By Olugbenga Salami
As the world marked the 8th anniversary of the United Nations Security Council Resolution, UNSCR2250 on Youth Peace and Security, the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the Nigeria Coalition on Youth Peace and Security, NCYPS, have solicited the support of all relevant stakeholders so as to entrench a lasting peace in the country, especially among the restive youths.
The ministry and the NCYPS, with support from the United Nations Population Fund, UNPF marked the anniversary on Saturday, December 9, 2023.
In statement jointly signed by the co-chairs of NCYPS, Amina Dauran, Theophilus Ekpon and Maryam Ibrahim Sani in collaboration with government officials, they disclosed that the UNSCR2250 was passed after over 10,000 young people called for it in August 2015.
They added that the UNSCR2250 on Youth Peace and Security, YPS was unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council, UNSC on December 9, 2015 under the leadership of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
“In a bid to localize UNSCR 2250 in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry for Youth and Sports Development, FMYSD in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Development and Education in Africa, CSDEA, and the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, IPCR.
“Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched the UNSCR 2250 in Abuja in October, 2016 to bring attention to the issues of Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) – marking a renewed focus on the YPS agenda in Nigeria.
“An outcome of the launch was the establishment of a National Working Group on Youth and Peace building which later became the Nigeria Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security, when the Interagency Working Group on Youth and Peace building metamorphosed into the Global Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security.
“Another outcome of the launch of the UNSCR 2250 in Nigeria and the subsequent 2017 National Consultative Conference on Youth, Peace and Security was the call by stakeholders to develop a NAPYPS.
“The process to develop a NAPYPS in Nigeria was robust including over a dozen of in-person consultations with young people and other stakeholders in the form of national conferences, zonal workshops, national validation meetings, and community level focus group discussions to bring together youth groups, civil society, government, security agencies, the media, traditional and religious institutions from communities across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory,” the statement reads.
It went further: “The UN Security Council Resolution 2250 (UNSCR2250) was passed after more than 10,000 young people called for it in the Amman Youth Declaration, adopted during the Global Forum on Youth, Peace and Security in August 2015.
“The Resolution marks the birth of a Youth, Peace and Security agenda and was very much inspired by the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
“The adoption of the UNSCR2250 marks the culmination of years of advocacy by civil society for the recognition by the Security Council that young men and young women have a critical and positive role to play for building sustainable peace.
“Its passage would not have been achieved without the leadership of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, who sponsored the resolution, hosted the Global Forum in Amman and led an Open Debate in the Security Council in April 2015.
“This resolution is the first to be fully dedicated to recognizing the important and positive role young women and men play in the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security.
“It recognizes that the energy and creativity of young people should be harnessed and actively engaged in shaping lasting peace and contributing to justice and reconciliation, and that a large youth population presents a demographic dividend that can contribute to lasting peace and economic prosperity if inclusive policies are in place.
“UNSCR2250 acknowledges that the growth of violent extremism, especially amongst young women and men, threatens stability and development, and can often derail peace building efforts, and foment conflict.
“The resolution stresses the importance of addressing the conditions and factors leading to the rise of violent radicalization and extremism amongst youth.
“It also notes the important role young women and men can play as positive role models in preventing and countering violent extremism. A reference to the Secretary General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism to integrate youth’s participation, leadership and empowerment as core to the United Nation’s strategy and responses, is included.”
