GPBS – Conflict transformation through Young People

Mission

The mission of Objective 4 of the GPBS is to invest in a more peaceful future by helping to build a critical mass of young people across the globe with peace building skills, by bringing Conflict Transformation Programmes and Peace Building Skills to young people globally. Supporting young people is essential for long term peace: young people will shape the future.

Rationale

Almost a quarter of the world lives in areas affected by military or civil conflict or with high levels of everyday violence. This means that a vast number of our young people grow into adulthood with a backdrop or culture of violence and fear.

  •  3 billion people, half of the population of the world is under 25.
  •  87% of these young people live in developing countries.
  •  Over half of adolescents are out of secondary education
  •  Over 40% of out of school children live in conflict affected countries.

‘Conflict resolutions and peace building are the only real foundations for recovery’

Unesco- ‘Education under attack’ 2010

Youth can play a critical role in preventing violence, managing everyday conflict and building and maintaining peace. The power and effectiveness of peer education is well known and documented, and many existing organisations have developed excellent peer- led peacebuilding projects. With the right skills and support young people can step into local leadership roles.

The Strategy

We will work to equip measurably larger numbers of 16 to 24 year olds with peacebuilding skills and understanding that will enable them to live more peacefully and create positive, collaborative relationships and cultures in their peer groups, families and communities.

Our priority is to work with existing organisations wherever possible and to find ways in which we can support and extend the impact of their work.

Our proposed approach is four fold:

1. Document and showcase the effectiveness of peace education.

2. Using a web based platform, generate sponsorship for the projects of young peer trainers.

3. Influence and lobby more governments to adopt peace education into the school curriculum.

4. Work with existing large international youth organisations to introduce ambitious conflict transformation projects and peace education into their programmes.

Projected Outcomes by 2016

Creation of a sustainable increase in the number of young people taking part in conflict transformation programmes and receiving education in peacebuilding by 2016.

Partners

Global Campaign for Peace Education (GCPE) https://www.peace-ed-campaign.org/, The Culture of Peace Organization (CPO) www.cultureofpeace.org

Project team

Ruth Hickin, assisted by Jenny Rogers, director Chirag, former director of Leap Confronting Conflict and Sue Corbett, former managing director of medical publishing at John Wiley & Sons.