This document is an independent study demonstrating young people’s positive role in sustaining peace. It proposes concrete recommendations for the peace and security community to work with young people in new ways.
The preparation of this study follows keen interest in the potential of young people to advance peace.
In December 2015, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted, under the leadership of Jordan, resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS), the first resolution fully dedicated to the important and positive role young women and men play in the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security.
Resolution 2250 requested the Secretary-General of the United Nations “carry out a progress study on the youth’s positive contribution to peace processes and conflict resolution, in order to recommend effective responses at local, national, regional and international levels.”
In August 2016, the UN Secretary-General appointed an independent lead author, Graeme Simpson, to develop the study, as well as an advisory group of experts, including 21 scholars, practitioners and young leaders.
UNFPA and the Peacebuilding Support Office jointly provided secretariat functions for the development of the study, working in close collaboration with the Office of the Envoy on Youth. A steering committee, composed of 34 partners from the UN system, civil society, non-governmental organizations, inter-governmental organizations and foundations, oversaw the preparation of the study.
The study is an agenda-setting document, defining a strategy for the implementation of SCR 2250. It was developed through a unique participatory research process, including face-to-face discussions (focus group discussions, national and regional consultations) with 4,230 young people, as well as research in 27 countries, and surveys and mapping exercises.
An open debate of the Security Council on Youth, Peace and Security is being organized under the Presidency of Peru on 23 April 2018, the day before the High-level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace organized by the President of the General Assembly (24-25 April). The Security Council version of the YPS Study will be presented in this session.
