Mapping a Sector: Bridging the Evidence Gap on Youth-Driven Peacebuilding

This report analyses the 399 responses from youth-led organisations to the Global Survey, developed in 2016 to contribute to a progress study “on the youth’s positive contribution to peace processes and conflict resolution”, as requested by the UN Secretary-General following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2250. It provides a snapshot and broad overview of the activities, achievements, strengths and needs of youth-led organisations. Find a summary of findings here.

Background and methods

Many young people are agents for peace, engaged in transforming the structures and institutions that hinder the socioeconomic and political well-being of people living in fragile and conflict affected communities. In December 2015, the United Nations Security Council recognized these efforts with a unanimous vote on UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security (UNSCR 2250). UNSCR 2250 sets guidelines for its member states, the UN and civil society to ensure young people’s active, systematic and meaningful participation in institutions and mechanisms relating to peace and security.

To gather evidence and recommend effective responses, the United Nations Secretary-General has commissioned a Progress Study at the request of the Security Council. The Global Survey on Youth, Peace and Security was developed in 2016 as a contribution to this study. Its overall goal was to map the activities of youth-led organisations working in peace and security around the world. Specifically, the survey aimed to:

• Map the global community of youth-led organisations working on peace and security

• Identify the main working areas and activities of these organisations

• Understand the impact of the work of these organisations

• Learn about the needs of these organisations

The survey used a purposeful targeted sampling technique with two key criteria for target respondents: (i) youth-led organisations, driven by young people under the age of 35 years old; and (ii) working in peace and security. The survey was conducted online through Youth4Peace.info, with offline versions available for organisations with limited or no internet access.

This report is a descriptive analysis of the 399 responses from youth-led organisations to the Global Survey. It provides a snapshot and broad overview of the activities, achievements, strengths and needs of youth-led organisations as reported by them.

Key findings

The responses provided by youth-led organisations working on peace and security indicate that despite various challenges, youth-led organisations are engaged in noteworthy endeavours for peace, and have achieved remarkable successes.

Achievements reported by youth-led organisations:

• Integrating youth in national, local and international decision making processes

• Preventing violence in their communities (including preventing youth joining violent extremist groups)

• Creating formal and informal employment opportunities

• Fostering social cohesion within communities

• Transforming the perception of youth to being seen as positive agents for peace

• Delivering humanitarian assistance where national infrastructures are inadequate

The survey’s findings confirm the underlying premise of UNSCR 2250 and a number of assumptions about the sector, notably that young people are contributing in meaningful ways to building peace and security in their communities around the world. It also provides a first overview of the youth peacebuilding community and a broad base of knowledge for the Progress Study.

In summary, the survey findings are that:

• A majority of the youth-led organisations operate with limited funding, with 49% operating under USD 5,000 per annum and only 11% over USD 100,000.

• Despite variations in funding, there is a common thread in the type of activities that these organisations implement. Due to funding disparity, the life span, depth and impact of these activities vary from one-off to fully established projects.

• With an average age of 29 and 28 years old for males and females in leadership roles respectively, the youth-led organisations are gender balanced and operate with 97% volunteers (including staff and members). They target both youth as well as relevant members in their communities such as local and national decision makers, older people, families, displaced persons, etc.

• Challenges that youth-led organisations face range from difficulties associated with operating in contexts of ongoing conflict and heightened violence, widespread marginalisation and mistrust from and towards community and government stakeholders, limited access to resources and support, and rampant poverty and under-employment.

• Besides funding and access to resources, youth-led organisations need training and capacity building to monitor and evaluate their work for sustainability. Youth-led organisations also expressed the need for creating and expanding relations, partnerships and exposure to regional and international platforms to enhance their skills, build networks, exchange best practices and lessons learned, and deepen relationships with other youth.

• Finally, youth-led organisations are applying different skills to overcome funding challenges by finding alternative sources such as through their members, crowd funding, donations and in-kind support. Some push for visibility by participating in and actively joining local, national and international networks and social media. Others solicit funding through traditional sources such as through institutional donor proposals, partnership with CSOs, media houses (radios, TV), and others.

recommendations

The survey findings indicate the importance of investing in youth and peacebuilding activities, including developing direct partnerships with youth-led organisations, strengthening the capacity of youth from diverse backgrounds, involving youth in local, national, regional and international decision making and providing funding for youth-led organisations. Additionally, the findings demonstrate the value of recognising that youth-led organisations are key actors in the peace and security field, and engaging with them on an equal footing with other practitioners working on peace and security and in the broader development and humanitarian assistance fields. Specific recommendations to all actors working at the intersection between youth, peace and security as well as in the broader peacebuilding and conflict transformation community follow.

• Recommendation 1: Recognise and work with youth-led organisations as peace and security practitioners
• Recommendation 2: Improve youth-led organisations’ access to resources and support
• Recommendation 3: Ensure the implementation of UNSCR 2250 in national and local policies and practices
• Recommendation 4: Provide space for youth participation within peace and security programming
• Recommendation 5: Strengthen the capacities of youth-led organisations so that they can build resilience in their communities
• Recommendation 6: Conduct research on the activities and impact, needs and capacities of youth led organisations

 

 

Mapping a Sector: Bridging the Evidence Gap on Youth-Driven Peacebuilding (1265 downloads)