” was published as key outputemerging from the YouthRights Vision Lab. The Vision Paper explores how the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights can be translated from abstract principles into lived realities. It focuses on five areas under particular pressure today — climate, cultural heritage, technology, non-discrimination, and democracy and media — and offers concrete, youth-driven policy proposals for both civil society actors and decision-makers.

Understanding Europe

Understanding Europe, a European network for Peer Education, collaborated with the FOCUS project to build youth capacity and awareness around the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Through a course manual, a series of training events, and workshops, Understanding Europe aims to empower young people to engage more effectively in local, national, and European democratic participation.

Capacity Building

We had the opportunity to feature FOCUS workshops at selected Capacity Building events in 2025 and provide participants with a practical understanding of the CFREU and allow them to develop new perspectives, personal relationships, and a stronger connection to democracy, active citizenship, and human rights. Keep reading to find out more.

FOCUS at the Media Academy 2025

From March 12–16, the Media Academy took place in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, where, over the course of four days, trainees got to learn about media, communications, and how their influence can affect today’s global outlook on fundamental human rights. Through the trainings, the participants gained new skills and knowledge, crafting ideas for their own media projects with a focus on human rights.
Next to the goal of wanting to train a new generation of youth volunteers in the field of media and communications,
one of the event’s main goals was to raise awareness of fundamental human rights through pursuing better media literacy, understanding of diverse approaches to modern media, and equipping trainees with tools to raise awareness of these matters among their networks.
As a tangible outcome of the training, participants also developed their own media projects and campaigns aimed at promoting fundamental rights. One such project was a Europe-wide sticker campaign, conceptualised and designed by trainees during the Media Academy.

FOCUS at Training Academy 2025

The EYP Training Academy is a key event for new trainers, where participants learn innovative methodologies and develop their own training programmes!
This year’s rendition in June brought together a diverse group of trainees who took part in a series of modules, all aimed at improving their skills as trainers and peer-to-peer educators. The discussions covered different phases of training, including preparation, content, delivery, learning processes, and follow-up.
A standout moment in the event was a powerful workshop led by EYP alumna Niamh Webster (UK), Editor with the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights in Brussels. Her session on the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU (CFREU) sparked thoughtful conversations – showing how fundamental rights are more than just legal frameworks; they are also guiding principles that shape our work and values in youth-led civic spaces.

FOCUS at Summer Academy 2025

At the beginning of August, EYP Poland hosted 70 young participants from across Europe in Poznań for a week of learning at the EYP Summer Academy. This event is our network’s largest capacity-building initiative, aimed at young leaders managing their national boards.
Under the guidance of a talented team of trainers led by Joshua FitzGerald, we created an inclusive space for past, current, and future EYP Board Members. Participants received a comprehensive training programme covering key areas such as outreach, fundraising, sustainable event practices, and improving the activities organised in their home countries. Alongside these practical skills, members engaged in workshops on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, exploring how their everyday responsibilities already contribute to rights education, from shaping committee topics and ensuring accessible participation to fostering welcoming environments for diverse voices. Through these discussions, participants deepened their understanding of how their work embodies EYP’s mission to develop informed, open-minded, and responsible active citizens, while also discovering new approaches to strengthening fundamental rights awareness within their networks.