Promoting dialogue among youths to resolve conflict

Students of Mengo S.S engaging in a debate 

A debate that attracted over 200 student was organised at Mengo senior secondary school in Kampala.  Themed; "Promoting peace-building and inter-cultural understanding", the debate aimed at promoting dialogue and instilling necessary skills among young people as a way of preventing conflict to ensure peace and security in societies.

Peace, security and conflict prevention, key factors to sustainable development

Peace and security are essential factors for development. For a country to have development it requires a peaceful, secure and conflict free environment, in most cases such an environment attracts not only local but foreign investments which bring about development. It is important to talk about peace building given the fact that the current types of conflicts have acquired new dimensions. There is great need for leaders and stake holders to take responsibilities to prevent conflicts and also prevent repetition of atrocities.

Bring youths on board, shape a better tomorrow

According to UNFPA, today’s youth are 1.8 billion and make up one quarter of the worlds population. This number of youth is enough to influence the global social and economic welfare. Social welfare, inclusive of peace and security is vital for sustainable development in the world we live in. It is notable that youths have been overshadowed in governments organisations and intergovernmental organisations to mention the United Nations at large.

Peace and security influence level of economic development

Despite rapid economic development that characterizes many regions in developing countries, poverty is either stark reality or a real threat for the majority of workers in the developing world. 

By 2015, the global number of jobless could be larger than it is now. About 900 million adults in the developing countries are unable to earn   enough to cater for their families while, millions still face unemployment.

About Freedom from violence

 what "Freedom from violence" is about. 

Freedom from violence - Launch

WFUNA in Collaboration with UNA-Uganda launch; "Freedom from Violence." the project targets member of parliament, youths, media, academia and Civil Society Organisations towards the inclusion of peace, security and conflict prevention in the on-going UN post 2015 development agenda.

The video clip is was broadcasting television (NBS)  and was translated into the native language so as to reach out to the population widely.

WFUNA Youth Network celebrates International Youth Day 2014 (Video)

In occasion of International Youth Day, members of the WFUNA Youth Network and WFUNA Staff picked one option from sixteen available in the My World survey, in order to highlight the importance of youth voices in the Post-2015 Development Agenda Process.

Click to watch the video 

Protect children from violence

Child holding poster in Uganda.

Every day children in Uganda are affected by conflict, suffer from violence, neglect, abuse and exploitation at home, in schools, in institutions, in the community.

Ugandan children have gone through different challenges e.g. children in northern Ugandan have seen the worst violence because they have witnessed violence themselves such as forcing young boys to join the army at an early age which traumatizes them emotionally, young girls are being raped and become mothers at an early age and they cannot to take care of their babies and in the process of raping them some men are affected with HIV which becomes more worse to the young girls and to babies which are being born  and without  freedom  from  violence  sustainable development cannot be fully achieved.

South Sudan crisis retards regional development in East Africa.

People displaced from South Sudan conflict. image source: Google 

The deadly turmoil that broke out on the 15^th December 2013 in Juba threatens to ignite a full scale ethnic civil war across South Sudan. The fight for power between President, Kiir’s Dinkas and Machar’s Nuei, threaten to tumble a newly independent nation. South Sudan is one of the youngest member state in the UN having been welcomed in the UN General Assembly in 2011.

It was triggered by an alleged failed coup by one faction of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). The political differences became public when President Salva Kiir sacked his vice-president, Riek Machar, and several cabinet ministers. 

Securing a peaceful world

UNAU Mulago chapter members 

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.

As we break down the barriers of ignorance we begin to realize that everyone has the same questions, fears, and hopes and through that understanding we can step forward into a world of peace. Peace is everything in the world. When we practice acceptance and abstain from trying to impose our point of view, when we accept people, situations, circumstances and events as they occur, we can be at peace, no matter what is going on around us and through our own personal transformation we will transform the world. Let’s unify and inspire the world. As we set ourselves free, we sent our world free.

UNA-Uganda for UN Post 2015 Consultations

Ahunna Ezlakonwa Onochie, UN Resident Coordinator- Uganda
launching the "Freedom from Violence" project

The UN Millennium  Development Goals (MDG’s) are set to expire  at the end of 2015.

The UN is conducting a series of consultations to come up with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) that will succeed the MDG’s.

Uganda is one of the countries taking part in the Post 2015 consultations that are being held world wide. As a way of capturing  the youths voices on the matter, United Nations Association of Uganda has been selected to take part in the implementation of the “Freedom from Violence "project by WFUNA with support from the Swedish government.

The project is aimed at involving the youth, NGOs, Parliamentarians and the media in advocating for the inclusion of peace, security and conflict prevention in the post 2015 development agenda.