UNDP Azusa Kobota and Alice Faakari pose with Y@W young staff_Photo by Emmanuel Oti

THE United Nations Peace Building Fund (UNPBF) and Youth@Work (Y@W) have entered into a partnership to train up to 100 young people from rural settlements around Honiara, especially those who are marginalized with limited opportunities.

The training aims to support youth to become peace advocates and to improve their long-term economic prospects. They will also be introduced to peacebuilding concepts and techniques to be peace advocates in their respective communities and will have access to other support such as business awareness training, business planning training, mentoring, and start-up business support materials.

The trainings supported through UNPBF are in close collaboration with Ministry of National Unity, Peace, Reconciliation (MNURP) and Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA).

At the launch of the partnership yesterday morning, Ms. Azusa Kubota UNDP Country Manager said, “Young women and men are critical to achieving sustainable peace, they must be empowered and equipped with the required skills and knowledge therefore investing in youth continues to be an important focus of UNPBF supported project in Solomon Islands”.

Coordinator for Y@W, Ms Rose Martin thanked UNDP for the support and stated that: Youth at work welcomes this opportunity to work with UNDP to support youths in marginalized communities. This support from UNDP is timely and will enable Y@W to support more young people to realize their potential and to make positive contributions in their communities.

In December 2015, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution on youth, peace and security, which recognized the positive contribution of youth to peace. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has a vision for transforming global development over the next fifteen years to build a more peaceful, prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive future. The vital role of youth for sustaining peace was particularly emphasized. Engaging young people positively and giving them a stake in their societies during transitions is important for long term peace and security.

UNPBF is supporting national stakeholders to sustain peace by creating an inclusive space for dialogues, supporting implementation of Solomon Islands’ national peace policies, and engaging women and youth in peace activities, implemented jointly by UNDP and UN Women Solomon Islands.

—UNDP