Young peacebuilders: Funding matters, but so do trust and partnerships
Young Peacebuilders: Funding Matters, But So Do Trust and Partnerships
Young peacebuilders - Amid escalating global conflicts, a group of young advocates for peace gathered at the UN Headquarters during the inaugural UN Peacebuilding Week. Their discussion centered on the vital role of financial backing in sustaining their initiatives, yet they stressed that monetary resources are only part of the equation.
Challenges Across the Globe
Participants from Afghanistan to Ghana, and Canada to Côte d’Ivoire, highlighted how limited funds, distrust in youth leadership, and the suppression of civil society activities hinder progress. Additionally, they noted that young people who speak out often face risks, which further complicates their efforts to foster peace.
“We engaged with numerous women in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as South Asia, who expressed a desire to collaborate with private entities and gain more specialized expertise,” said Jenn Hernandez of the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders, based in the USA and Guatemala.
“Young people aren’t passive observers. We’re proactive because when I witnessed the attack in New Zealand in 2019, I questioned why such violence persists globally,” shared Issah Toha Shamsoo from the African Students for Interfaith Tolerance in Ghana.
“Peace becomes evident only when it’s absent. In Côte d’Ivoire, our history of coups and civil unrest has made us acutely aware of its value,” remarked Linda Dempah of Laboratoires Adeba, a biocosmetics company in Côte d’Ivoire.
“When I began working on youth empowerment in Afghanistan, we were often told we lacked experience. Securing funding was equally difficult, with access limited to under $700 at times,” explained Yahya Qanie of the National Youth Consensus for Peace in Afghanistan.
Building a Sustainable Ecosystem
John Koester of the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace emphasized the need to support the broader peacebuilding ecosystem rather than just individual projects. He noted that a significant portion of time is spent on tasks that aren’t funded, such as relationship-building and recovery efforts.
“The key lies in fostering trust, maintaining networks, and seeking peer support. These activities are foundational yet often overlooked in funding priorities,” Koester added.
Felipe Paullier, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, called for embedding youth-centric principles into financial frameworks. He hopes these will be integrated into at least one global UN funding mechanism.
“Youth must be seen as equal partners, not just beneficiaries of programs,” Paullier said.
Pio Smith, interim Deputy Executive Director of UNFPA, pointed out that while national action plans offer valuable visions, they often fall short in allocating sufficient budgets and resources for long-term implementation.