Youth, peace and security
With the adoption of resolution 2250 and its follow-up Resolutions, the UN Security Council affirms that young people aged 18–29 are key and prioritised actors for promoting sustainable peace and security.
Despite the fact that young women and men often make up a large share of the population in conflict-affected countries, they are rarely given the opportunity to participate in peacebuilding efforts or to take part in decision-making processes that affect their lives.
Young people are often viewed in limited ways: they may be seen as vulnerable victims lacking capacities—an assumption that particularly affects young women—or as perpetrators of violence, which disproportionately affects young men.
This occurs despite the fact that the vast majority of young people are never involved in, nor at risk of engaging in, violent acts.
The purpose of the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda is to ensure space for young people in peacebuilding and conflict management, and to counter the restrictions on their influence and rights caused by age-related norms and power structures.
The equal participation and influence of young people in peace and reconciliation processes is an issue of rights, legitimacy and sustainability.
Protecting the rights of young women and men, and enabling their equal participation in society at large, is central to strengthening communities’ resilience to conflict, ensuring human security and achieving sustainable peace.
FBA's work
Strengthening Knowledge About the 2250 Agenda
Since the adoption of Resolution 2250, FBA has contributed in various ways to building global consensus and developing recommendations on how to implement the Youth, Peace and Security agenda.
We have produced several publications aimed at practitioners within international peace organisations on how YPS-related work can be conducted. Over time, these publications have become recognised as standard references in the field.
Together with the UN’s training institution, the United Nations System Staff College, we also provide the online courses Realizing the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda and Youth, Peace and Security Primer, targeting professionals working in peace and security.
Work at the National Level
We also work to promote young people’s participation in key societal issues in several countries. One example is Somalia, where FBA and UNFPA have jointly organised dialogue forums between young people and political leaders in order to increase youth participation in, and influence over, political processes.
Watch the film about the dialogue forums:
10 years of UNSCR 2250: FBA's support to meaningful youth participation
Across every generation, young people have challenged injustice through peaceful action, driven movements for equality, and championed peace within their communities and far beyond. In 2025, we recognize the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Security Council Agenda 2250 for Youth, Peace and Security.
Discover the journey and work with supporting meaningful youth participation in the video Agents of Change: Meaningful Youth Participation in Peace and Security:
