Youth, Peace and Security: A Programming Handbook, developed by the United Nations with the generous support of the Folke Bernadotte Academy – the Swedish Agency for Peace, Security and Development – seeks to contribute to the operational readiness and capacity of United Nations practitioners to implement the youth, peace and security (YPS) agenda.

The handbook is intended to be used by country, regional and global teams in the United Nations system, but it can also provide insights and guidance to field practitioners beyond the United Nations, including other international or regional organizations, national counterparts, youth-led and youth-focused organizations, movements and networks, and peacebuilding organizations.

The programming handbook builds on recent evidence and increasing momentum to prioritize youth-inclusive and youth-sensitive peace and security programming, as a core element of more sustainable and long-lasting peacebuilding efforts.

Key Takeaways

Highlights why youth inclusion matters: young people experience conflict differently and are already key actors for peace, but are often left out of decision-making.
Offers practical guidance across the full project cycle, including tools for youth-led conflict analysis, co-creating theories of change, outcome indicators, monitoring, and evaluations.
Provides checklists, exercises, and sample questions to help teams plan, implement, and assess youth participation meaningfully.
Outlines entry points for programming across five key areas: participation, protection, prevention, partnerships, and disengagement/reintegration.

Find out how your organisation is making sure young people are not just included, but are leading peace and security efforts.