The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security.  Following recent attacks and acts of terror, the Resolution signals the world leaders’ acknowledgement of youth’s contribution to countering violent extremism, recognizing their role as crucial partners in building a safer world in New York.

Search for Common Ground (Search), in collaboration with UNOY, World Vision, UN entities and other civil society organizations, has played a lead role in initiating and advocating for Resolution 2250 since 2011. Search has co-chaired the interagency working group responsible for supporting youth’s efforts leading up to Resolution 2250, including the Guiding Principles for Young People’s Participation in Peacebuilding, the Amman Declaration at the Global Forum of Youth, Peace, and Security, and the Youth Action Agenda at the Global Youth Summit Against Violent Extremism.

According to a press release of Search for Common Ground, statement by ShamilIdriss, President of Search for Common Ground,“Search for Common Ground welcomes the historic passage of Resolution 2250 as a recognition of the vital leadership role that young women and men will play in peace-building when supported by adults, and as a commitment of the world’s leadership to provide that support.

This resolution moves us all firmly away from the platitude that ‘youth are the leaders of tomorrow’ and toward a recognition of the fact that, given half a chance, youth are and will continue to provide critical leadership today.

At Search for Common Ground we commit to doing our part to support Governments to implement Resolution 2250 and to support our youth partners and volunteers around the world to make the most of the peace-building opportunities that this Resolution will make available to them.”

The Resolution outlines the duty of governments to protect young people during conflict and in post-conflict societies, promote their participation in peace-building and peacekeeping, include youth participation at all levels of decision-making, and invest in youth’s educational and professional capabilities to disengage and reintegrate the minority of the world’s youth population involved in violence.

This document could have a groundbreaking impact on the way we deal with the resolution of conflicts, especially if followed by intensified youth-focused peace-building programming, for which the Resolution lays out a framework.

Statement by SajiPrelis, Co-Chair of the Inter-Agency Working Group on Youth and Peace-building and the Children & Youth Director at Search for Common Ground:

“The Resolution creates a paradigm shift — away from the idea of young people being seen as a threat to security towards the very real notion that they have the power to transform violent conflict.

Now we must breathe life into this resolution so that youth can play a meaningful role in peace processes locally. ”