U.S. Youth, Peace & Security Coalition

As the peacebuilding field begins to expand its influence in U.S. policy during an era of emerging youth power, it is imperative to both educate youth on the importance of raising their voices for peace & justice & give them a platform to do so—particularly as conflict prevention initiatives & policies increase in the U.S. context. The YPS agenda was born from the global youth movement seeking recognition of the unique needs & abilities of young people (ages 18-30) & garner support for local & global policies that are youth-inclusive & center their experiences. And already, we are seeing progress: in the past decade, people in power on a global level have elevated the voices of young people in their decision-making processes, especially as YPS has been adopted & enhanced by world-leading institutions & national governments.

Co-led by Search for Common Ground & the STAND: The Student-Led Movement to End Mass Atrocities, the U.S. Youth, Peace & Security (YPS) Coalition consists of youth leaders from 75+ organizations within the humanitarian, peacebuilding & international development fields looking to continue this momentum. As a Coalition, these representatives are dedicated to advancing the non-partisan Youth, Peace & Security Act & broader global YPS agenda. The Coalition actively educates & engages the U.S. Congress on the importance of youth peacebuilding to U.S. global security efforts. The Coalition additionally connects young people worldwide & provides a platform for youth, USG, donors, programmers & policymakers to advance & implement global YPS policy frameworks.