Empowering youth voices for lasting peace: National Peace Council’s perspective

In a world where the forces of division often seem louder than those of unity, the voices of young people remain one of the most underutilised—yet most powerful—tools for building lasting peace.

Across the globe, and particularly in Africa, youth make up a significant portion of the population.

Their potential to shape peaceful, inclusive societies is immense.

Yet, too often, they are sidelined in the very decision-making spaces where their perspectives are most needed, especially in matters of peacebuilding and governance.
Empowering youth voices is not a token gesture; it is a strategic investment in the stability, resilience and future of our communities.

At the National Peace Council (NPC), we are committed to this vision through our interventions at both the national, regional and community levels.

That's why the NPC is thrilled to be part of this year's Global Youth Workers Conference on the theme: Youth Workers for Global Goals: Established, Equipped and Engaged.

Youth, peace connection

Too frequently, young people are portrayed in binary terms—as either passive victims of conflict or as threats to security.

This narrow framing overlooks a deeper and more hopeful truth: youth are, and have always been, dynamic agents of peace. 

Whether through organising grassroots dialogues in conflict-prone areas or leading online campaigns against hate speech, young people are proving that when given the opportunity, their voices can be transformational.

The United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security formally affirms this potential.

It calls for the meaningful inclusion of youth in peace processes and urges institutions to support their leadership in preventing and resolving conflict. 

This obviously ties into SDG 16, "Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions," which aims at promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, as well as providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

The SDG 16 simply seeks to reduce all forms of violence, end conflict and violence and promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.

Moreover, our records show that the youth are actively involved in violent conflicts and are by far the largest casualties in any conflict.

That is why we at the NPC is concerned and the issues of their engagement are crucial.

Barriers, youth participation

Despite this growing recognition, young people still face multiple barriers to meaningful participation.

These include limited access to political and civic spaces, under-resourced youth initiatives, negative societal stereotypes and, in some cases, a deep mistrust between youth and formal institutions.

Often, young people are not consulted on critical issues that directly affect them, whether related to security, interfaith dialogue or climate justice.

Yet, their lived experiences offer fresh insights and innovative solutions that traditional actors may overlook.

Strategies, empowerment

Recognising the urgent need to elevate youth voices for lasting peace, the National Peace Council has implemented several key strategies:

• Creating inclusive platforms: In line with our mandate to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts, we have developed inclusive platforms that enable young people to share their views, contribute ideas and actively participate in peace processes.

These include periodic stakeholder engagements, peace clubs in selected schools, community Peace Committees, interfaith dialogue forums and youth-centred education sessions. We are committed to expanding these initiatives to reach more young people across the country.

• Investing in youth leadership: Youth leadership is a cornerstone of sustainable peace.

The NPC, through its Capacity Building and Outreach Department, provides training in conflict resolution, peace advocacy, communication, and civic engagement. 

These capacity-building programs equip young people with the tools they need to lead with confidence and credibility.

Notably, in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, our training for political youth leaders played a significant role in preventing potential intra-party conflicts.

• Supporting youth-led initiatives:

We are encouraged by the many young people already driving change at the grassroots level.

The NPC collaborates with youth-led organisations to amplify their efforts and support their initiatives. 

While we may not have a physical presence in every community, we work with local focal people to monitor and respond to early warning signs of conflict.
• Fostering intergenerational dialogue
Our experience shows that peacebuilding is most effective when it bridges generations.

In addition to youth-led programmes, we also facilitate youth-adult dialogues that emphasise mutual respect and shared decision-making.

For example, during the 2024 Constituency Peace Pact Signing across 30 hotspot constituencies, and through gender-focused programmes that challenge harmful norms, we saw how intergenerational collaboration enriches outcomes and fosters unity.

• Leveraging media and technology: Ghanaian youth are highly engaged in digital spaces.

According to Ayisi et al. (2024), 83 per cent of Ghanaian youth have significant access to the internet, offering both opportunities and challenges.

While digital platforms offer avenues for education, connection and advocacy, they also expose young people to risks such as misinformation and cyberbullying.

The NPC and its partners leverage some digital platforms for peace messaging, online forums and campaigns.

Through our partnership with FactCheck Ghana, we monitor and verify the credibility of information shared online, helping to maintain peace and counter misinformation during the 2024 election.

Role, communication

Having experienced the transformative power of storytelling and dialogue, the Council attaches a sense of urgency to its communications to our constituents, especially the youth.

We are of the belief that when young people are equipped with skills to communicate rightly and timely manner their experiences, they do more than just speak in bringing about change.

In this sense, an effective and thriving communication environment goes beyond just being a tool for sharing information, but acts as a catalyst for healing, advocacy, unity and peacebuilding, among others.

From radio shows and community theatre to social media and spoken words, youth are breathing vitality into actionable narratives that challenge the structures that perpetuate violence and exclusion.

Call

Empowering youth voices for lasting peace is more than a policy priority and is a moral imperative.

At the National Peace Council, we remain unwavering in our commitment to this cause.

But we cannot do this alone. 

It takes a collective effort to listen to young people, to invest in their potential and to trust them as partners in peacebuilding.

We must remember: the youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow.

They are the peacebuilders, peacemakers and peacekeepers of the past, today and tomorrow. 

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who emphasised the importance of youth in building peace and the need for their engagement in decision-making, stated in one of his reflections: "You are never too young to lead".

He also stated that "any society that does not succeed in tapping into the energy and creativity of its youth will be left behind”.

All these highlight the crucial role the youth play in societal progress.

Together, we can support efforts to build sustainable peace in Ghana and Africa.

The writer is a Senior Public Relations Manager.