Promoting youth participation in the peace process in Cameroon

This youth focused initiative is implemented in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon by the Dallaire Institute for Children Peace and Security and Local Youth Corner Cameroon a national youth-led organization. The project aims to improve inclusive and gender-responsive participation of women and men who are youth in formal and informal peace processes for Anglophone regions of Cameroon. Project activities include: (1) providing technical and small-scale financial support to youth-led organizations to design implement monitor and evaluate gender-responsive initiatives that support peace efforts; (2) providing opportunities to youth led organizations to engage with one another and other stakeholders on conflict affected youth experiences and role of women and men who are youth in peace efforts; (3) conducting mapping of current national and local level peace processes in Cameroon; (4) documenting and disseminating practices and successes of youth-led community peace initiatives; and (5) providing opportunities for youth led organizations to advocate with local and national peace process stakeholders for inclusive and gender-responsive youth participation in the peace process. Through the establishment of a locally led and experienced body of youth peacebuilders with the advocacy and mediation capacities networks and peer support to engage national and community level peace initiatives the project directly contributes to more inclusive participation of youth in peace processes peacebuilding and conflict resolution in Cameroon. This initiative directly benefits more than 3 000 Cameroonians living in the North-West and South-West regions including women and men youth are youth and youth leaders and youth groups women civil society organizations leaders and government officials.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) enhanced capacity of women and men who are youth to participate in inclusive and gender-responsive peace processes for the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon; (2) increased recognition among local and national peace process stakeholders of the capacity of Cameroon women and men who are youth to contribute to peace processes. The overall objective of this project is to the improve inclusive and gender-responsive participation of women and men who are youth in the formal and informal peace processes in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon.