The Existing Legal Framework?
What is the existing legal framework?
In 2015, the United Nations Security Council, which is responsible for maintaining international peace and security, unanimously adopted the ground-breaking Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security, recognizing that “young people play an important and positive role in the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security”.
The resolution shifted the narrative of considering youth as either perpetrators or victims of violence to consider them as active agents of change in peacebuilding. It urges Member States to give youth a greater voice in decision-making at the local, national, regional and international levels and to consider setting up mechanisms to enable youth to participate meaningfully in peace processes.
The Security Council has adopted two more resolutions on Youth, Peace and Security; Resolution 2419 (2018) that calls for the meaningful inclusion of young women and men in formal and informal peace processes and Resolution 2535 (2020) that provided concrete steps for the operationalization of the YPS Agenda, which included a request for the strengthening of technical YPS capacity at HQ and in the field.
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young people play an important and positive role in the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security
In depth…
In addition to the three Security Council resolutions, there are several resources focused on the participation of young people in peacebuilding processes and working with young people in the humanitarian settings:
- The Missing Peace: Independent progress study on youth, peace and security: requested by the UN Secretary-General in response to Resolution 2250, the study presents findings on the positive contributions of youth to peace processes and conflict resolution, and recommendations for effective responses to support the agency, leadership and ownership by young people and their networks and organizations, and to facilitate their equal and full participation in decision-making at all levels.
- First and Second Reports of the Secretary-General on Youth and Peace and Security: the biennial reports analyze recent trends and practices at the international, regional and national levels related to youth participation in peace processes, protection of youth in conflict, youth disengagement and reintegration, and partnerships with youth organizations involved in peacebuilding.
- A Guide for Public Officials in support of country-level operationalization of the Youth, Peace and Security agenda, and a Five-year Strategic Action Plan for Youth-Inclusive Peace Processes launched at the High-Level Global Conference on Youth-Inclusive Peace Processes held by the State of Qatar, Governments of Finland and Colombia, civil society and UN partners in January 2022.
- Doha Youth Declaration on Transforming Humanitarian Aid: representing the opinions of global youth representatives on improving humanitarian action.
- The Compact for Young People in Humanitarian Action: a collective commitment of 50+ humanitarian actors working to ensure that the priorities of young people are addressed and informed, consulted, and meaningfully engaged throughout all stages of humanitarian action.
- IASC Guidelines on Working with and for Young People in Humanitarian and Protracted Crises: developed by UNICEF and the Norwegian Refugee Council as the ‘go-to’ guide for working with and for young people in humanitarian settings and protracted crises.
- We are Here: An integrated approach to youth-inclusive peace processes: an independent policy paper commissioned by the United Nations Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, which analyzes where and how young people engage in peace and mediation processes.
Challenges Of Youth In Humanitarian Settings
What are the particular challenges of youth in humanitarian settings?