Youth, Peace, and Security

Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) is an international policy agenda that recognizes the important role of young people in preventing conflict, sustaining peace, and shaping security processes at local, national, regional, and global levels. The framework was established through a series of United Nations Security Council resolutions and has since guided efforts by Member States, the UN system, civil society, and youth-led organizations to strengthen youth engagement in peace and security initiatives.

Background

The UNSC resolution 2250 was the first international resolution to formally recognize the positive contributions that young people make to peacebuilding and conflict prevention. It marked a shift from seeing youth solely as victims or perpetrators of violence to acknowledging them as partners in building sustainable peace.

Subsequent resolutions, including UNSCR 2419 (2018) and UNSCR 2535 (2020), have built upon the initial framework by reinforcing youth participation in peace processes and integrating the agenda more fully into UN priorities.

Pillars

The Youth, Peace, and Security agenda is structured around the following five key pillars:

1. Participation - ensuring meaningful inclusion of young people in peace and security decision making, from conflict prevention to negotiations and peacebuilding processes.
2. Protection - safeguarding the rights and safety of youth affected by conflict and violence, and ensuring access to justice.
3. Prevention - reducing the cause that push young people towards violence, including addressing exclusion, inequality, and lack of opportunity.
4. Partnerships - maintaining cooperation between governments, international organizations, civil society, and youth groups to promote peace initiatives.
5. Disengagement and Reintegration - supporting young people previously involved in armed groups or violence in their transition back into society through education, employment, and social inclusion programs.

References