Young people can be powerful
challengers of the status quo; this is a time-honored dimension of their change
agency. There are, however, young men, and increasingly young women, involved
in violence and extremist groups and this has given rise to a picture of youth
generally as a threat to global security and stability. However, the majority
of young men and women who mount challenges to the status quo do so through
peaceful protest, social critique, cultural expression, and online mobilization
and organization.
In the case of young people’s
engagement in violence, the key drivers have been found to be discrimination
and corruption.[i]
This is all the more reason to work towards inclusion of young people in formal
decision-making processes, so that they may grapple in a non-violent manner
with the injustices and deprivation they experience.
The Missing Peace:
Independent Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security – a study mandated by the United Nations Security Council’s Resolution
2250 so that effective responses at local, national, regional, and
international levels could be recommended – concluded that the “overarching
consequence of … negative stereotypes is that they contribute to the
marginalization and stigmatization of youth by framing young people as a
problem to be solved, or an actual threat, rather than recognizing the assets
and resources they offer, or the hopes and aspirations they articulate.”[ii]
