New Programme for Young Women Peacebuilders launched in the Arab States

UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States region launched the Young Women Peacebuilders programme (YWP) as an investment in the next generation of young women as peacebuilders, meditators, negotiators and leaders of sustainable peace.

Selected from more than 1000 applications, the 2021 YWP cohort includes 77 young women from 12 countries across the Arab States region have been selected based on their evident records of leadership and accomplishment in promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment and peace building.

The YWP cohort will participate in a capacity building programme covering the UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security and UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace & Security; as well as subsequent resolutions, conflict theories and analysis, including how to conduct gender-sensitive conflict analysis, conflict resolution methods, peace processes, formal and informal tracks, mediation processes, skills, values, and phases and local disputes settlement.

The YWP programme is the first of its kind to be delivered in Arabic and tailored to young women in the context and priorities of the Arab States region. It is designed with a strong belief that young women can be positive agents of change in their communities to establish sustainable peace.

“Each one of you can be an insider mediator and play a key role in changing attitudes and behaviors that promote peace, create spaces for dialogue and can connect different mediation 'tracks' in a manner that helps prevent conflict and help peace agreements endure,” said Janneke van der Graaff-Kukler, Deputy Regional Director of UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States.

“We know that youth can play an imperative role as agents of positive change in communities and contribute to more resilient, peaceful and prosperous societies for everyone, particularly young women and girls! We hope that we plant a seed of inspiration in all of you today, to become peacebuilders, meditators, negotiators and leaders of sustainable peace representing this large group of youth in the region and contributing to build sustainable peace,” added van der Graaff-Kukler.

UN Women’s women peace and security work stems from the fact that women are affected differently by conflict, insecurity, and terrorism. Due to the specific gendered impacts of conflicts, there is now strong evidence that women’s engagement in peace and security processes enhances the value of these processes and is essential to building sustainable peace.

For more information about the YWP: https://arabstates.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/youth-and-innovation/young-women-in-peacebuilding

For more information, please contact:

Emad.karim(@)unwomen.org