Today, Tuesday 5th of December 2023 the Réseau des Parlementaires Esperance Jeunesse (REJE), the National Commission on Youth Peace and Security, GIZ-AU, African Union, UNFPA, with the support of the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Cameroon National Youth Council, and Local Youth Corner Cameroon (LOYOC) is organizing a sensitization workshop for 15 members of parliament from the REJE on the importance of the Youth Peace and Security Agenda.
Photo Caption: Members of Parliament exchanging during the Sensitization workshop
This workshop is part of a five-day National Stakeholder workshop which seeks to promote meaningful participation and collaboration between young people, the legislature, members of the Youth Peace and Security Commission and other development stakeholders towards developing strategies and policies to promote the development of a National Strategy on Youth Peace and Security to underscore youth participation in peace and security in Cameroon.
The fifteen members of parliament will be introduced to the Youth Peace and Security Agenda from a global, continental to national level. This will provide them with the opportunity to reflect on the importance of strengthening youth participation in peace and social cohesion of the country through legislative engagements. Facilitating this workshop will be international experts from the African Union, GIZ-African Union and the Global Coalition on Youth Peace and Security from New York City.
Photo Caption: Members of Parliament engaging in workshop activities.
On the last day of this National Stakeholders workshop on 8th, the MPs will have an opportunity to participate in an inter-generational dialogue with young people and other stakeholders from across Cameroon on how to shape and support youth participation in the peace and unity of the country.
About the Youth Peace and Security Agenda
Youth participation in peacebuilding was expressly recognized and expressed in Article 17 of the African Youth Charter (2006) and amplified with the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolutions on YPS including UNSCR 2250 of (2015), 2419 of (2018), and 2535 of (2020). The AU’s Continental Framework for Youth, Peace and Security (CFYPS) and its accompanying 10-Year Implementation Plan (2020) further elucidated the essence of YPS in Africa. These frameworks advocate for young people’s role in the peace and security agenda in recognition of the important and positive role they play in maintaining and promoting international peace and security with the CFYPS drawing the nexus with youth participation to achieve the AU’s Agenda 2063 including its flagship project, Silencing the Guns.