14 July 2016: At a side event of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) 2016, representatives of youth organizations and UN agencies discussed national efforts to mainstream UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on youth, peace and security in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in conflict-affected States. Youth from Nigeria and Pakistan shared experiences from their countries.
Resolution 2250 (2015) is the first-ever resolution on youth, peace and security. It was sponsored by Jordan, and adopted unanimously by the members of the UN Security Council on 9 December 2015. The Resolution notes that the rise of radicalization and violence and violent extremism among youth can be conducive to terrorism, and it calls for better representation of young men and women in the prevention and resolution of conflict.
Opening the discussion on Resolution 2250 implementation, which took place on 14 July 2016, at UN Headquarters in New York, US, the representative of a youth platform in Nigeria reported that in his country, the ministry of planning is in charge of SDG implementation. He said that while the youth platform has made efforts to involve youth in the planning process, it is challenging to find civic space for youth organizations. He noted that the platform has commissioned global research to look to other countries for alternatives for youth engagement.
A representative of a youth organization in Pakistan said Resolution 2250 is not integrated in national policies, and expressed uncertainty that Pakistan is ready to act on the Resolution “very energetically and powerfully.” She identified several challenges facing youth in her country: widespread support for religious extremism, promoted by media; communities rejecting young people who joined extremist groups but want to return home; and youth who have no protection, while extremism causes societal trauma and stress. She added that Pakistan’s national action plan has been used to shrink the space for civil society through newly established military courts. To address these challenges, she said her organization is organizing multi-faith dialogues to promote alternative narratives to religious extremism and peer-to-peer education.
A UN Development Programme (UNDP) representative said progress has been made globally towards youth participation in political processes. She reported that UNDP is creating formal venues for youth to engage in a meaningful way, “beyond tokenism.” She stressed the need to ensure formal mechanisms for youth participation in governance, as providing jobs for youth to prevent them from joining extremist groups is not equal to empowering them to participate in governance. She announced that UNDP will publish a study on the role of young refugees later this year.
During the ensuing discussion, participants noted that: neither the civil society nor youth were involved in creating Pakistan’s national action plan; civil society is undertaking efforts to engage students in the national action plan and counter violence and hate speeches; many CSOs in Nigeria are not aware of the Resolution 2250, indicating the need for communication; and climate change should be taken into account when discussing youth, peace and security.
The HLPF is taking place from 11-20 July 2016 in New York, US. The side event was organized by the Civil Society Platform For Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (CSPPS). [IISD RS Sources] [Resolution 2250] [IISD RS Story on Resolution 2250] [HLPF Website] [IISD RS Coverage of HLPF 2016]