The African Youth Development Alliance in partnership with the African Youth Initiative, Global Youth Action Network-Ghana, International Young Professional Foundation-Ghana, Apeadu Peace Centre, common Caucus Africa-Canada, Young Peace Brigade and the African Network of Young Peacebuilders is putting up the an International Summit dubbed “International Youth Peacebuilding Summit 2004 to be hosted in Accra, Ghana from the 2nd-7th May 2004.
What You Need to Know
Africa has made a turbulent history especially during the years of economic and political crisis. The people have endured various types of suffering ranging from social assault to arson all aspect of life has been greatly hampered, Such incidences as well as lack of experience in addressing issues of conflict, specifically for the attainment of peace, has resulted into frustration leading to stress and trauma.
African Youth Development Alliance (AYDA) with its diversified programmes, such as Youth Development, has peace process as one of its major component. This aimed at building the capacity of young people within the civil society.
BACKGROUND
The neglect of youth dates back to the pre and post independence era when politicians in their quest for supremacy and victory misdirected the energies of youth in unproductive and unconstructive personal ventures. The military interventions insurgency on the continent has also aggravated the situation; it has also been a buffeting time in our history.
Awful stories of youth are been told, for instance harmful intake of drugs, prostitution, rape, school dropout, conscription into lawless fighting forces, to name but few. The aftermath of such incidence have been single motherhood, broken homes, increase in HIV/AIDS infections among youth, the stories are unending.
The Secretary–General of United Nations recently speaking to the Security Council on the issue of peace building in Africa said “Without peace, development is not possible, without development peace is not durableâ€
Experience throughout Africa has proved that where peace is lacking or in any conflict situation, non combatants or innocent persons are not only victimized but are exploited, maimed and killed. To be more gender specific, threats to women, girls and youth are most common and horrifying.
In armed conflicts and in all settings where peace is absent-whether at home, in flight or internally-displaced and refugees camp for example women and girls are continually threatened by rape, domestic violence and abuse, exploitation, trafficking and sexual humiliation.
Situations such as these you will agree are dangerous and disruptive for they deprive women and youth of security of themselves.
WHAT IS THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH PEACEBUILDING SUMMIT 2004 ALL ABOUT?
The main objective of the International Youth Peacebuilding Summit 2004 is for participants to put forward alternative perspective on key issues affecting the peace process in the African Region.
To solicit support and funds for International Youth Peacebuilding Summit for youths and strengthening the awareness of solving problems through non-violence means
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
- To channel the violence activities of African youths to peace-building programs.
- To build peace in the mind of youths in Africa.
- To create an entrepreneurship avenue for the unemployed and unengaged youths who are mostly engaged in violence and war.
- To secure a peaceful environment and stable socio-economic future for the African children and youths; who are leaders of tomorrow
- To create an avenue for resolving issues before escalating into violence
- To create a forum where young leaders, thinkers and activist can meet to find youthful solution to the conflicts in Africa
- It will seek to lobby against recruiting of child soldiers on the African Continent
- To lead the youth into understanding the complexity of conflict in Africa and help them strengthen the value system so that they are better able to recognize and deal constructively with conflict
- To train youth who are in turn will be able to train/impact others in their respective countries in violence prevention and peacebuilding skills
- To Provide youth with basic skills and knowledge that promote peace and reconciliation
- To mobilize youth to discuss youth issues and be more involve in issues that bounds their countries
- To impact the behaviour and attitude of youth on peace
- To discuss the impact of armed conflict on Children in Africa
- To promote community level peace-building and engage in grass-roots dialogues
- To support the global campaign of a worldwide ban on the manufacture, sale and distribution of weapons that injure and kill civilians.
- To strengthen cooperation among African young people by providing them with a strong and effective youth forum to debate maters related to the development of young people in the area of peacebuilding
WHO ARE WE
There are a lot of challenges African Youth faces, be it Social, Economic or Developmental. From a whole gamut of problems one that stands out is on how to enable our budding generation avoids the perils of Peace and Sustainable Development catastrophe. An urgent action needs to be taken in this direction before it is too late.
Keeping this in mind, African Youth Organizations/Networks launched a Regional Network Programme called AFRICAN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE (AYDA) in 2003. A Regional programme,
AYDA targets African Youths and Children for generating awareness and taking action on Peace, Poverty Eradication, cubing the HIV/AIDS pandemic and Development related initiatives.
The Alliance envisages Networking through Community Service and Program Development. This would develop life-long habits of active citizenship and developmental stewardship.
It aims to bring together all efforts of Government agencies, United Nations and NGOs in a complementary action plan, sharing ideas and working together for a common goal.
VISION
We strive to become a Dependable Alliance Resource Centre on Development in Africa and the World
MISSION
To contribute to the improvement of life of African Youths through Efficient Management and Networking of Information and Capacity Building with a view to enhancing the Effectiveness of Youth Organizations/Networks and other actors in Development
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
*To come up with defined means of facilitating mobilization of internal and external resources for all Youth Organization/Network Development in Africa
* To have a United Front on issues of Global importance to the African Youths/Youth Organization/Network
*To develop plans and policy-making procedures that will facilitate partnership and cooperation between Government and the United Nations in Social Development of Africa.
*To join forces in designing and carrying out comprehensive and coordinated programmes that will stimulates the resourcefulness of Youth, preparing them for durable employment or self-employment and providing them with guidance, vocational and management training
*To strengthen implementation and monitoring mechanisms, including arrangements for the participation of civil society in policy-making and implementation and collaboration with international organizations
THE WAY FORWARD
The summit will operate through thematic session conducted by facilitators, delegates and resource persons.
A number of experience facilitators, resource persons and social activists will be available for the duration of the summit, to share their knowledge and expertise and engage their experience with delegates.
Participants shall return as action plan partners and shall be supported by the African Youth Development Alliance through its partners and donors to carry our similar workshops and consultation with the focal point at the grass root
WHAT SHALL BE THE OUTCOME
Young people will benefit from the summit in the following ways:
- Young people will understand the conflict situation in Africa
- Young people gain Leadership skills.
- Young people will be able to deepen their understanding of the issues they are confronted with and ways of dealing with them through broad youth sector interaction and participation
- Network and interaction across cultural spectrum
- Benefit from the workshop and trainings that will be organised during the summit through working groups
- Be able to contribute to their constituencies at home and the region
Please the Economic & Social Council or your Country coordinattor for a copy of the application form and please return it to the Economic and Social Council of the African Youth Development Alliance by the 31st March 2004
For further information please contact
Sammy Jacobs Abbey
HeadEconomic & Social Council
Africa Youth Development Alliance
P O BOX DC 824
Dansoman-Community
Accra-Ghana
+233-24-666-045
samabbey@africamail.com
http://www.aydalliance.8m.net
ayd_alliance@yahoo.co.uk
