The United Nations Security Council adopted unanimously, on 9th December 2015, a ground-breaking resolution on Youth, Peace and Security which recognizes that “young people play an important and positive role in the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security”. This resolution; UNSCR 2250 (2015) identifies five key pillars for action: participation, protection, prevention, partnerships and disengagement and reintegration.
Though this landmark resolution encourages the establishment of partnerships between youth-led and youth-focused organizations, governments, and other stakeholders, this critical component of the YPS is still absent in the implementation of the UNSCR2250.
At the just recent Global Youth Interfaith and Intercultural Forum in Doha, Qatar, I asked panelists for their views on why it is difficult for Member States, INGOs, donors and other stakeholders to partner with young people and youth-led organizations in line with the UN Resolution 2250. They offered interesting viewpoints and areas of intervention.
UNSCR 2250 should be a working resolution as young people across the globe continue to work tirelessly in promoting peace and preventing violent extremism in their respective communities and countries. So the question still remains, ‘Why is it difficult to partner with young people?‘
ASFIT as a Ghanaian youth-led peacebuilding NGO would continue to work with stakeholders including fellow young people to ensure the localization of this resolution in Ghana.
