Today’s world is home to the largest generation of young people in history – 1.8 billion individuals, representing approximately 24% of the global population. About a quarter of this generation lives in fragile states or conflict-affected regions. Yet, despite their numbers, young people are often excluded from formal peace and security efforts. Instead of being recognized as potential agents of positive change, youth are frequently stereotyped as either victims or security risks.
The evolving global policy agenda on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS), underpinned by UN Security Council Resolutions 2250, 2419, 2535 and 2807 underscores the need to give young people a greater voice in decision-making. It highlights the importance of investing in the active role of young people in preventing and resolving conflicts, building peace, and preventing violent extremism.
While the agenda is gaining momentum, a significant gap remains between policy commitments and the lived realities of young people, many of whom feel that their work is not taken seriously. Overemphasising the problematic role of youth in violence alienates them from governments and institutions, rather than recognizing their potential to drive conflict prevention and resolution.
Our work
CMI’s work with youth builds on the legacy of our founder, the late President Martti Ahtisaari, who recognised the importance of young people in shaping the future. To date, CMI has been working with youth in several conflict settings from the Lake Chad Basin to South Sudan and the South Caucasus.
In Finland, our Ahtisaari Days peace education initiative has been pioneering ways to strengthen young people’s conflict resolution skills for more than a decade. CMI also regularly contributes to the national and global YPS policy discussions, including within the UN, EU and the AU.
CMI’s Youth in Peacemaking approach recognizes youth as politically relevant actors with capacities for systemic change. Combined with our expertise in digital peacemaking and foresight, we focus on leveraging youth agency for conflict prevention. Co-designed with youth actors, the work builds on strong partnerships with youth-led organizations and youth networks.
