Result of Service

Deliverables

A well-researched and evidence-based policy paper of about 25-30 pages. The paper will undertake deep reflections based on comparative country case studies. The case studies will emerge from countries that have successfully developed strong institutions reflecting the involvement of the youth in promoting promote peace, security, and stability. Reflections are also required for consideration of countries where the lack of investments in the youth have undermined peace, stability, and development outcomes. The policy paper is to bring fresh policy perspectives and prescriptions which can be utilized by the AU and other key stakeholders

The policy paper will advocate appropriate policies, guidelines and strategies based on the country experiences. Innovative policy recommendations are key to the object to the report. The paper will be delivered in a timely manner, through effective liaison and interaction with AU and UN entities, experts and concerned parties both internally and externally.

V. Schedule of Deliverables

The Consultant will work in accordance with the following timelines:
i. End October: Commence study, including literature review and field study.
ii. 22 December: Submit draft report.
iii. 5-8 January: Participate in Experts’ Review Meeting.
iv. 31 January: Finalize report.
v. February-March 2024: Participate in Policy discussions and advocacy.

Work Location

Political Affairs Section

Expected duration

06 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Introduction:
The United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU), in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), is commissioning a study that seeks to identify best practice for the effective and meaningful contribution of the youth in post-conflict reconstruction and development (PCRD) in Africa, ultimately in support of sustainable peace, stability, and development. Africa has the youngest population compared to other continents, with more than 400 million young people aged between 15 to 35 years. There is a growing consensus that the role of youth as peacebuilders and contributors to peace efforts is often overlooked, given conventional narratives which portray the youth merely as victims of violence and, worse, as easy prey to the recruitment drives of conflict entrepreneurs; with a regular focus on the vulnerability of disaffected youth vis-a-vis actors pursuing violent extremist and terrorist agendas.

The United Nations and the African Union have stressed that involving young people in politics and society is not merely a question of inclusion, but one that is vital for economic growth, innovation, peace, and security. It is therefore critical to interrogate how African policy makers have adapted their peace, security, and development models to harness the potential of the youth to bring about transformative change. To what extent are the youth at the center of the discourse, policy articulation and implementation of post conflict reconstruction and development frameworks in African countries? What avenues are open to the youth to meaningfully harness their potential for innovation and building inclusive societies? How inclusive are the conceptualization and implementation processes and approaches of post conflict reconstruction and development in African countries? What are the country experiences, lessons learned and best practices? What is the gendered nature and experiences of youth engagement in post conflict reconstruction and development in African countries? How can post-conflict countries scale-up youth participation (male and female) in post conflict and reconstruction processes and development?

Context of the Consultancy

This initiative is conceived within the context that youth engagement is a critical success factor of peacebuilding and PCRD processes as buttressed by several AU and UN frameworks including the Africa Youth Charter (AYC), the UN Security Council’s resolutions 2250 (2015) and further resolutions on YPS, such as 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020), as well as in the African Union PCRD policy which is the reference point for this study. A global consensus acknowledges that the youth play an important role in times of conflict and in its aftermath. In most cases where young people have engaged in violence, they have been coerced into it by the political and socio-economic circumstances as well as the violence in which the youth find themselves. The youth can play a dynamic and beneficial part in post-conflict reconstruction processes, thereby refuting negative narratives and images of youth as juvenile terrorists, gang members, and child soldiers. Analysis of youth in Africa has frequently led to the development of two differentiating viewpoints: one that sees youth as positive agents of change that contribute to the continent’s development and peace; and one that depicts youth as major players/drivers in armed conflicts, political violence, riots, criminality, and other types of social disorder. Academic and policy studies, especially in the 1990s and 2000s, concentrated on how young people negatively impacted violent conflicts on the African continent. However, over the past ten years, the discussion on youth, peace, and security has undergone considerable shifts. The adjustments have caused significant changes in how African youth are perceived and portrayed in policy circles, resulting in the adoption of UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions 2250 (2015) and further resolutions on YPS, such as 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020).

UNSCR 2250 (2015) underscored that “young people play an important and positive role in the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security”. The resolution further calls for giving “youth a greater voice in decision-making at the local, national, regional and international levels and to consider setting up mechanisms that would enable young people to participate meaningfully in peace processes”. UNSCR 2535 (2020) calls for increasing “the inclusive representation of youth for the prevention and resolution of conflict, as well as in peacebuilding, including when negotiating and implementing peace agreements.” But not only the UN has played an important role in advancing the YPS agenda on the continent. The African Union (AU) in the past decade has done tremendous work on the file, ensuring the mainstreaming of YPS in various areas of the work of the AU Commission and the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC). Recent AU efforts on Youth have been driven by the Youth for Peace Programme launched in September 2018. Essential policy documents developed by the Y4P include the Continental Framework on Youth Peace and Security (CFYPS) and its 10-Year implementation plan adopted by the AUPSC in 2020. In 2021 (TBC), the AUPSC commissioned a Study on the “Roles and Contributions of Youth to Peace and Security in Africa” which highlighted the positive role young people can play in advancing peace and security on the continent. Apart from specific YPS related Policy Documents, the AU also ensure that the YPS thematic area of focus is mainstreamed in other areas including in PCRD policies.

The AU PCRD policy (2006) envisages the youth among the diverse actors in peace initiatives, recognizing that endeavors for attaining social justice and sustainable peace will remain elusive unless there is effective representation and participation of the youth in the conceptualization, planning and implementation of such endeavors. The policy provides, inter alia, that: “political governance in post-conflict situations needs to promote inclusive politics and pluralism in a manner that contributes positively to nation building” and calls for, among other things, “providing training and skills development to facilitate the reintegration of affected populations such as unemployed youth, women, ex-combatants, refugees, IDPs (even while still in exile/displacement) and the disabled.” Among the identified focus areas for such interventions is the importance of “(re)-establish[ing] consensus of governance through the development of consultative processes that guarantee broad-based representative participation and leadership, allow for collective determination of needs and priorities, and enhance ownership of the reconstruction and development processes.”

– Female applicants are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications/special skills

The Consultant shall have the following qualifications:
-A PhD in Peace and Conflict/Strategic Studies, International Relations, Political Science, International Development, Youth Studies or related field, or a Master’s degree with significant relevant academic/research experience;
At least ten years relevant work experience in peacebuilding/post-conflict reconstruction and development, conflict prevention or peacekeeping with an international organization, national government, civil society, think tank and/or research institutions in Africa; proven publication track-record in area of youth and post-conflict reconstruction and development is highly essential.
Knowledge and practical experience using early warning and conflict analysis tools, reporting and responses;
Experience in working with the African Union or RECs/RMs peace and security architectures;

Languages

– Fluency in oral and written English required; knowledge of French or other AU language would be an advantage;
– Strong written and verbal communication skills (experience in writing peer reviewed articles, drafting research papers etc.).

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.