There are more young people in the world today than ever before. They are disproportionately affected by current crises and armed conflicts, yet they remain insufficiently involved in their prevention, resolution, and long term peacebuilding. Despite their engagement, many young people are often stereotyped as either active drivers of conflict (particularly young men) or passive victims (especially young women).
In this context, the UN Security Council recognized for the first time in Resolution 2250 in 2015 “the important and positive contribution of young people to efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.” Structured around the five pillars participation, protection, prevention, partnerships, and disengagement and reintegration UN member states including Germany are called upon to include young people in peace and security efforts. The now three resolutions form the normative framework of the Youth, Peace and Security agenda (YPS). Ten years later, however, comprehensive implementation is still lacking.
What potential does the YPS agenda offer for peacebuilding and conflict resolution in a changing global order? And how can Germany further advance the agenda in other countries and regions as well as domestically? To address these and other questions and to formulate recommendations for German decision makers, we invited eleven young peacebuilders from eight countries to Hamburg.
From the UN resolution to my reality
In discussions, YPS experts highlighted current challenges of the agenda ranging from insufficient funding and lack of capacities to the impacts of multiple wars and crises, as well as increasing militarization and polarization. However, they also emphasized opportunities such as the growing attention to the agenda and the potential of young peacebuilders and their networks.
Workshop participants also focused on implementation: how can a global framework be applied in different contexts?
One key instrument at the state level are National Action Plans (NAPs) on YPS, modeled after the Women, Peace and Security agenda (WPS). In a NAP, states outline their strategy for implementing the UN agenda. While more than 100 WPS NAPs exist, only a few countries have adopted YPS action plans so far, although there is currently growing momentum particularly on the African continent. Experts agreed that in NAP processes, “process over product” should apply. The focus should not only be on the final document but also on an inclusive process that meaningfully involves diverse young people from the outset and is supported with sufficient time and resources.
Implementing the agenda today and tomorrow
To actively shape the future, one must engage with it. Participants therefore developed scenarios for how the YPS agenda should be implemented in ten years. These were not utopias, but desirable yet plausible futures. Based on this, the group formulated recommendations such as youth quotas in parliaments or regional action plans on YPS.
However, the diverse concerns of young people should not be postponed to the future - they must be meaningfully included today. The emphasis is on “meaningfully”. Too often, young people are involved symbolically without decision making power or real impact. Participants stressed that young people must be included throughout the entire transparent process from planning to evaluation. They should be treated with respect, receive information in advance, and be informed about the impact of their contributions. They are not only bringing youth perspectives but are, through their lived experiences, experts on peace and security and should be recognized as such. In principle, young people are far more than beneficiaries of peace and security efforts – they are partners and co-creators
Necessary dialogue with each other and across generations
A central element of the workshop was dialogue. Exchange among participants and across national and regional contexts was a key focus. The group brought together young peacebuilders from eight countries across all world regions, from Argentina to The Gambia to the Philippines, as well as Germany. Mutual learning through diverse experiences is essential, particularly as voices from the Global South remain underrepresented.
Dialogue was not limited to the participants themselves. In a public event with the German United Nations Association (Deutsche Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen e.V.), we discussed with young people in Hamburg what peace and security mean to them and their views on a potential return of compulsory military service. This once again showed that youth, peace and security issues are highly relevant not only in conflict affected contexts but also in our own societies.
Beyond youth to youth exchange, intergenerational dialogue is also essential. Cultural norms and existing stereotypes about young people often hinder their meaningful participation. While youth are at the center of the YPS agenda, responsibility for implementation does not lie with them alone – it is a shared, intergenerational task. Knowledge and capacities therefore need to be strengthened across generations. Carefully designed and inclusive intergenerational dialogue processes can build trust and mutual understanding.
Exchange with decision makers is equally crucial, as political will is key to implementation. In discussions with a Member of the German Bundestag and a representative of the Federal Foreign Office, participants shared their perspectives and policy recommendations. These conversations also addressed how policymakers and ministries can further strengthen the agenda and integrate the expertise of young peacebuilders.
What comes after the workshop?
The workshop marks a milestone in the project “Gen P(eacebuilder) – Implementing the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda.” Contributions from participants will be published on a digital YPS thematic platform in early 2026. The insights gathered will, together with research interviews and literature analysis, inform concrete recommendations for German decision makers.
Further information about the project can be found here.
