Strategic Communication Knowledge Management Human Rights

01 June 2026

Operationalising the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda

Center for International Peace Operations (ZIF) Guidance documents, handbooks CMC Finland Public 2025

This guidance note by CMC Finland and the German Centre for International Peace Operations (ZiF) presents seconded civilian crisis management personnel with practical ways to engage with and empower youth in the mission field.

The authors incorporate formal guidance, good practices from international organisations, and secondee feedback to provide concrete actions for implementing the Youth, Peace, and Security Agenda. They divide the actions into three distinct areas, the first being knowledge creation. Personnel should be mindful of narratives in communications and avoid known policy myths and stereotypes. To be sensitive to context and fill knowledge gaps, they should do desk research to review local laws, find reports with relevant data, and ensure demographic disaggregation in their own data collection. And when collecting information, engage with youth not only as sources of information but as collaborators.

The second area covered is direct youth engagement. This requires actively visiting youth where they are in host societies and approaching youth-led and youth-focused organisations. Youth-led organisations and youth themselves should be included in civil society cooperation. This engagement should be built towards meaningful cooperation. And finally, proper safety measures should be taken in mission activities, considering risks for youth of participation with missions and maintaining privacy of young people in communications and opportunities for anonymous participation.

The third area is extension of impact such that mission activities have a positive follow-on effects beyond immediate intended outcomes. Successful activities should be documented and shared as good practices for others along with data to show young people how their contributions have impacted mission activities. To fully integrate youth engagement and empowerment in civilian crisis management, YPS-experts and YPS networks should be connected with ongoing consultations and project planning.

Reference: Hallikainen, N., Schön, J. and Läster, J. (2026). Operationalising the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda. CMC Finland, Center for International Peace Operations (ZiF).

The views presented in this document belong to the author and do not reflect the official position of the European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management.

Resource

PDF | 10 pages
Read the full guidance

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