Abuja: Stakeholders have called for urgent and meaningful inclusion of young people in governance, peacebuilding, and national development efforts. They made this known at a conference organised by Building Blocks for Peace Foundation (BBFORPEACE) in partnership with Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the conference themed ‘Bridging Policy and Practice: Multi-Stakeholder Engagement in Youth Peace and Security Frameworks Implementation’ focused on deliberate strategies for implementing the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda in Nigeria. Executive Director of Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, Rafiu Lawal, highlighted current socio-political and economic realities like insecurity, unemployment, and shrinking civic spaces that continue to strain national unity and social cohesion.
Lawal explained that the government had taken bold steps by adopting the National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security, which serves as a national roadmap for engaging young people in peace and security across the nation. He described the plan as a significant opportunity for transforming the country’s peacebuilding architecture, emphasizing that its effective implementation could address the nation’s security challenges.
He stated, “The National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security, if effectively implemented, represents a game changer in our quest to find lasting solutions to the peace and security challenges confronting us as a nation.” He noted that the meeting aimed not only to raise awareness of the NAP’s existence but also to develop the second NAP, as the first one expired in 2024.
Lawal stressed the need for peacebuilding efforts to extend beyond policy documents and become visible in communities, campuses, local governments, and states. He asserted that the NAP is more than just a document; it acknowledges that sustainable peace in Nigeria requires the inclusion, participation, protection, and engagement of young people. He highlighted that millions of young Nigerians are eager to contribute to peacebuilding and national stability, advocating for their systematic integration into peacebuilding, development, conflict prevention, security decision-making, and national development processes.
Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, Director-General of IPCR, expressed pride in co-hosting the conference, underscoring that youth inclusion is central to sustainable peace and national development. Represented by Chukwuemeka Mbah, he emphasized that the Youth, Peace and Security agenda is not merely a policy framework but a call to action, stating, “Young people are not simply beneficiaries of peace; they are leaders, innovators, and change-makers whose voices must shape the future of our nation.”
Dr. Maryam Keshinro, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to promoting youth inclusion in governance and decision-making processes. Represented by Vivian Iorzua, she acknowledged young people as critical actors in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and national development, advocating for stronger partnerships to advance the Youth, Peace and Security agenda.
The Keynote Speaker, Jaye Gaskia, Chairman of Partnership Against Violent Extremism (PAVE), challenged stakeholders to rethink the implementation of youth-focused policies, insisting that young people should lead processes designed for them. He argued that youth participation should surpass symbolic representation, highlighting the need to protect and expand civic spaces for young people to engage in governance and policy conversations. Gaskia also criticized the weakening of youth institutions and engagement platforms across the country, warning that shrinking civic spaces could undermine democratic participation and peacebuilding efforts.