Engaging Youth Women and Community Leaders for Durable Peace in Mali

This project aims at fostering bottom-up engagement for peace and social cohesion in Northern and Central Mali in the framework of the Algiers Peace Agreement. The project is designed to: (1) strengthen youth women and community leaders’ capacities to constructively engage for peace and social cohesion; (2) build bridges between key community stakeholders local authorities defence and security forces and other institutions; and (3) increase communities’ access to credible and conflict-sensitive information on the peace and security situation in Northern and Central Mali. The project is implemented in collaboration with existing locally-led networks and initiatives to empower young men and women and other key community stakeholders to become active Peace Ambassadors and to build avenues for constructive engagement between authorities institutions and citizens for durable peace in the country.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) key community stakeholders including women and youth are empowered to advocate for and participate in peace security and social cohesion actions within their respective regions; (2) key community stakeholders including women and youth security/defense forces and authorities collaborate with each other towards peace and security; and (3) local voices and constructive narratives effectively challenge violent appeals and are connected throughout the country.