From the Peripheries to The Center: Setting the Path for Youth Participation in Local Development, Human Rights and Peace Building Efforts

From the Peripheries to The Center: Setting the Path for Youth Participation in Local Development, Human Rights and Peace Building Efforts

,
Clara Atallah
October 26, 2020
Duration: March 2011 – March 2012

Beneficiaries: 444 persons including 125 young people, 261 active stakeholders (municipalities, parliamentarians, NGOs, parents, teachers and school directors), 58 members of youth support committees; a total of 5641 people in the 4 villages benefiting from youth-led micro-projects.

Donor: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), through the Regional Human Rights Peace Building Fund.

Location: Akkar (Hrar, Qabait, Rahbeh,Tikrit)

Objectives:

The main objective of this project was to unite youth from different religious and political backgrounds in order to help them become agents of change in their community, advocate for their rights, and participate in local development and peace-building efforts.

Activities:

– Public introduction of project objectives and activities to community members and municipal authorities,
– Establishment of support committees including community members,
– Organization of a workshop dealing with youth rights and protection, while additionally raising awareness of the similarity of issues faced by the 4 villages,
– 36 awareness sessions on personality development, gender awareness and critical thinking,
– 40 training sessions (10 per group) on communication, strategic planning, municipal laws and systems, and human rights,
– 12 extra training sessions (3 per group) on fundraising, formal presentation skills and financial and administrative procedures,
– Setting up of a training session for the youth groups about proposal writing and designing a micro-project afterwards,
– Creation by the Hrar youth group of a project aiming at increasing the mobility of youth and their access to education and work opportunities,
– Creation by the Qabait youth group of a project aiming at raising the educational level of youth in their village,
– Establishment by the Tikrit youth group of a cultural and educational center for youth,
– Development of an awareness movie by the Rahbeh youth group aiming at increasing awareness among young people and their parents about the dangers of drugs, violence, sectarianism, and neglect.