The Youth Initiative for Human Rights was founded in 2003 with the aim of advancing peacebuilding and initiating youth cooperation within the region through conflict resolution and overcoming of inter-ethnic tensions, as well as monitoring human rights violations and advocating for accountability, proper treatment of war victims and the rule of law. YIHR is a regional network with representation in Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. Through its educational and youth exchange programmes YIHR has worked with young people across Western Balkan region to empower them to become peace activists and advocates for regional solidarity. In addition, throughout the years the organization has relied on democratic mechanism of facilitating dialogue between young people, civil society activists, and decision makers on a broad range of human rights issues. In 2019 YIHR was awarded with Vaclav Havel Prize on behalf of the the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe which honours outstanding civil society action in defence of human rights.
