The Future of Social Justice Policies
By Federation of Young European Greens
What are policies — and why do they matter for social justice?
Policies shape the world we live in. They can define our rights, outline responsibilities, and set the boundaries within which our societies operate. But for many young people, the concept of “policy” still feels distant – something written in offices far away, by people we will never meet, using language that feels almost designed to keep us out. Also, what is the difference between a policy, law, campaign… anyway?
Policies decide everything from the air we breathe to the freedom we enjoy. And if social justice is about making sure everyone – human and non-human – can live free from harm and oppression, then understanding and influencing policy becomes not just a political skill, but a moral responsibility.
This realisation was at the heart of Summer Camp 2025: Policies of Today and Tomorrow, the second activity of FYEG’s year-long project One for All, All for One. After building a shared understanding of what modern social justice means in the European Lab: Social Justice, Here and Now, it was time to move from values to action.
From Understanding to Action
At the end of July, young activists from across Europe gathered in the coastal village of Celbowo, Puck, Poland, to explore the machinery behind and around the policies that shape our everyday lives. The location, with its quaint, rural charm, offered the perfect backdrop for thinking critically about how decisions are made, and who they really serve.
Over six days, participants immersed themselves in three learning blocks:
Introduction to policy-making – understanding what policies are, how they are created, and how to tell when they are just, unjust, effective, or ineffective.
Exploration of specific policy areas – from environmental protection and labour rights to animal welfare and migration policy – with real-world case studies showing the stakes of legislative choices.
Creative policy assessment projects – participants applied their knowledge to assess existing policies and propose concrete improvements, aligning them with the inclusive vision of social justice built earlier in the year.
Why Policy Matters for Social Justice
The first event of the year showed us that liberation is interconnected — that racism, speciesism, misogyny, environmental destruction, and economic exploitation share common roots — then this summer camp revealed the levers we can pull to address them.
A few key realisations emerged:
Policy is power in action – without laws and regulations that reflect our values, social justice remains an aspiration, not a reality.
Good intentions are not enough – many policies claim to promote equality but fail to address systemic barriers, or worse, create new ones.
Intersectionality must be written into policy – if a law protects one group while ignoring or harming another, it cannot be called just. Or even effective!
Participants learned to ask sharper questions:
Does this policy consider the needs of all affected — humans, animals, and ecosystems alike?
Does it redistribute power and resources fairly, or entrench existing hierarchies?
Does it protect long-term wellbeing over short-term profit ?
A Policy Vision for the 21st Century
By the final day, the participants created 4 policy analyses, applying what they have learnt in the technical and topical exploration throughout the week. The analyses covered:
Common Agricultural Policy (2023-27)
Common Security and Defence Policy (2023)
Housing policy in Poland (2018)
London Biodiversity Action Plan [LBAP] - Policy Framework (2021–2026)
All include consideration of all actors — of human animals, non-human animals, as well as environmental interests. You can read and watch the highlights of the policies here.
What Comes Next?
The knowledge gained in Puck will not stay in Puck. It will fuel campaigns, shape activism, and inform the voices of young policymakers in local, national, and European debates.
The journey continues with the four-month online learning academy on social justice, Young Green Academy: Social Justice in Theory and Practice, which will begin with two interactive workshops led by experts. These sessions will guide participants through the world of policy-making: what policies are, how they are created, what makes a proposal strong, and — most importantly — how to write one yourself.
From there, participants will work in groups to conduct original research and draft policy projects. The aim is to develop innovative proposals on topics that are central to the Young Greens’ vision — issues that demand a clear, principled stance but are too often neglected or inadequately addressed in the current policy landscape.
Into the future
In the 21st century, social justice cannot be left to chance or sentiment. It must be written into the rules we live by. And that’s exactly what the Young European Greens are preparing to do.
Because if one deserves rights, all do.
If one deserves wellbeing, all do.
One for All, All for One — in law, in policy, in life.
