ACCORD supported a High Level Peer Learning Session on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS), in partnership with the Multifunctional Youth Forum, Life and Peace Institute and ACT!, from 16 to 17 August 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The peer learning session included presentations from various leaders in the YPS space, including youth peace practitioners, the African Union Youth for Peace Africa Program representative Dr. Rhuks Ako and the Co-Chair of the Global Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security Mr. Saji Prelis. The youth practitioners shared insights from their field work, while other speakers provided overviews of the YPS space in terms of policy, gaps, challenges and opportunities.
With the overarching goal of transitioning best practices into standard practices, the conference aimed to nurture a comprehensive framework for youth engagement. The objectives included reshaping narratives, fostering inclusive dialogue spaces, and amplifying grassroots efforts. The recommendations that emerged included a call for regional collaboration, grassroots alliances, and gender-inclusive peacebuilding.
Some of the strategies that the youth developed during the group work included popularizing the United Nations Security Resolution 2250 on YPS through campaigns and outreach to enhance understanding and support for the framework. Another strategy was to advocate for town hall meetings to foster open dialogues on YPS issues and cultivate grassroots support. There was also a proposal for a steering committee to develop a national action plan in Kenya, thereby providing a structured guide for aligned actions at the national level. A final strategy that was discussed was the need to create a coalition of organizations dedicated to YPS in Kenya to combine resources and expertise to help strengthen YPS initiatives.
The peer sharing session was an opportunity for ACCORD to support efforts to enhance the role of youth to prevent, mitigate and resolve complex conflicts, as encapsulated in ACCORD’s strategic pillar 4.
