The African Union (AU) youth ambassador for peace Khouloud Baghouri says young people are the most vulnerable group in the face of the current challenges that Africa is going through including violence and conflict.
She further emphasised that based on this, the youth deserve a seat at the table to discuss and deliberate on issues that equally affect them.
“We think it is very important that they participate in peacekeeping and peacebuilding processes because they are the ones who are confronted with these challenges. They know best, what should be addressed, and what are the gaps that still exist,” said Baghouri during a high-level engagement on peace and security in Africa.
Baghouri attended the African Union Peace and Security Council high-level panel discussion in Windhoek, which reflected on several strategic level matters about assessing the global state of affairs and its impact on Africa.
The Tunisian stated that the issue of migration, climate change and conflict and the global pandemic that impacted Africa, in the last two years, is really important to tackle today.
“We must give youth the voice that they deserve, and in policymaking, political and diplomatic spheres as well. So as a representative for the young people, I think today we need to hear their voices and integrate their recommendations and their concerns in policymaking spheres publicly and informally as well,” she said.
In 2017, the African Union appointed Baghouri as the North Africa region’s Yout Ambassador for Peace. Being the only Tunisian and the representative for the North Africa region.
Baghouri called on fellow African youths to be engaged, start within their communities and respective countries, and try to expand their knowledge, and activism to advocate for peaceful ways of solving the conflict on the continent.
“It is very important that together hand in hand, we shape the Africa that we want. Today, we need our voices in our communities more than ever. It’s our continent, it’s our richness, and we want to see it prosperous, resilient and strong. It’s through you and I, in our efforts jointly to build it,” she stated.
She believes in the common voices of youth and trusts that progress is already made in several engagements, adding “Why not collectively, our leadership and our common voices shape the Africa we want?”
The UN states that young people’s role in peace and security has been understudied, very little understood and largely stereotypical, with young men and women being considered as either “victims” or “perpetrators” in a conflict.
Since 2015, young people’s essential role in peace and security has been increasingly recognised and documented. Following several years of advocacy by over 11 000 young people from over 110 countries, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a historic resolution, UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security (2015), recognising young peoples’ positive role in international peace and security.
– psiririka@nepc.com.na