The Summary of Online High-level Symposium on Youth, Peace and Security in Libya
On February 21 and 22, 2020, an Online High-Level Symposium on Youth, Peace and Security in Libya was held by United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UN MGCY) and Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC).
This Online High-Level Symposium aimed to continuing work of the global framework to achieving the Global YPS agenda and SDG16 by focusing on activating UNSCR 2250 through its 5 pillars: Protection, Prevention, Participation, Partnerships, Disengagement and Rehabilitation, in addition to achieving the targets of SDG 16 by working to strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels and promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable peace.
This event included 6 main themes, the African Union Initiative (Silencing the Guns) and the 5 pillars of UNSCR 2250: Prevention, Protection, Participation, Partnerships, Disengagement and Rehabilitation. Each theme consists of keynote speeches and discussions. With an average of 6 hours per day, experts and consultants from the Council of Europe (CoE)/North-South Center(NSC), the African Union (AU), the Global Partnership for Prevention Armed Conflict (GPPAC) and the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UNMGCY).
About 100 Libyan youth and representatives of Libyan youth-led organizations participated in the forum, from outside and inside Libya. The participants were diverse, including the representatives of minorities, internally displaced people, refugees and migrants. The number of interactions between the participants and speakers reached 55, interspersed with deep and fruitful discussions, which represented the summary of their vision on the fate of the Libyan youth generation and the Libyan issues across nine years.
After the discussion, the participants presented a set of recommendations to the drafting committee represented by the organizing committee of the symposium, and after a deep analysis of the total recommendations made during the two days, the committee ended up adopting the following recommendations as follows:
Encourage initiatives for meaningful youth dialogue that provides a safe digital space for youth, such as the Online High Level Symposium.
Appeal to all intergovernmental organizations and the other countries which host dialogue sessions and peacebuilding talks inside and outside Libya, to consider youth as a key partner in peacebuilding and national reconciliation processes.
Recall that Libya is one of the African countries ratifying the African Youth Charter (AYC) of the African Union; therefore, we note the Libyan authorities concerned with respecting Article 17 of the African Union Charter that urges the involvement of youth in peacebuilding processes.
Welcome the African Union initiative (silencing of the guns), and call for the necessity of involving youth as a key partner in the silencing of the guns and ceasefire operations.
The Youth should be considered a key partner in the operations and post-conflict reconstruction.
Promote the urgency of the presidential and parliamentary elections, as an implementation of the outcomes of “Skhirat Agreement”.
Call for intensifying efforts to reduce hate speech.
Call on the international community not to marginalize youth and women in peacebuilding processes, negotiations and national reconciliation about Libya, and to consider them as partners in building the future of their country, in implementation of UNSCRs no. 1325/2000, 2250/2015 and 2419/2018.
Encourage and support activities that promote awareness of Libyan youth's political rights, before any elections.
Respect for humanitarian law and human rights to ensure protection for youth, children and vulnerable groups during armed conflict, and to facilitate safe movement and resettlement of Internally displaced persons to reduce the risks of forced recruitment as well as sexual and gender-based violence.
Emphasize on respecting our generation and not plunging them into wars and conflicts, and then marginalizing them in reconciliation sessions, peacebuilding and negotiations.