Youth engagement in Peace building.
Youth in East Africa is estimated at 80% of the population 146 million. Africa’s population as a whole is very young, with 60% of the entire continent aged below 25, making it the youngest continent in the world.
There is contention among critics and analysts over what this demographic dividend could mean for African nations; some believe that, with effective governance, the economy could significantly benefit and develop, whilst others have argued that a large, poorly-managed youth population may lead to greater instability and civil conflict. More likely to be in its countries, poor economic conditions resulting from impacts of climate change, poor governance, and corruption continually add strain to the peaceful nature of East Africa Countries.
Moreover, religious and cultural tensions account for several conflicts worldwide. Youth are easy targets used as vehicles for causing violence. Tragically, youth are the most gravely affected by the effects of conflicts. High unemployment, poverty, and limited experience make these groups vulnerable.
Youth play significant roles in addressing issues of violence to sustain peace. Late Koffi Annan once said, “You are never too young to lead and you should never doubt your capacity to triumph where others have not”. Young people are often depicted as the leaders of tomorrow, but, in reality, they are already leading an important change today, especially in peacebuilding.
Young people have extremely strong values of tolerance and social cohesion. Youth aspire to a life of dignity for all. Youth are committed to peace. Youth are champions for development and change in communities and societies.
Youth make essential contributors to conflict prevention and peacebuilding. It is important to create spaces where young people can freely express their voice and debate with peers and policymakers, thus influencing behaviors, ideas, and policies.
The world today is experiencing several greater instability and a wider range of threats to peace than we have seen for a generation. In line with this agenda, Youth encourages more plans and strategies including the international laws to establish a safer world for future generations including instrumental in Silencing the guns by 2020 in Africa and help our continent to be the Africa we want peaceful and driven by its youth especially by working with the Regional Economic Communities.
A peaceful revolution is the outcome of peaceful thinking. Peaceful minds make for a peaceful world. A peaceful society is a result of peaceful persons. Therefore, peace can be established only when every single unit of society is ready to live in peace. Only those people can live in peace that is ready to remain patient, regardless of the circumstances.
The fact is that everyone is born with different tastes and everyone is free to follow his agenda. That is the law of nature, due to which it is impossible to establish uniformity in society
Peace is the only religion for both man and the universe. In a peaceful environment all good things are possible, whereas, in the absence of peace, we cannot achieve anything of a positive nature, either as individuals, or as a community, or even at a national or international level.
