5. Pablo, the Resourced Peacebuilder

I see the need for increasing and easing access to resources to support the operations of my organisation and transform climate conflicts, as well as for forming equal and long-term relationships with our partners in doing so. Concretely, I need dedicated funds for youth organisations that are easy to access, report and administer, and that focus on peace work and collective action.

What if young people, like Pablo, have access to the resources necessary to build sustainable peace? Absent or inadequate resourcing remains a major obstacle for Pablo to build peace in and around his community. Most organisations like his operate with very low institutional funding and have limited capacities. When available, funding often has a specific focus on the role of youth in relation to violent extremism and terrorism. This has pressured Pablo’s organisation to change focus as the only way to access resources, and reinforces the stereotype that young people are either victims or perpetrators of violence, failing to address the roots and key drivers of conflict, such as abusive and exclusive governance systems. In the world we build, Pablo and his organisation can access flexible and youth-tailored funding, developing multiple capacities for peacebuilding.

Shaping a new landscape

How do we create a different funding and resourcing landscape for young people? It starts with creating a new culture of engagement with young people. In the coming years, we will increase the capacities and financial resources available to UNOY peacebuilders, focusing on what they need to continue building peace in a changing world. We will advocate for a youth-led funding agenda in relevant alliances and platforms where decisions on funding are made, and lead by example in developing our own diligent and empowering frameworks. We will also create and sustain communities of learning for young peacebuilders, where methodologies and networks for collective empowerment can thrive in designing strategies to comprehensively resource youth.