Youth, Peace & Security (YPS): 
Intergenerationally-Sensitive Approaches

The international community is increasingly recognizing the role of youth not only in conflicts, but also as central actors in promoting peace and social cohesion. Going beyond the stigmatization of youth as “problems to be managed” and recognizing them as valuable resources to tap into and build upon, the YPS agenda is gaining traction among international and national actors alike. At the same time, little attention is given to how support for youth impacts the rest of society. Crucially, intergenerational divides are often overlooked.

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Normatively, support for youth is a desirable social good, especially in addressing their exclusion. However, some forms of support could weaken community structures and bonds, particularly as youth seek to break away from communal practices that disadvantage them. For example, youth may prefer to be punished by formal police rather than by community elders, as the latter’s methods might be harsh. This can also mean that elders’ authority to regulate delinquent behavior starts to erode. The same is true of elders’ capacity to initiate youth into adulthood and act as role models. Supporting youth without engaging elders and seeking to bridge this divide can lead to greater community fragmentation rather than cohesion. As such, international actors risk causing unintended long-term harm to the communities they serve. For this reason, all-of-community approaches to youth engagement remain necessary.

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To help overcome such risks, this project aims to produce policy guidance to inform intergenerationally sensitive YPS approaches.

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Timeline: August 2026 - present 

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Lead: Abdallah Abdelwahab