Young people are not just the future of peace—they are the pillars sustaining it today.
As the convener of the Ghana Civil Society Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security, African Students For Interfaith Tolerance (ASFIT) hosted an important strategy meeting with coalition members and development partners on 21st May, 2026. Our objective was clear: to evaluate and shape the processes leading to the development of Ghana’s first-ever National Action Plan (NAP) on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS).
The overarching consensus from the dialogue is absolute: Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are the primary engine room required to successfully domesticate and sustain the framework of youth, peace, and security in Ghana. Without local ownership, even the most progressive policies risk remaining dormant on paper.
The NAP Roadmap Forward
The coalition was privileged to receive a comprehensive technical brief from Dr. Festus Kofi Aubyn, the Lead Consultant guiding the development of the national action plan. Dr. Aubyn updated members on the consultation milestones achieved so far and laid out a strategic, three-pronged roadmap for civil society mobilization moving forward:
1. Amplifying Grassroots Awareness
A policy is only as strong as the community that champions it. The coalition must move the NAP from high-level offices in Accra to the streets of local communities. Our priority is ensuring that rural, borderland, and marginalized youth networks deeply understand, access, and take definitive ownership of the YPS NAP.
2. Co-Shaping the Strategic Process
We are moving past the era of tokenistic inclusion. Coalition members are actively mobilizing to contribute technical insights, localized security data, and grassroots perspectives to upcoming public consultations and formal calls for submissions.
3. Innovating Private Sector Engagement
Securing sustainable peace requires sustainable financing. The roadmap emphasizes forging innovative, cross-sectoral public-private-civil society partnerships. By engaging Ghana’s private sector, we aim to unlock independent funding streams to resource and implement localized YPS activities nationwide.
Turning Policy into Practice
We extend our profound gratitude to Dr. Festus Kofi Aubyn for his invaluable guidance and to the coalition members and development partners who brought their insight to the table. It is this shared energy, local expertise, and unyielding commitment that turns resolutions into felt community realities.
As the convener, ASFIT is currently synthesizing the operational outputs from this session. Detailed, actionable follow-up steps will be shared with our general membership, partners, and the public shortly.
