In South Sudan, young men and women transform their lives from gang members to drivers of positive social change
??Viktoria?Von Knobloch/UN DPPA/PBSO?|?Youth in Wau volunteer in social activities identified jointly with the community, like cleaning the hospital courtyard.
In South Sudan, frequent disputes over unequal access to limited resources and unaddressed social, political and economic grievances have continued to escalate violence within and between communities. The people of Wau town in Western Bahr-el Ghazal and surrounding areas have been severely impacted by the conflict and security situation. Marginalized from socio-political decision-making structures and discouraged by the lack of adequate economic opportunities, a considerable number of young men and women sought refuge in gangs promoting a sense of belonging and security, but also vigilantism and criminal activities. Viewed as a threat to security, these youth involved in gangs faced increased stigmatization and alienation from their families and communities.
To help reduce violence and insecurity caused by youth gangs and strengthen the social fabric of the communities, the Government of South Sudan, IOM, UNESCO and Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), jointly implemented a three-year PBF-funded project worth $2.78 million in Wau.
Working directly for the first time with members of youth gangs to reduce violence, the initiative empowered young men and women to become agents of peace in their communities. Youth have become drivers of positive social change, such as for greater gender equality and more constructive interactions between different communities as well as their families.
Inter-generational dialogues among the youth, community elders, and local authorities helped reconnect young men and women with their families and traditional leaders. Around ten dialogues were attended by more than 490 participants including 240 females.
Community leaders such as chiefs and security officials showed greater openness and willingness to engage youth through problem-solving as opposed to adversarial approaches used in the past. Local and traditional authorities, once skeptical of engaging with youth gangs now embraced youth participation in decision-making processes. Eight forums held between youth and communities were attended by some 750 participants.
The project supported individual and group-based mental health and psychosocial support activities such as mindfulness-based stress reduction as well as other avenues for self-expression through theatre, music and dance. Some 679, including 455 females, benefitted from focused mental health and psychosocial support services. Community theatres and radio programs helped to sensitize people against stigmatization. Access to safe spaces provided youth with the opportunity to express themselves openly and explore their challenges and potential without fear of repercussions due to gang affiliation.
??Viktoria?Von Knobloch/UN DPPA/PBSO?|?Through intergenerational dialogues, youth can practice their leadership skills and constructively engage with their communities and leaders.
The peacebuilding initiative engaged youth in dialogue sessions on gender and in campaigns on activism related to security, governance, gender and peacebuilding. Some 30,000 young men and women participated in community awareness events. They also took up voluntary roles in social initiatives helping vulnerable community members, including elderly persons.
Young women developed leadership skills through training and found platforms to make their voices heard and influence decision-making in public matters. In consultative forums with community leaders, both youth men and women articulated their concerns, robustly engaged, challenged and debated ideas with other interlocutors to find mutually agreeable solutions. Newly acquired leadership skills helped young men and women advocate for peacebuilding and gender equality. Around 400 youth equipped with training and support ranging from functional literacy to leadership and gender transformative action raised their voice for positive change as youth influencers.
Two gender transformative trainings reached 60 young men and women, of which 32 Peer Facilitators were selected and facilitated sessions for 320 youth including 160 females in Wau.
??Viktoria?Von Knobloch/UN DPPA/PBSO?|?With the project’s support, Martha Anthony Ubut (right), guard at the Juvenile Detention Center, can facilitate cultural activities for juveniles to build their sense of belonging and relieve stress.
In parallel, educational and vocational training equipped youth with alternative livelihoods and a chance to improve their living standards. Start-up kits provided to youth helped to establish small businesses and enterprises. Vocational and entrepreneurial skills training enabled youth to kickstart and grow their small business including hair salons, welding and metal fabrication, soap making, tailoring, handicrafts, catering, and hospitality. The youth gained new confidence by making financial contributions to their families. As more youth engaged in socio-economic activities and led the way for others to follow in their footsteps, this helped reduce crime and delinquency. The peacebuilding initiative empowered and enabled the youth to drastically change their living conditions and invest in a secure future. At least 75 percent of the 413 youth empowered through vocational and entrepreneurial skills continue to sustain and steadily grow their small businesses in various parts of Wau town.
??Viktoria?Von Knobloch/UN DPPA/PBSO?|?Kur Maruk, a former youth gang member, now runs his own store together with several other youth and is ready to invest in his future.
In a second phase and going a step further, the project identified and engaged 97 Juveniles in Reformatory Centre and 150 recently released young delinquents at the community level around Wau Municipality. About 840 Functional Literacy and Psychosocial Support sessions were conducted targeting different youth in line with their established needs.
??Viktoria?Von Knobloch/UN DPPA/PBSO?|?Young men and women have become drivers of positive social change and use their social action to lead by example on issues such as gender equality and cooperation across communities.
Earlier this year, IOM and UNESCO together with other UN agencies collaborated with the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the nationwide consultative process on the development of the South Sudan National Youth Strategy. As a catalytic impact of this initiative, the state government set up a joint working group on youth empowerment and a youth peace ambassadors forum as new mechanisms for the youth to engage stakeholders in peacebuilding and further build on the positive peace gains made through the project. This can help enhance the sustainability of peace positive dividends in the future.
