From 20th to 22nd July 2022, some 15 youth peace builders across Cameroon were trained in Yaounde on becoming peace advocates in their communities with regards to the implementation of the Youth, Peace and security (YPS) agenda in Cameroon. The advocacy training on YPS was organized by the Mother of Hope Cameroon in collaboration with other four Cameroonian nongovernmental organisations namely the Positive Peace Group, Local Youth Corner, Denis Miki Foundation and the Integrated Centre for Community Development.
During the 3-day training, participants were schooled on different topics amongst which were:
- Introduction to Youth, Peace and Security and UNSCR 2250/AU Continental Framework on YPS,
- The intersectionality of the Women Peace and Security and Youth Peace and Security Agendas,
- Basics of Conflict Management and Peacebuilding,
- The Role of Youth in Peacebuilding in Africa/Cameroon
- Introduction to Advocacy/Principles of Advocacy (Advocacy strategies and skills/ Elevator pitch),
- Developing State and National Level Advocacy Plan for Youth Peacebuilding in Cameroon, and
- Transforming Narratives through Communication and Media.
Aside these topics discussed, the trainees also social media moments, network sessions and group activities with exposés presentation at the end of each session.
The participants also shared some take-home messages such as
- the different pillars of YPS,
- the different frameworks in support of YPS,
- YPS and WPS are complementing one another (young women are at the intersection of YPS and WPS). They compliment each other in the sense that women and youths are the most vulnerable,
- we should always articulate and clearly differentiate between the different genders e.g girls, adolescent girls, young women, women.
In conclusion, emphasis was laid on the fact that young people should not only be whistleblowers but should work in collaboration with the government and other stakeholders to ensure positive peace. Peace builders should learn how to forgive and must keep on learning by carrying out researches, improve on their communication skills because communication is a necessity in advocacy, and that youth peace builders should always have a mastery of what they are advocating for and always keep their messages short and simple (K.I.S.S).
