7. Musamba, the Equal Partner in Peace

I have observed that many well-intended partnerships in fact create age and gender power dynamics where non-youth have most of the decision making power. Youth-driven partnership development and supporting our partners in engaging with us can counter that! Trust-building is another essential element of meaningful intergenerational partnerships.

What if young people, like Musamba, are regarded as equal partners in peace by all? For Musamba’s initiatives to succeed and achieve lasting impact, it is crucial that he can count on the understanding, solidarity and support of his partners in peacebuilding. An intergenerational approach is fundamental to finding common ground for action, developing mutual respect, and bridging trust gaps between youth and other members of society. Partnerships across different ages that include youth across identities that include youth across identities are needed to expand the impact of youth and their contribution to peace. In the world we design, Musamba and power-holders have strengthened capacities to partner, as well as the spaces to engage together on decisions and policies related to peace and security.

Shaping a new landscape

How can we create strong intergenerational partnerships between youth and other peace partners? We start by empowering youth and non-youth to engage equitably with each other, challenge power imbalances, and embrace a culture of meaningful youth participation. This involves supporting our partners in their commitments to actively and meaningfully engage young people in peacebuilding, while holding them accountable to do so.