Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province, hosted from 23 to 25 February 2026 a workshop focused on taking ownership of the Provincial Action Plan (PAP) for United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security. Developed by the Provincial Youth Council with the support of MONUSCO’s Civil Affairs Section, this plan aims to strengthen young people’s involvement in peacebuilding and conflict prevention.
Over three days, delegates from Ituri’s five territories and the city of Bunia, along with representatives of state services, thoroughly reviewed the priority actions set out in the provincial plan for Resolution 2250. The objective was to promote young people’s active participation in conflict prevention and in the search for lasting solutions to the conflicts that have affected the province for more than two decades.
Organized by MONUSCO in partnership with the local NGO SECHA (Second Chance), the workshop also helped strengthen participants’ capacities, including in project management and advocacy—skills essential for the effective implementation of the Provincial Action Plan.
For Jeannot Bongwalu, SECHA’s coordinator, this initiative marks a key step in the engagement of young people living in Ituri Province.
“This resolution is intended to enable young people to participate actively in all peace initiatives. In Ituri, partners must get closer to young people and work together so that peace becomes a reality,” said Jeannot Bongwalu, SECHA coordinator.
Among the main actions planned are: encouraging young people to disengage from armed groups, notably through awareness-raising and the promotion of entrepreneurship; strengthening collaboration between youth and local authorities; creating spaces for dialogue to prevent the instrumentalization of young people; and ensuring that the role of young people is taken into account in the provincial programme of the PDDRC-S.
For Sarah Muderwa, President of the Ituri Young Girls’ Synergy, the workshop enabled young people to share a common understanding of the provincial plan.
“We understood how to work together thanks to a clear plan. Everyone will now be able to carry out actions aligned with the provincial strategy,” she said.
The discussions resulted in concrete commitments to increase youth participation in stabilization, peace and conflict-prevention efforts.
These commitments include: awareness campaigns encouraging young people to distance themselves from armed groups and to combat drug abuse; campaigns on young people’s political rights, a culture of non-violence and conflict-prevention mechanisms; the production of radio programmes and social media spots on peace and conflict prevention; the establishment of early-warning mechanisms; the organization of exchange workshops to share experiences between youth associations and security service officials; the creation of youth vigilance committees to document and report abuses in internally displaced persons’ camps; and the organization of socio-cultural activities (such as the Okapi Umoja Festival) and inter-community sports events to bring together young people from different communities (the Okapi Umoja Inter-Youth Tournament bringing together 22 communities).
“The action plan is our compass. Taking ownership of Resolution 2250 means becoming ‘young solutions’. Let us build peace with our own hands, rather than being spectators of our own destinies,” concluded Jeannot Bongwalu of the NGO SECHA.
Adopted in 2015, Resolution 2250 is the first international framework recognizing the key role of young people (aged 18–29) in peace and security.
It is built around five pillars: participation, protection, prevention, partnerships, and disengagement/reintegration. It represents a shift in how conflict-related issues are approached, viewing young people as essential actors for sustainable peace.
Jean-Tobie Okala
