Youth and Peace: A Cross-Border Approach between Mali and Burkina Faso

State fragility remains a critical challenge in Burkina Faso and Mali and has contributed, for several decades, to recurring internal tensions and instability. Young people in particular are disenchanted with the socio-political organisation in place due to the lack of access to political power, economic opportunities as well as basic social and civil services.

Young people as agents of change

The project “Youth and Peace: A Cross-Border Approach between Mali and Burkina Faso” aims to support the efforts of the Government of Mali and Burkina Faso in the context of the implementation of the G5 Sahel Integrated Youth Strategy for Peace and Security through a participatory governance approach involving young people as agents of peace development.

This pilot project of the United Nations system participates in the G5 Sahel’s Emergency Development Program (PDU) – the latter being an initiative called to life by the governments of the G5 Sahel countries in order to accelerate the launching of quick-impact projects targeting destabilized border regions of the G5 countries.

Specific objectives

In support of national citizenship policies and the G5 Sahel youth strategy, this project aims to strengthen the citizenship of young people in order to promote their engagement and participation in the peace and security consolidation process. To do this, the project pursues the following specific objectives:

• By the end of the project, the state and non-state mechanisms and structures for conflict prevention and management in the project areas integrating young people effectively prevent and resolve conflicts at the local level;
• By the end of the project, due to increased participation, the needs and aspirations of young people will be better integrated into decision-making mechanisms and structures at the local level with links to the regional and national levels;
• Dialogue and the sharing of experiences and good practices in the promotion of young people’s participation are promoted through a cross-border and regional approach.

For more information, please download the project sheet below with more details.