National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security focuses on young people’s participation in peace work
Finland is the first country in the world to publish a National Action Plan for the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security. Finland's National Action Plan was published on 20 August and it is available in Finnish, Swedish and English. An easy-to-read version of the text will be published later.
The national launch event of the Action Plan was held virtually on 26 August. Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto, UN Youth Delegate of Finland Katri Leppälaakso and Milla Mäkinen, International Programs Specialist at YMCA Finland and in the 2250 network, spoke at the event. The event was hosted by Camilla Ojala, Youth and Peace Coordinator at UN Youth of Finland. UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth Jayathma Wickramanayake presented a video greeting. A launch event for international audiences will be held later in the autumn. The Action Plan can be found in the Institutional Repository for the Government of Finland Valto.
Globally, 600 million young people, that is, a quarter of the world’s youth, live in fragile countries or countries that are affected by or recovering from conflict. Young people are often excluded from official decision-making and peace processes. The UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security, which was adopted in 2015, recognises the positive and active role of youth in building peace and security. Resolution 2250, and Resolutions 2419 and 2535 which were adopted in 2018 and 2020, urge UN Member States to take into account the needs, perspectives and rights of youth as well as their need for protection and to involve them in all stages of peace processes.
The National Action Plan is the result of extensive cooperation between different stakeholders
The Action Plan is based on the five priorities set out in the above-mentioned resolutions: participation; prevention; partnerships; protection; and disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration. The Action Plan's cross-cutting theme is intersectionality, while other important themes are climate change and new technologies.
Young people’s ownership and participation were the key principles in the preparation of the Action Plan, and the text was produced in collaboration with young people and youth organisations, central government, research institutes and civil society. Finnish civil society was also closely active at the beginning of the resolution drafting process.
The Action Plan is intended to serve as a roadmap for the implementation of activities in achieving and maintaining sustainable peace in Finland and globally. Finland is at the leading edge in promoting the theme of Youth, Peace and Security, setting an example of how to implement the Resolution and encouraging other countries to take action.