The program implements the UN Security Council resolution 1325 and 2250 on peace and security for women and youth respectively. The Resolution 1325 on women peace and security passed on 31 October 2000 reaffirms the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction and stresses the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security. The Resolution 1325 urges all actors to increase the participation of women and incorporate gender perspectives in all United Nations peace and security efforts. It also calls on all parties to conflict to take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse, in situations of armed conflict.
The UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security passed in December 2015 recognizes the potential and positive contributions of youth to peace and security and provides the overall framework for young people to participate in decision making including peace building. We identify, interest and train youth in leadership, political participation, conflict prevention including conflict early warning and reporting, peaceful means of resolving conflicts, and mediation to enhance meaningful participation and contribution to building their nation.
In the discourse in conflict, youth are frequently misinterpreted. They are seen as potentially dangerous subjects and policy approaches often regard them as ‘a problem’. Often male youth aged between 15-34 years have been observed as the main protagonists of criminal and political violence. Whereas the positioning of youth in society has a bearing on their leadership potential and their possible role in peace building, there has not been deliberate efforts for youth inclusion in peace building efforts. The tension between young and old has been one of the key features of intergenerational shifts pertaining to the control over power, resources and people. Failure to recognize youth as peace builders, political actors and decision makers, implies exclusion leading to violent extremism
GWEFODE seeks to
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Improve the capacity of community based mediators and local leaders to resolve conflicts and enhance effective and efficient justice delivery in the informal justice system as well as promote peace and reconciliation through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ARD) and community dialogue.
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Establish School Peace Clubs (SPCs) to mentor the next generation of women and men peace builders by introducing young people in primary and secondary schools to peace education.
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Establish Leadership Institute; Adolescent Girls and Young Women Peace Builders Institute (AGYWOPI) to develop the next generation of women peace builders as mediators and peace keepers through.
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Establish Teens in Electoral Processes (TEPRO) targeting teenagers / youth to promote peaceful elections as candidates, voters, election observers and monitors.
