We Are Not Too Young to Build Peace: Children and youth as actors in peace building

In September 2012, seven young people from four continents traveled to New York. They represented their peers when they spoke to UN institutions and missions, international NGOs and others and advocated for a UN resolution on children, youth and peace building. The aim of this publication is to inform about the event and the processes that made it possible.

Save the Children has organized workshops together with children, youth and adults at local, national, regional and global levels. The children and youth are members of child clubs and organizations in Save the Children’s programs in more than 20 countries worldwide. The first part of this publication presents key experiences children and youth presented at regional workshops in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and The Middle East. Their experiences are presented in three key categories: their major concerns; good practices and challenges. Their experiences and thoughts vary according to situations of violence, conflicts and insecurity where they are living, still some experiences are common for all regions and countries. Results of the workshops, as well as processes and initiatives in the countries, have made up the basis for the global advocacy work.

The second part is about global advocacy in New York and children and youth’s call for a UN resolution. It contains extracts from the young people’s speeches at a side event and a dialogue meeting between UN agencies and the young people.

Watch a short film where the youth representatives present their key messages here.