Dakar, Senegal, 18 May 2023- The Global Coalition on Youth Peace and Security (GCYPS) with support from the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, from 16-18 May held its 2023 Annual Meeting in Saly, Senegal. The meeting brought together 55 partners from across the world, representing UN entities, civil society organizations (CSOs), and youth-led organizations working to advance the role of young people in building and sustaining peace.

Meeting in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting was an opportunity to assess progress, challenges, and achievements in the various efforts to implement Security Council Resolutions 2250 (2015), 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020), including the development of National and Regional Action Plans on Youth, Peace and Security.

For three days, young peacebuilders and partner organizations engaged in a series of discussions and interactive activities where they had the opportunity to share experiences, identify lessons learned and develop strategies for advancing the YPS agenda.

The meeting also gave the Coalition a chance to critically reflect on its current structure and working methods and agree on a shared vision to sustain momentum for the YPS agenda in the coming years.

The meeting concluded with a renewed call for all partners to continue to work collaboratively together to scale up support and strengthen protection mechanisms to ensure young peacebuilders can safely and meaningfully engage in peacebuilding efforts and the implementation of the YPS Agenda at all levels. The GCYPS is committed to working with all partners to advance the YPS agenda and build a more peaceful and safe world for all.

“Young people are instrumental in building the Youth, Peace and Security agenda of the UN”, said Elizabeth Spehar, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support. “Collaborating closely with them, she said, will help in moving forward the agenda as nothing can be done for youth without their participation”.

About the Global Coalition on Youth Peace and Security

The Global Coalition on Youth Peace and Security (GCYPS) is the leading multi-stakeholder platform for shaping global policy and practice on Youth, Peace, and Security. The GCYPS is co-chaired by the United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY Peacebuilders), Search for Common Ground (Search), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and brings together a diverse group of partners from over 100 different organizations, including UN entities, CSOs, youth-led organizations, and academia.

The GCYPS works to:

• Promote youth participation in peacebuilding;
• Strengthen collaboration and partnerships between youth-led organizations, CSOs, UN entities, and other stakeholders;
• Promote youth-led initiatives that address the root causes of conflict and build sustainable peace;
• Advocating for the protection of youth rights and the inclusion of young people in all peacebuilding processes.

Contacts:

• Mame Oumy Ndoye, Communication Associate, UNFPA WCARO, mndoye@unfpa.org
• Joao Scarpelini, Programme Specialist Youth, Peace and Security, RHB, scarpelini@unfpa.org
• Fatuma Muhumed, Youth, Peace and Security Programme Specialist, UNFPA WCARO, muhumed@unfpa.org