More than 600 million young people live in fragile and conflict-affected contexts (Wilton Park, 2017). Despite being deeply affected by violence in a myriad of ways, young people's voices are not heard, nor included in the processes of conflict resolution and peacebuilding. The 'youth bulge' is seen as a driver of instability, and young people are typically portrayed as perpetrators of violence or potential 'spoilers' who should be protected from radicalisation and extremism (see, for example, OECD, 2011). The active role young people play as peacemakers, mediators and peacebuilders at grassroots and local levels are under-acknowledged and they are often not included in official peace processes. Beyond peacebuilding, young people display ownership, agency and leadership in diverse areas that are of significance to local, regional, national and international peace and security, ranging from climate change to tackling inequalities. Yet, the achievements of young people are hindered due to the absence of adequate recognition, protection, funding and meaningful partnerships.

This report highlights the key themes, findings and recommendations of the project Youth-led peace: The role of youth in peace processes led by the University of Glasgow. The objectives of the project were to:

Read full article:Ozcelik, Asli, Yulia Nesterova, Graeme Young, and Alex Maxwell. "Youth-led peace: The role of youth in peace processes."

Disclaimer: Third-Party Content

This article was originally published by the University of Glasgow as an output of the project "Youth Led Peace: The Role of Youth in Peace Processes". The project was carried out by Dr Asli Ozcelik (Principal Investigator), Dr Yulia Nesterova (Co-Investigator) and Dr Graeme Young (Co-Investigator) with the research assistance of Mr Alex Maxwell. All rights remain with the original author(s)/publisher. The views expressed are theirs and do not reflect those of RYCO and the granting authority

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