United Nations Security Council resolution 2250 (2015) on youth, peace, and security unanimously adopted in December 2015, recognized the essential role young people play in promoting and maintaining peace and security. The resolution urged Member States to increase inclusive representation of youth in decision-making at all levels, and in institutions and mechanisms to prevent and resolve conflict, and to counter violent extremism.
A few years later, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) conducted the study Youth Participation in Parliaments and Peace and Security as a contribution to the Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security mandated by Security Council resolution 2250 (2015). The IPU’s study was the first-ever attempt to investigate the role of young MPs in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
The study concluded that greater youth participation in parliament could advance peace and stability in the long run, and suggested that young MPs could contribute in various ways to peacebuilding:
- Engaging as mediators and promoters of dialogue in divided societies
- Advocating for greater inclusion of youth organizations in peace processes
- Using parliamentary diplomacy platforms to foster international cooperation for peace.
More generally, the IPU, the first multilateral organization in the world to promote peace through parliamentary diplomacy, has recognized the vital role of parliamentarians in maintaining international peace and security in a number of its resolutions and declarations in the past decade.
Thus, the Geneva Declaration on Parliamentary diplomacy: Building bridges for peace and understanding endorsed by the 148th IPU Assembly in March 2024, committed to fostering more substantial involvement of women and youth in politics and leadership roles, including in the military and security sectors. In the Declaration, IPU Member Parliaments committed to the effective implementation of the women, peace and security, and youth, peace and security agendas of the United Nations Security Council by ensuring that peace processes, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and conflict prevention integrate a gender perspective and guarantee the equal and meaningful participation of women and youth.
Despite this progress, data suggests that youth remain excluded from peace and security efforts. Political commitment has not yet translated into increased investment in youth-led peacebuilding. To address these issues of concern, 76 young parliamentarians and parliamentary staff joined the IPU online briefing of the Empowerment Series to discuss the role of young MPs in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
MPs from more than 28 countries explored opportunities and challenges that young MPs experience in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, and discussed practical action they could take, including in policymaking, parliamentary diplomacy, mediation and dialogue efforts, and support for youth inclusion.
Expert panellists from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Kofi Annan Foundation highlighted that young people were often seen as victims or perpetrators of violence and that their role in building peace was overlooked. They emphasized that fostering youth participation went beyond increasing numbers. It required the expansion of young people’s roles and engagement in political processes and institutions, as well as in civic life.
Young MPs from various countries shared their perspectives on the role they could play in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
Mr. Agho Oliver Bamenju, a young MP from Cameroon, emphasized the critical role of political mentorship in ensuring youth participation: “Political mentorship is key for getting young people in the political spaces. Youth are neglected in the negotiations, even when they are the main actors. Armed groups do not allow young MPs to engage in conflict prevention and peacebuilding initiatives.”
Another inspiring example came from Ms. Justine Mukobwa, a young MP from Rwanda, who shared that youth in her country were mentored from an early age and were actively involved in various sectors, including conflict prevention. She added that: “In the Parliament, we have affiliated forums. One of them is a forum fighting against genocide. We make sure young people are trained to always fight for peace.”
Ms. Quratulain Marri, a young senator from Pakistan , highlighted that quite often there was token participation of youth instead of meaningful involvement: “What really matters when young MPs are members of committees is whether or not they are given real power to bring about change, to mediate conflicts, to resolve issues. That is where the solution lies. Yes, experience counts for a lot, but at the same time, one cannot deny that youth bring a new perspective. Youth being the largest demographic in the world can bring a fresh set of eyes to the table. However, politics is still an older men’s game and bringing in youth, women or young women, it’s like adding insult to injury.”
Mobilizing young MPs for conflict prevention and peacebuilding
As young MPs continue to navigate the complex landscape of conflict prevention and peacebuilding, they are also well-positioned to champion policies that address the root causes of conflict, including socioeconomic disparities, marginalization, and lack of access to education and employment opportunities for youth. Hundreds of young MPs from around the world will unite later this year in Armenia for the Tenth IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians to devise solutions that ensure no generation is lost to hopelessness.
The role of young MPs in conflict prevention and peacebuilding goes beyond the traditional youth, peace and security narrative. By encouraging inter-generational leadership and building bridges with their constituencies, young parliamentarians demonstrate that there is more that unites us than divides us, paving the way for a more peaceful and inclusive future.
