COTABATO CITY (Dec. 2, 2024) — In observance of Mindanao Week of Peace 2024, the Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) piloted the mainstreaming of the Bangsamoro Action Plan on Youth, Peace, and Security (BAP-YPS) in Cotabato City on November 28–29.
The two-day initiative brought together representatives from BARMM ministries, offices, agencies, and local government units in Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and Cotabato City.
Participants engaged in various sessions to deepen their understanding of the BAP-YPS, assess their ongoing initiatives, and align these with the plan’s pillars. They pledged to incorporate the framework into their respective programs and development plans.
The BAP-YPS, modeled on the five pillars of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2250 and the National Action Plan on Youth, Peace, and Security (NAP-YPS), is a five-year blueprint designed to guide BARMM ministries, agencies, civil society organizations, and local government units in addressing youth-related peace and security concerns.
To ensure consistency in its implementation, the BYC is currently developing a toolkit to standardize the framework’s application across the region.
A youth-led document, the BAP-YPS was produced through consultations with Bangsamoro youth and relevant stakeholders. It aims to enhance youth involvement in regional peace and security initiatives.
The formulation of the BAP-YPS is aligned with BARMM’s Enhanced 12-Point Priority Agenda for 2023–2025, which seeks to achieve sustainable peace, justice, and security in the region.
Mindanao Week of Peace is observed annually from the last Thursday of November to the first Wednesday of December, as mandated by Proclamation No. 127, s. 2001, to promote a culture of peace among the people of Mindanao. (BYC PR Unit/KAA)
