YOUTH, PEACE, AND SECURITY
Image Credit: UNOY Peacebuilders, YPF16
In 2019, The Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP) and Search for Common Ground (SFCG) co-founded the U.S. Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) Coalition to secure the passage of the YPS Act in the United States and the YPS agenda globally. Over the last two years, AfP helped grow the YPS Coalition into a robust coalition of almost 70 youth-led and youth-serving organizations across the peacebuilding, humanitarian, academic, and development fields. In October, AfP transitioned its co-leadership role to STAND: the student-led movement to prevent mass atrocities. STAND is a youth-led organization, mobilizing its youth network to respond rapidly to emerging crises, educating peers on issues, and advocating to policymakers to enact change; STAND and its youth leaders truly embody the spirit of YPS. AfP will continue to be a strong member of the YPS Coalition and champion the YPS Act and the agenda globally.
The U.S. Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) Coalition is working with Representative Grace Meng (D-NY) to support the reintroduction of H.R. 4838, the Youth, Peace, and Security Act of 2021. A copy of the Youth, Peace, and Security Act can be viewed here.
Rep. Meng originally introduced the YPS Act in the 116th Congress as the United States Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) Act of 2020.
This legislation aims to be catalytic in advancing the global YPS movement, creating an unprecedented global investment stream to support youth leadership, and giving young people the political platform and support they need to advance peace in their communities in the face of mounting odds against them.
The U.S. YPS Coalition is co-led by Search for Common Ground (SFCG) and STAND with special support from Peace Direct, Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), Generations For Peace, NewGen Peacebuilders, UNOY Peacebuilders, and the +Peace Coalition.
TEXTS AND SPONSORS
House of Representatives: H.R. 4838 - to support the inclusive and meaningful participation of youth in peacebuilding and conflict prevention, management, and resolution, as well as post-conflict relief and recovery efforts.
House Sponsors: Rep. Meng (D-NY)*, Rep. Fitzpatrick (R-PA)*, Rep. Phillips (D-MN)*, Rep. Curtis (R-UT)*, Rep. Jacobs (D-CA), and Rep. Khanna (D-CA).
* designates original cosponsors
In the 116th Congress
House of Representatives: H.R. 6174 - Youth, Peace, and Security Act of 2020
House Sponsors: Rep. Meng (D-NY), Rep. Brooks (R-IN), Rep. Phillips (D-MN), Rep. Curtis (R-UT), Rep. Trone (D-MD)
Support FY21 Appropriations Request for Youth-Led Development from Rep. Dean Phillips and Rep. Susan Brooks
POLICY OBJECTIVES
To establish a United States policy of supporting youth peacebuilders worldwide;
To ensure that the perspectives and interests of young people are integrated into the design and execution of U.S.-funded peace and security activities and strategies;
To encourage partner governments to adopt plans to improve the meaningful participation of young people in peace and security processes and decision-making institutions;
To support youth-led programming to prevent violent conflict and build peace through financial and diplomatic assistance;
To protect the physical safety, economic security, and dignity of young people; and
To collect and analyze age-disaggregated data to better understand the roles played by young people in areas affected by fragility and conflict.
Image Credit: Peace Direct Phillippines
“Youth populations have long been at the forefront of building peace in their communities by creating youth-led movements, organizations, and networks to mitigate negative effects of conflict and to prevent recurring cycles of violence. Moreover, in countries in conflict, it will be the young people who bear the burden of sustaining the peace over generations, and leading their society from reconciliation to prosperity. This bill will authorize a Youth Coordinator, require a Youth strategy, expand technical assistance to youth leaders, and create an emergency assistance fund.”
Engage with us
Join the U.S. YPS Coalition for our #Yes4YPS Webinar Series to raise awareness of the YPS movement and highlight prominent voices and topics in YPS.
Connect with the U.S. YPS Coalition on various social media platforms for events, opportunities, and publications related to Youth, Peace, and Security.
Interested in joining the YPS Coalition? Reach out to Mena Ayazi and Laura Strawmyer to join!
IN THE PRESS
Bold leadership is necessary to curb violence against youth - The Hill, 16 April 2021, by Vahe Mirikian and Megan Schleicher
Youth, Peace and Security Act Must be a Priority for Members of Congress - The Signal, 11 April 2021, by Roshni Raji
Youth, Peace, and Security Peacecast - The Desmond Tutu Peace Lab, 11 March 2021, featuring Megan Schleicher and Mena Ayazi
Drivers of Recovery: Elevating the Youth, Peace, and Security Agenda - CSIS, 13 January 2021, by Erol Yayboke, Janina Staguhn, Elena Mendez Leal, and Christopher Metzger
Youth Activists Are Ready to be Effective Peacebuilders - Inkstick Media, 11 December 2020, by Yuko Yokoi
Activating Youth to Build Peace in the U.S. - The Peace Corner Podcast, June 2020
Empowering Youth Peacebuilders Will Make U.S. Foreign Policy More Effective - The Hill, 10 April 2020, by Rachel Walsh Taza and Kimberly Brody Hart
Youth Hold the Keys to “Endless War” - Medium, 19 March 2020, by Shamil Idriss and Uzra Zeya
AfP Welcomes New Bipartisan U.S. Legislation to Champion Youth, Peace, and Security - AfP Press Release, 11 March 2020
Useful Resources
Youth, Peace, and Security 2-pager - Alliance for Peacebuilding
Translating Youth, Peace & Security Policy Into Practice: A Guide to Building Coalitions - Search for Common Ground and UNOY Peacebuilders, April 2021
Youth, Peace and Security: A Programming Handbook - Youth4Peace, 3rd February 2021
Resolution 2535 - United Nations Security Council, July 2020
Global policy paper “We Are Here: An integrated approach to youth-inclusive peace processes” - Youth4Peace, 18 July 2019
Young Women in Peace and Security: At the Intersection of the YPS and WPS Agendas - UN Women and Youth4Peace, April 2018
The Missing Peace: Independent Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security - Youth4Peace, 2017
Resolution 2250- United Nations Security Council, December 2015
Publications from the U.S. YPS Coalition
Endorsing organizations
