The role of Youth in Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution should be encouraged- Peace Council

The role of Youth in Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution should be encouraged- Peace Council

The role of youth in conflict resolution and Peacebuilding processes should be encouraged in all areas in order to find lasting solution to conflicts.

The Executive Secretary of National Peace Council (NPC)-Ashanti Region, Reverend Emmanuel Amoah Badu has said.

According to the Regional Boss for the Ashanti Region NPC, undoubtedly, there is a need to generate a culture of peace and conflict free environment, particularly among the youth. He said, the youth, products of their communities, are key agents of peacebuilding, especially those who have experienced conflict firsthand.

These young people have key roles to play in peace processes since they have a clear vision of what peace could look like in their countries and communities and have the drive to work towards the realisation of these goals.

Conflict and violence have swallowed up the world today however human beings have always moved on. According to UN reports, more than 400 million young people, between the ages of 15 to 29 live in fragile and conflict- affected contexts across the globe.

This means that more than four hundred million young people experience violence, face exploitation, miss out on education, and struggle to survive, such as in the case of Sierra Leone and the Charles Taylor case. The Coups in Gabon, Mali etc. There has been no period in history, which has not witnessed violent conflicts.

These, according to Rev. Emmanuel Amoah Badu call for the need to involving the youth in what we call dialogue processes, thereby clamping down conflicts and instilling peace amongst neighbours or factions in conflict via the youths involvement.

He disclosed that, the neglect and the isolation of the young ones in such processes will amounts to an unending conflicts in our various societies.

Rev. Emmanuel Badu Amoah disclosed this at a day workshop training at the Islamic Senior High School at Abrepo-Junction in the Bantama Constituency of the Ashanti Region on Saturday, July 23, 2022.

It was the second meeting of the Council with the 30-member Peace Ambassador Club in the school after the launch of the program in the same school this year.

The workshop was aimed at re-echoing the need of the youths involvement in peacebuilding and conflict resolution to the peace club ambassadors in the school.

Considering that 65% of the population on the African continent consists of young people, the Executive Secretary of the Ashanti Regional Peace Council elaborated that, we should not see the young people as agents of conflict and destruction, but rather, see them as agents of peace, intercultural and inter-religious dialogue and advocates for social cohesion in their communities.

“Enhancing structures that promote the participation of youth in peacebuilding will actively contribute to their engagement with decisions and activities that affect their wellbeing and the country as a whole,” says Rev. Amoah Badu.

He touched on three subjects in conflicts prevention…..

Early warnings and response, Consensus Building and Principles of Dialogue.

Early Warnings and response he explained to the Peace Ambassador Club that, it help detect the early signs of conflicts, to help resolve it without happening.

Adding that, there should be a consensus building to get to the root cause of issues to lay down reasonable and non-partial measures to curb conflict amicably and promote Peacebuilding.

Dialogue he said is very key in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.

“In dialogue, no one loses or wins. There should be equal reprimand if necessary in a peaceful manner in order not to drive away the cold-heart of others on dialogue table”, Emmanuel Badu Amoah (Rev.) added.

In his conclusion remarks, he stressed on the need to involve the youths in all these processes.

Many dignitaries who graced the workshop training were Alhaji Uztaz Mohammed, Secretary to the Regional Chief Imam and Rep on the Regional Peace Council.

The Senior Programs Manager of Regional Peace Council, Mr. Godwin Nana Amponsah and the Regional Administrator, Mr. Osei Tutu(OT) and a Programs Manager.

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SOURCE: Filasconews.com/2022