In Nigeria, we must adopt a narrative of empowerment, where every young person recognises their potential to contribute to peace and development through essential skills that transform them into peacemakers and innovators. Despite visible scars of conflict and economic disparity, youth remain the linchpins of our society’s healing and progress. International organisations such as UNESCO and the World Bank have shown that investing in youth skills leads to sustainable economic growth and social cohesion, emphasising that our youth are not just beneficiaries of development but active agents of change.
Today, Nigeria faces many challenges that significantly affect young people. The Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping, disruption of education and persistent economic inequality limit the opportunities for youth to thrive. Providing young people with the necessary skills to foster a culture of peace, nurture responsible global citizens, and promote sustainable development is crucial to building a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future for all.
Every July 15th, World Youth Skills Day is celebrated to emphasise the strategic importance of equipping youth with skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship.
This year’s theme is Youth Skills for Peace and Development, and it shows the important role that young people play in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
In line with this, NGYouthSDGs organised a live session on LinkedIn to discuss how young people can leverage their skills for peace and development. The conversation featured activists from the 2021 NGYouthSDGs initiative called Speak Up Stand Out (#SUSO), supported by VOICE, to develop the capacity of young Nigerians to become better advocates for sustainable peace and inclusive society. It was an opportunity for these peace advocates to share their experience of how the #SUSO laid the foundation of their journey in peacebuilding for sustainable development.
Let’s dive in.
My SUSO Journey: Where It Started and Where I Am Now
Ruhamah Ifere started her peacebuilding journey as an undergraduate studying law. She began volunteering in peace-focused projects. The Speak Up Stand Out program provided her with a platform to understand the intersectionality of peace and gender equality, allowing her to gain skills such as conflict resolution and peacebuilding, and expand her knowledge on gender equality in building sustainable peace.
Through the Speak Up Stand Out program, she leveraged social media to advocate against domestic violence, leading to the establishment of an organisation called Youth Evolve. As the founder of Youth Evolve, she utilised the insights from the SUSO program to advance the organisation’s work and develop a status report on women and girls’ human rights in Lagos State. They have been invited by the United Nations to contribute to stakeholder projects and the implementation of projects tackling domestic violence.
Ene Audu: Before joining the Speak Up Stand Out program, she volunteered in impact projects within her community. After the EndSARs project, she became focused on peace-building through emotional healing. Her experience in the SUSO program led her to become a Life Member of the Peacebuilding Commission due to her SUSO project in reconciliation and healing for peacebuilding. She has since contributed both virtually and onsite to promote peacebuilding in communities.
Rafiu Lawal Adeniran: In 2011, he was posted to Borno State, the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency. Following a redeployment to Oyo State, he resolved to expand his knowledge of peace-building to help restore peace in Nigeria. This led to the establishment of the Building Block for Peace Foundation. As part of these efforts, he became an activist in the SUSO program, leading a project focused on strengthening the capacity of young people for peace and security in Nigeria and raising awareness of Nigeria’s Peace and Security Action Plan. The Speak Up Stand Out project provided him with a platform to lead the monthly youth peace hangout, which built the capacity of young people to advocate for peace in their communities through social media campaigns and peacebuilding. They still have a community of practice where they interact and design peace-building solutions.
The Importance of Equipping Young People with Skills for Peace and Sustainable Development
Young people constitute more than 60% of Nigeria’s population. While it may be easy to overlook their potential and assume their drive is for the wrong causes, the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) emphasises how instrumental young people are to peace and development.
The starting point for every youth is to ask, “What does peace mean to me and my community?” This question helps evaluate each individual’s role in promoting peace, especially regarding issues such as climate change and gender-based violence. It is the responsibility of young people to identify gaps in peace, raise awareness, and call for actions to build peace.
Regardless of your location, every young person needs to understand what peace means in their community at any given time in order to leverage their skills to promote peace in society.
Challenges in Executing Peace-Building Projects and Measuring Impact:
Stereotypes against young people in Nigeria have increased since the EndSARS movement. There is a prevailing notion that young people are energetic but impatient, which leads to diminished trust in youth-led initiatives and limits their contributions to peace and security.
There is a significant lack of recognition of the contributions of young people to peace and sustainable development. Rather than being seen as assets, they are often viewed as deficit-based entities.
Funding remains a major challenge, and there is also a lack of inclusion, as peace and security are often viewed from a perspective that does not incorporate groups and organisations to lead peace.
The Impact of Peace-Building Initiatives:
Youth-led initiatives have worked to address stereotypes by amplifying the contributions of young people across Nigeria through documentaries, recognition awards, and strategic storytelling of their work. These initiatives also organise workshops and training to discuss peace and security in Nigeria.
The Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, led by Rafiu Lawal, supported the development of the first National Action Plan for Peace and Security in Nigeria, recognising the contribution of young people to peace and security.
Strategies for Building Peace in Communities:
Youth Involvement: You do not need superpowers to become a peace builder. Even addressing a conflict between two people in your community can contribute to restoring peace.
Dialogue: Engaging in dialogues helps peace builders connect with victims and understand the issues in the community. It shows that you feel their pain and are genuinely concerned about helping them heal from the problem.
Storytelling: Giving victims the platform to share their stories and how the conflict has impacted their lives emphasises the importance of peace and non-violence as they tell their stories.
Young Activists Effectively Engage Their Communities in Peace and Development Initiatives:
- Identify and invest time in understanding your community’s needs.
- Develop an inclusive approach to co-design sustainable solutions with the community.
- Identify networks promoting peace and volunteer with them.
- Build skills and capacity through continuous learning.
- Leverage social media platforms to promote sustainable development rather than social divides.
Skills Required for Peace Building:
- Conflict Resolution Skills: Conflict management, negotiation, avoidance.
- Market Skills: Entrepreneurship, vocational training, empowerment.
- Technical skills.
Accessing Peace-Building Opportunities:
- Maximise technological tools by performing a simple search on Google for related courses.
- Embody who you want to be and strategically position yourself for opportunities.
- Put in the work and build expertise through volunteering.
It is evident that investing in youth skills for peace and development is crucial for Nigeria’s future. The inspiring stories of Ruhamah Ifere, Ene Audu, and Rafiu Lawal Adeniran demonstrate the significant impact of empowering young people with the skills to become effective peacebuilders. As we celebrate World Youth Skills Day, let’s reaffirm our commitment to equipping young Nigerians with the tools and knowledge they need to promote sustainable peace and inclusive development in our society.
Catch up on the replay here.