This document presents a strategic action plan to move from youth-inclusive norms towards youth-inclusive practices in designing and implementing peace processes. The strategy is a key output for the High-Level Global Conference on Youth-Inclusive Peace Process on 19-21 January 2022, co-hosted by the Governments of the State of Qatar, Finland, and Colombia, and co-organized with civil society and UN partners.11 The strategy builds on respective YPS resolutions and the global policy paper, We are Here: An integrated approach to youth-inclusive peace processes,
which focused on why youth participation and representation in peace processes are critical for sustaining peace, and the multilayered roles that young people have taken to influence peace negotiations.
THE CORE OBJECTIVES OF THE STRATEGY
• To establish and strengthen political and institutional commitments to achieve the full, effective, and meaningful participation of young people in peace processes at global, regional, and national levels.
• To develop youth-sensitive and gender-responsive capacity strengthening resources and knowledge tools to amplify and strengthen youth engagement in peace processes.
• To develop a youth-led community of practice and collaborative partnerships to coordinate, implement, monitor, and report on the progress of the strategy.
• To mobilize sustainable resources and financing to realize the strategic vision.
This strategy is based on interviews, consultations, and focus group discussions13 with over 90 mediation experts, young leaders, youth organizations, regional and multilateral mediation support units, gender experts, as well as
guidance provided by the core Steering Group.
The strategy is intended to promote a holistic, long-term, gender responsive, intergenerational, and integrated approach that legitimizes and realizes the meaningful participation of youth in peace processes, and strengthens the mechanisms, tools, and partnerships to create a conducive
environment to do so.
This strategic framework is built on four interconnected streams, reflecting the core objectives, which are:
- institutionalization and policy,
- capacity strengthening,
- knowledge solutions, and
- community of practice and partnerships, as interdependent pillars over the next five years.
The strategy further seeks to mainstream several key cross-cutting issues that need to be addressed throughout the implementation of the action plan, which focus on protection and security, gender and identity, communication and norm-shaping, digital technology and innovation,
and resources and funding.
You must be logged in in order to leave a comment