Empowering migration solutions: The impact of evidence-based policymaking in Kosovo

Abstract This study analyzes policies on youth empowerment, employment, and migration, framed within migration and labor market theories, as well as the principles of evidence-based policy (EBP). The central hypothesis posits that the implementation of EBP in Kosovo’s public administration would improve accountability, transparency, and policy delivery, thus reducing youth emigration. The research, using a qualitative approach, compares Kosovo’s policies with theoretical and models. It reveals a significant educational disparity, high youth unemployment, and ineffective migration policies, contributing to persistent youth migration. Kosovo’s initiatives to address youth migration have been limited by weak policy coordination, institutional inefficiencies, and lack of empirical data. Therefore, EBP could enhance policy effectiveness by providing solutions for aligning education with labor market demands, improving vocational training, and creating sustainable employment opportunities, thereby reducing youth emigration and fostering better integration of returnees.