TAWI-TAWI—The Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC), Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are holding a four-day consultation on Youth, Peace, and Security on December 01 to 04 in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.
The consultation, which is being participated by about 50 youth leaders, will help in the formulation of the National and Regional Action Plan on YPS (NAP and RAP YPS).
The program is supported by the European Union.
BYC Chairperson Marjanie Macasalong said a localized consultation for the Tawi-Tawi youth is important in the formulation of the RAP YPS.
“The consultation for the youth in Tawi-Tawi is a contextualized consultation of youth perspectives and youth situation in relation to peace and security,” Chairperson Macasalong added.
The Tawi-Tawi consultation completes the five-province cycle of consultation in the region.
In August this year, the youth of Sulu and Basilan underwent similar consultation. In October, the youth from Lanao del Sur, Marawi City, Maguindanao, Cotabato City and 63 Barangays of North Cotabato attended their provincial consultation.
Ben Saudi Sawabi, peace program officer of OPAPP, said the consultation is part of the peacebuilding and security center of youth participation indicated in the Philippine Youth Development Plan 2017-2022.
“This consultation is a crucial precursor towards major output of the consultations, which is the creation and and eventual approval of the RAP and NAP YPS,” Sawabi added.
The youth organizations that participated in the consultation include Muslim Students Association (MSA) – Mindanao State University Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU TCTO); Maharlika Insitute of Technology Supreme Student Council (MIT SSC); Youth Leadership Summit; Tawi-Tawi Social Mobilizers; Tandubas Students Association (TSA); Tau-SPARTAN; Alegado Foundation; Youth for Better Sokah Bulan; Mantabun Youth Initiatives-Suara Kauman; Batu-Batu Catholic Youth Organization; 94.1 DXNH FM Nutriskwela Rayo Kasanangan; CEAP-YISEPE; Jama Mapun Youth College Association; PCYA; PYA; Bangsamoro Scholars Association; Simunul Youth Guild; KAKASIE-Youth Serving Organization; and Tawi-Tawi Regional Agricultural College-SSC.
On December 9, 2015, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2250 (UNSCR 2250), a ground-breaking resolution on Youth, Peace and Security which recognizes that “young people play an important and positive role in the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security”.
This landmark resolution urges Member States to give 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.
Being a member of the UN, the Philippines through the OPPAP will lead in formulating the NAP-YPS.
BYC Commissioner Nasserudin Dunding for Maguindanao, Cotabato City and 63 barangays of North Cotabato has emphasized that the youth’s localized perspective of peace and security is crucial in the government’s formulation of NAP-YPS.
Commissioner Dunding added the NAP-YPS will outline the country’s YPS agenda based on the recommendations from consultations, which serve as a platform for young peace advocates to further strengthen their capacities in building a culture of peace and conflict sensitivity and mobilize a youth constituency to support the peace processes.
The NAP-YPS also aims to guide both policymakers and service-providers in integrating and adopting the action points in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs that will address or contribute to addressing the needs articulated by the youth. (BYC Public Relations Section)
