Young people take the AU’s ‘silencing the guns’ campaign online

As AU activities increasingly move towards digital platforms, the PSC is discussing the continent’s youth, peace and security agenda.

On Tuesday, 23 June, the Peace and Security Council (PSC) is set to discuss youth, peace and security and deliberate on the adoption of two key documents – the African Union’s (AU) Continental Framework for Peace and Security, including its 10-year plan (2020–2029), and the Study on the Roles and Contributions of Youth to Peace and Security in Africa. These documents both set out priorities in this important issue and have been outstanding  since their validation with regional economic communities/regional mechanisms and youth groups in October 2019.

Their adoption is crucial in supporting the activities of the youth in Africa, such as their role in the AU theme for 2020, ‘Silencing the guns: creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development’.

Amid the global COVID-19 pandemic the rolling out of the theme has proven to be a challenge, even for young peacebuilders. Consequently, curbing the spread of the virus has hastened the shift towards digital efforts to advocate for the ending of violent conflict on the continent. The AU’s peace efforts also clearly require strong information and communications technology (ICT) systems now.

Curbing the spread of the virus has hastened the shift towards digital efforts

During Africa Day on 25 May, the AU chairperson’s special envoy on youth, Aya Chebbi, launched the ‘Youth and silencing the guns’ campaign. This entirely digital campaign aims to stimulate dialogue, deliberation and the wider participation of African youth and young peacebuilders on the AU theme of the year.

Online advocacy

The digital campaign has five key objectives. The first is to centre youth leadership in peace and development amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This is vital in urging the youth to use the limitations caused by the pandemic as an opportunity to be innovative in their peace and security efforts. A lot of progress had been made by the AU prior to the pandemic on Africa’s youth, peace and security agenda. Now it is crucial to rally young peacebuilders behind advocacy for the continuation of peace efforts despite COVID-19.

A lot of progress had been made by the AU prior to the pandemic on Africa’s youth, peace and security agenda

Secondly, the campaign aspires to nurture a movement of young pan-African leaders. Africa’s youth are no strangers to movements that rally behind a common cause. In calling for a movement for youth, the campaign calls for a united voice from Africa’s six regions, with young individuals who are committed to developing African youth-driven solutions to African problems.

Including young people’s voices

The third objective is to ensure the meaningful participation and engagement of youth in the broader ‘silencing the guns’ agenda. Young people’s voices are often heard, but not often acted upon. If the campaign achieves its objectives, policymakers will have ample information to support youth efforts beyond 2020.

Fourthly, the campaign aspires to bring the AU closer to young people. This has been one of the pioneering goals of the first special envoy of youth’s term in office. The campaign will be instrumental in ensuring that citizens of AU member states are aware of the agenda and ways in which they can contribute to silencing the guns in their own communities. It is hoped that the campaign will motivate member states to encourage the alignment of their national youth agendas with the AU’s youth, peace and security agenda.

Lastly, institutionalising intergenerational co-leadership as an approach to manage and prevent conflict has been prioritised. An intergenerational dialogue on 25 May launched this campaign and reiterated the importance of bridging the gap between generations as the continent aspires to end conflict.

This campaign is planned around a series of online conferences and webinars that create a platform for young peacebuilders to share their experiences, ongoing work and best practices towards securing sustainable peace. Its ultimate aim is the creation of an integrated call to action for policymakers to further consider the contribution of the youth in silencing the guns. In this scenario, the policymakers are the AU member states on the PSC.

Every November the council has an open session to deliberate on youth, peace and security issues. Despite the pandemic, it is critical that the campaign helps to organise the youth in anticipation of having an audience with the PSC in November.

Disadvantages of going digital

As innovative as it may seem, going digital means millions of African youth are excluded from the debate on securing peace in their communities, as well as related efforts. Internet access is a luxury that many African youth cannot afford. Despite the growing reach of mobile phone usage, average Internet penetration in Africa stands at just 25%.

Despite the growing reach of mobile phone usage, average Internet penetration in Africa stands at just 25%

With growing inequalities on the continent, there are two camps. On one side are those ‘on-line’ youth who have the means to access the Internet and participate in such digital campaigns. These youth have the burden of being their peers’ ambassadors in the campaign.

On the other side are those youth who are not online owing to a variety of reasons, including a lack of funds for Internet access and associated gadgets. What is unclear is whether youth who have the resources to engage in the campaign can disseminate the campaign’s message to those who are unable to access it online.

‘Offline’ youth have thrived on human interactions in the communities in which they operate. Undoubtedly, community engagement has been strategic in enhancing youth visibility in Africa’s bid to silence the guns.

For instance, young South Sudanese peacebuilders have taken up the role of peace ambassadors to advocate against the resurgence of violent conflict. The pandemic has already changed how they work and communicate and is so reshaping their perceptions on approaches to silencing the guns. They can no longer hold mass gatherings to disseminate peacebuilding information and interact with vulnerable citizens.

Online engagements might not be an option to enhance their operations during the pandemic as their key beneficiaries are not technologically equipped to engage remotely.

Are AU member states ready?

Going digital with the ‘youth and silencing the guns campaign’ will be an unprecedented continental effort to lead in innovation during a tough time for Africa’s peace and security agenda. However, the weak ICT infrastructure in Africa will most likely cripple efforts such as those of the special envoy on youth.

The AU should rethink the role of technology in its efforts to silence the guns

The AU should therefore rethink the role of technology in its efforts to silence the guns. This is a technological transformation that compels the organisation to interact with innovative youth.

To undertake such a revolution, the AU needs to address certain key issues. In its member states there are limited policy and regulatory reforms to facilitate the extensive and affordable Internet access that online campaigns require. Furthermore, there is a lack of finance, mentoring and training available to bolster the potential of essential digital entrepreneurs among the youth.

In addition, as indicated earlier, technology is supposed to be a tool that empowers especially those who are at the bottom of the pyramid, but the cost to access the Internet is prohibitive. Confronting member states on these three challenges is vital in ensuring that no youth are left behind as peace and security efforts go digital.

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