Everywhere, young people are faced with tremendous challenges to create and participate in positive change for peace.
The year 2020 the planet counts 2.4 billion young people between 15 and 34 years old, and 1.85 billion between the ages of 10 and 24. Among them, 90% are living in developing countries and one of every four is affected by armed conflict or violence.
The year 2020 is an important year for young people. Five years ago, the UN Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) was adopted, which was a historic moment for the acknowledgement of youth in peacebuilding. Five years down the line, it is time to take stock of promises made.
The essential role of young people in peace and security is more widely recognised than ever before, thanks to the growing evidence available of youth-led peace. Since the creation of the network, UNOY peacebuilders¹ have been involved in all phases of peace and conflict cycles ―from prevention to humanitarian support to post-conflict truth and reconciliation processes― and have addressed multiple forms of violence to bring peace to their communities.
Table of Contents
- 0. Introduction
- 1. Vision, Mission, Values
- 2. Context
- 3. Landscaping Change
- 4. Noura, the Protected Peacebuilder
- 5. Pablo, the Resourced Peacebuilder
- 6. Ray, the Participating Peacebuilder
- 7. Musamba, the Equal Partner in Peace
- 8. Sabeena, the Creative Changemaker
- 9. Groundworks for Peace
- 10. Reaping Change
- 11. Notes on Language
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Yet, a majority of youth still face structural barriers to participate and influence decision-making, resulting in a number of exclusions (political, economic, educational, gendered, etc.) that are perceived by young people as the violence of exclusion. Restrictions to young people’s civic space and inadequate resourcing of young peacebuilders remain major obstacles for unleashing the youth power for peace.
Youth’s participation in peace and security processes is still very low, as traditional participation arenas are often inaccessible. Too frequently, UNOY peacebuilders still face closed doors, lack of credit and recognition, and are marginalised in victims or villains roles. These negative narratives and stereotypes about our age group are frequent and disempowering to young people around the world. They continue to inform policy myths that frame youth as a threat and policy responses that focus on securitised and reactionary strategies, despite growing evidence debunking and criticising them.
In 2020, the conclusion is clear. The efforts of the international community and the multilateral system are lagging behind the ambitions of young peacebuilders and UNSCR 2250, protracting the violence of youth exclusion and fueling the reciprocal mistrust that hinders sustaining peace.
Young peacebuilders are essential partners to achieve global peace and security.
Despite barriers, young people’s lead in planting the seeds of change and creating peace has not stopped. Youth have mobilised informal environments and generated innovative spaces to participate. UNOY peacebuilders have been around for 30 years, and while the adoption of UNSCR 2250 raised the profile of our work, it is our strong history of determined and constructive contributions to peace that have made real changes possible.
UNOY have resourcefully built alliances and partnerships to contribute to sustainable peace and development, in spite of the mistrust and discrimination we face. Now, traditional peacebuilding actors are recognising that the participation of young people ‘around the [negotiation] room’ or their activism ‘outside the room’―through online campaigns and peaceful demonstrations―are more influential than anticipated, and that traditional methods for building peace are often limited.
In 2019, youth movements have risen against their exclusion from important decisions, establishing ‘solutions’ to oppose power structures that are socially and environmentally unfair and exclusive. UNOY peacebuilders have launched climate campaigns, monitored for fair and open elections, lobbied for more investment in peace, and stood for inclusive societies. In 2020, youth leadership has shaped the way in which communities have responded to unprecedented global threats. UNOY peacebuilders have developed on the spot support services for those affected by social isolation, campaigns to fight misinformation and fake news, while promoting social cohesion and tolerance.
By 2025, we want young people to be more united and empowered than ever, steering social progress, inspiring political transformations, and innovating in social justice activism.
To get there, we will bring down the structural barriers to meaningful youth participation in peace and security. This means supporting political participation of youth in formal political, electoral and peace processes, and in less formal community-level and digital spaces. This requires breaking down stereotypes, creating entry points, challenging exclusionary structures, and mobilising adequate resources for youth-led peacebuilding. Ultimately, we will create an enabling landscape for youth participation, where there is space to be civically engaged for peace and where young peacebuilders are empowered.
In bringing down these barriers, UNOY’s resilience, creativity and energy will be the driving force. We will need the support of all of our partners and donors. We will be holding Member States and multilateral actors accountable to their promises, especially in the central role they have to play in the implementation of the three UN Security Council resolutions 2250, 2419, 2535, so that youth participation becomes real and meaningful.
¹When we refer to UNOY peacebuilders, we mean the young peacebuilders that form our global network. When we refer to UNOY, we mean the international organisation coordinating the network.