United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Youth, Peace and Security
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 recognized 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), recognizing young peoples’ positive role in international peace and security. This landmark resolution identifies five key pillars for action: participation, protection, prevention, partnerships, and disengagement and reintegration. It urges Member States to give young people a greater voice in decision-making at the local, national, regional and international levels and to consider setting up mechanisms that would enable young people to participate meaningfully in peace processes.