Youth Partnership for Peace and Development

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Amplifying Youth Voices at the National Health Summit

The Youth Partnership for Peace and Development (YPPD) proudly participated in the just-concluded National Health Summit, a landmark three-day event that convened national and international stakeholders to reflect on the future of Sierra Leone’s health system. With a strong focus on equity, accountability, and inclusion, YPPD’s presence served as a strategic opportunity to advance youth leadership in health policy—particularly in the area of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Theresa Masuba, YPPD’s Gender Advisor and SRHR Lead, played a pivotal role in coordinating with the Ministry of Health, ensuring that adolescent and youth voices were not only heard but meaningfully engaged throughout the Summit. Her leadership resulted in the inclusion of young people in various plenaries and breakout sessions, where they addressed critical issues such as access to adolescent-friendly services, mental health support, and youth accountability in health governance. Accompanying the delegation was Saidu Ibrahim Bangura, YPPD’s Community Education and Training Officer, who provided guidance and support to five adolescent and youth representatives from the SRHR Coalition. These young leaders actively contributed to key sessions, offering insights grounded in lived experience and community-level realities. Their presence underscored the importance of youth-driven dialogue in shaping a responsive and inclusive health sector. To enhance awareness and advocacy, copies of the Agenda for Action for Adolescents (AAA) were reproduced and made accessible at various exhibition booths throughout the Summit. This helped increase visibility and encouraged engagement from delegates, many of whom expressed keen interest in adopting elements of the AAA into their institutional strategies and programming. Importantly, the participation of the Adolescent and Youth (AY) Constituents in the National Health Summit was supported through the Advocating for Adolescents’ Health and Well-Being project, generously funded by the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH). This project has been instrumental in equipping youth with the knowledge, tools, and platforms needed to advocate for their health rights and well-being. Being at the National Health Summit alongside adolescent and youth leaders was a powerful reminder that young people are not just beneficiaries of health systems—they are key stakeholders. Their voices bring urgency, truth, and vision to the table, and I am proud that YPPD continues to create space for that leadership to thrive.”— Saidu Ibrahim Bangura, Community Education and Training Officer at YPPD As YPPD continues to champion youth leadership in national health discourse, the National Health Summit stands out as a testament to what is possible when young people are trusted, supported, and empowered to lead. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with the Ministry of Health and partners to ensure that adolescent health remains a top national priority.

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Adolescents Calls for Government Integration of the Agenda for Action for Adolescents

Youth Partnership for Peace and Development (YPPD) in Sierra Leone stands resolute in its commitment to advancing the rights and well-being of young people. As an organization fervently dedicated to championing the voices of young people, we find ourselves at a critical juncture, urging the government to integrate the recently developed Agenda for Action for Adolescents into national policy frameworks. The genesis of this imperative agenda emerged as a result of the Global Forum for Adolescents convened in October 2023, where diverse stakeholders, including young leaders, policymakers, and advocates, collaboratively deliberated and formulated strategies aimed at enhancing the lives of adolescents worldwide. This outcome, the Agenda for Action for Adolescents, encapsulates a holistic approach to address the multifaceted challenges faced by adolescents today. Our ongoing project on Advocating for Change for Adolescents in Sierra Leone resonates deeply with the principles and goals outlined in this comprehensive agenda. We firmly believe that the incorporation of these commitments into national policies and programs is not only pivotal but also indispensable for fostering positive and sustainable change in the lives of adolescents. Sierra Leone’s adolescent population constitutes a significant segment of our society, representing the future of our nation. However, they encounter a myriad of challenges, ranging from limited access to quality education and healthcare services to facing social stigmatization and economic marginalization. The Agenda for Action for Adolescents provides a roadmap—a blueprint that addresses these challenges comprehensively, focusing on key areas such as education, health, protection, and empowerment. Education stands as a fundamental pillar in the development of adolescents. Yet, numerous barriers hinder access to quality education for many young individuals in Sierra Leone. By integrating the agenda’s recommendations into educational policies, we can pave the way for inclusive and equitable education, ensuring that no adolescent is left behind. Health remains a crucial aspect of adolescent well-being. Access to essential healthcare services, including sexual and reproductive health services, is often limited, exposing adolescents to various health risks. The Agenda for Action for Adolescents advocates for comprehensive healthcare, encompassing physical, mental, and reproductive health services, thereby safeguarding the health and dignity of adolescents. Protection of adolescents from exploitation, violence, and discrimination is an urgent priority. The agenda underscores the need for robust legal frameworks and support systems to ensure the safety and rights of adolescents, fostering an environment where they can thrive and contribute meaningfully to society. Empowerment lies at the core of this agenda. Creating opportunities for adolescents to participate actively in decision-making processes, fostering their leadership skills, and providing avenues for skill development and employment are integral components for their empowerment and contribution to national development. Moreover, we proudly note that 9 young people, supported by YPPD, actively engaged in the national budget discussions organized by the Ministry of Finance. This demonstrates their profound interest in understanding the national budget setting and planning processes, which directly relate to their well-being and development. The integration of the Agenda for Action for Adolescents aligns seamlessly with our goals and the aspirations of countless adolescents in Sierra Leone. YPPD firmly advocates for its adoption and implementation by the government, recognizing its potential to catalyze positive change and drive progress towards a future where every adolescent can realize their full potential. We call upon the government, policymakers, civil society organizations, and stakeholders at large to heed this call for integration. Let us unite our efforts, amplify the voices of adolescents, and work collaboratively to create an enabling environment that nurtures, protects, and empowers our young generation—the architects of our future. In conclusion, YPPD Sierra Leone remains steadfast in its resolve to champion the cause of adolescents and stands ready to collaborate with all stakeholders in the realization of the Agenda for Action for Adolescents. Together, let us build a future where every adolescent thrives and contributes meaningfully to the progress and prosperity of Sierra Leone.

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YPPD AND PMNCH CONCLUDES A NATIONAL FORUM ON ADOLESCENTS HEALTH AND WELL-BEING IN SIERRA LEONE

The Global Forum for Adolescents is a key milestone for the 1.8 Billion Young People for Change campaign, bringing together youth and adolescents, advocates, global leaders, and decision-makers at a pivotal moment for kickstarting policy shifts and program re-design at the country level,” said Helga Fogstad, Executive Director, PMNCH.

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Opportunity for Young Media and Development Communication Professionals

Youth Partnership for Peace and Development (YPPD) is looking for an intern to join its communications team to produce content for the various programs and projects. We are looking for someone with a strong interest in impact communications and demonstrated curiosity and/or experience in youth development, peacebuilding, conflict prevention and community engagement processes. The successful candidate will be offered a paid internship with an initial duration of 3 months and the potential for a longer period based on performance. Key Skills Required: Excellent writing and editing skills Strong visual skills and some experience with designing materials for print and online Experience with photo and video editing Understanding of Social Media platforms and strategy Passion and interest in youth, peacebuilding, development and the SDGs How to Apply Please send your CV and a brief covering letter, outlining how you meet the person specification (see Job Description on page 2), to recruitments@yppdatwork.org with a copy to peter@yppdatwork.org, mohamed.samba@yppdatwork.org. YPPD is committed to increasing women representation in its workforce and strongly encourages applications from women. Applications will be acknowledged, but due to the high number of applications, we apologise in advance as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Deadline for Applications: 6th January 2022   About Youth Partnership for Peace and Development YPPD is a youth empowerment think tank that was established in August of 2005 to enhance the capacity of young people and their communities, as well as the creation of open societies that promote sustainable development. Since its establishment in Sierra Leone, the organization has been able to increase young people’s understanding to find practical approaches to building wholesomely functioning societies that promote peace and mutual co-existence while deepening voices and actions which demands equity and accountability for all. It maintains the view that young people can be agents of positive change and works for ways of enabling youth to step forward for social transformation. The overarching goal of YPPD is to contribute to the endeavours of supporting youth development, peaceful conflict resolution, stability, sustainable development, peace and democracy in Sierra Leone. It works to increase the capacity of vulnerable groups through training, partnership, advocacy, enhancing the youth knowledge base and equipping them with skills to learn, grow and act. YPPD’s work is inspired by the daily struggles of our communities and the enormous opportunity that exists in collaboratively working with others in the search for sustainable solutions. DOWNLOAD FULL ADVERT FOR COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA INTERN AT YPPD

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Expression of Interests to Provide QuickBooks Installation and Training Services.

Youth Partnership for Peace and Development (YPPD) is looking for a firm or someone with a strong interest, passion and expertise in organizational development and management of accounting and finance systems and in particular, QuickBooks. YPPD has recently identified an upgraded version of QuickBooks as well as refresher training for its financial accounting processes. QuickBooks is one of the powerful accounting software that helps institutions to run their operations with ease and professionalism by enabling them to manage myriad accounting needs. With QuickBooks, organizations are able to get an overall understanding of their financial positions at any time and with the right skills set, staff within the finance department are able to effectively utilize the potentials that such packages bring to the organization’s development strives. YPPD is therefore accepting Expression of Interest (EOI) from qualified and professional training institutions to offer and deliver the following: Install and customize QuickBooks appropriately for YPPD’s use Establish YPPD’s financial and accounting systems in addition to ensuring transfers of its Financial data, both paper-based and electronic to the QuickBooks system. Train and provide technical guidance to YPPD Finance staff and program staff as means to provide hands-on understanding and support to the new work environments Please download full Terms of reference here EOI – QuickBooks Training ToR

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Kolhat Barray Project Newsletter – September Edition

Welcome to our maiden edition of the Kolhat Barray Newsletter as part of the Inclusive Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Project which Youth Partnership for Peace and Development is Jointly delivering with Cordaid in Sierra Leone. Central to this newsletter and subsequent editions will be a roundup of updates and activities in the implementation of the project. The current debate on the agency and relevance of young people, including men and women in Sierra Leone had opened a plethora of questions to not only those who implement the policies, but those who make them on one hand, and the very population that these policies do affect. The project addresses key peacebuilding challenges having adverse implications for young people, especially young women, who bear the brunt of (often gendered) insecurity and injustice, and who remain largely excluded from effective access to community-based dispute resolution (CBDR), with conflict-generative results. The project on the other hand is formulated with a clear focus on enabling women, working intergenerationally and with men as allies, to collectively influence conflict prevention at local and national levels, contributing to a more inclusive and peaceful society as a measure of walking out of fragility. Read more on Kolhat Barray Newsletter – September Edition 2021

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International Youth Day in Sierra Leone: Kolhat Barray Project Accompanying Youth-Led Advocacy Actions​

International Youth Day in Sierra Leone: Kolhat Barray Project Accompanying Youth-Led Advocacy Actions In Sierra Leone, despite tremendous efforts by the government and development partners over the years, youth participation, active inclusion and representation in critical decision-making processes affecting their lives remains daunting and the situation is worse for especially young women and girls. Youth lacks the education and required life skills that makes them productive and hence many are found on the street unemployed and unproductive. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the problem by increasing the proportion of young people especially adolescent girls not in employment, education or training. To contribute to changing this narrative, the Youth Partnership for Peace and Development through the Kolhat Barray Project worked collaboratively with the National Youth Leadership Summit Committee and the Ministry of Youth Affairs among other institutions to mark the 2021 International Youth Day event in Sierra Leone with the theme “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health”. Organized in the confines of the Sierra Leone House of Parliament, the Kolhat Barray Project utilized the advocacy opportunity to support the IYD 2021 commemoration as means build effective alliance and advocate on the need for affirmative actions on the UNSCR 2250 as specifically mentioned in the recently revised National Youth Policy. Two major activities were carriedout during the IYD 2021 commemoration including a press briefing  and a National Youth Leadership Summit that brough together 250 young people from across Sierra Leone. Happening at the very moment when the revised National Youth Policy was approved and and launched, a hearty congratulations to the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Youth Affairs for facilitating such a golden process. The National Youth Commission’s work in fully implementing and delivering on the policy provisions cannot be overstated in addition to allowing every Sierra Leonean youth to fully reach their potentials as means to be sure there is no one leaving behind. The Hon. Vice President, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh who gave the keynote address via video, informed participants of H. E. President Julius Maada Bio’s New Direction Government’s commitment to supporting youth empowerment. The Vice President expressed delight in the steps taken so far in terms of addressing youth empowerment in the country; recognizing the need to sustain and actions for creating the spaces for inclusive and meaningful youth engagement. “And today, when you look around Sierra Leone, we have dynamic young Ministers; Ministers that are young. You talk of the Minister of Youth, to Education, to Mineral Resources. Several of our Ministers are youth,” the Hon. Vice President, Mohamed Juldeh Bah noted. We convey our appreciation to YACAP for facilitating this Year’s Youth Summit, as part of the support that YPPD and Cordaid provided to this event was made possible through the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF) as part of the Inclusive Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Project which is dubbed as the “Kolhat Barray project.”     Download Press Statement

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CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST: Consultancy to Develop Youth Leadership Curriculum

The Inclusive Conflict Prevention and Peace Building Project, also known as the “Kol-Hat Barray, responds directly to root causes of conflict in Sierra Leone identified in the conflict analysis, specifically: (1) the general systematic exclusion of rural and peri-urban youth; and (2) the specific exclusion of rural and peri-urban youth from opportunities to defend their rights and resolve conflicts through existing Community Based Dispute Resolution (CBDR) mechanisms, and to contribute to conflict prevention at the national level. The project builds on the premise of UNSCR 2250 that recognizes the positive role youth plays and their relevance in contributing to solutions for peace; and applies a people-centered, bottom-up approach that will be further adapted to the contexts of each of the three project districts. Constituting a vast majority of Sierra Leone’s population, young women and men struggle to claim rights, address grievances, and resolve conflicts through the most widely used CBDR mechanisms at the local level, especially in rural and peri-urban areas. The continued exclusion of young women and men from CBDR has an adverse impact not only on security and justice outcomes for youth themselves but also on Sierra Leone’s prospects for stability. YPPD and CORDAID are collaboratively implementing this project by way of engendering enabling environment for young women and men, working intergenerationally, to encourage active citizenship and collectively influence conflict prevention practices at local and national levels, contributing to a more inclusive and peaceful society for all Sierra Leoneans. Download full Terms of Reference for Curriculum Development Consultancy

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REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST TO UNDERTAKE A YOUTH PROFILING CONSULTANCY

The Inclusive Conflict Prevention and Peace Building Project, also known as the “Kol-Hat Barray, responds directly to root causes of conflict in Sierra Leone identified in the conflict analysis, specifically: (1) the general systematic exclusion of rural and peri-urban youth; and (2) the specific exclusion of rural and peri-urban youth from opportunities to defend their rights and resolve conflicts through existing Community Based Dispute Resolution (CBDR) mechanisms, and to contribute to conflict prevention at the national level. The project builds on the premise of UNSCR 2250 that recognizes the positive role youth plays and their relevance in contributing to solutions for peace; and applies a people-centered, bottom-up approach that will be further adapted to the contexts of each of the three project districts. Constituting a vast majority of Sierra Leone’s population, young women and men struggle to claim rights, address grievances, and resolve conflicts through the most widely used CBDR mechanisms at the local level, especially in rural and peri-urban areas. The continued exclusion of young women and men from CBDR has an adverse impact not only on security and justice outcomes for youth themselves but also on Sierra Leone’s prospects for stability. YPPD and CORDAID are collaboratively implementing this project by way of engendering enabling environment for young women and men, working intergenerationally, to encourage active citizenship and collectively influence conflict prevention practices at local and national levels, contributing to a more inclusive and peaceful society for all Sierra Leoneans. Download Terms of Reference: Request for Expression of Interest for Youth Profiling Consultancy – YPPD

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WE ARE HIRING: Gender Advisor, Inclusive Conflict Prevention and Peace Project

Job title: Gender Advisor, Inclusive Conflict Prevention and Peace (national post) Organization: Youth Partnership for Peace and Development Duty station: Freetown, Sierra Leone Job type: Full-time Reports to: Project Manager YPPD   YPPD in Brief The Youth Partnership for Peace and Development (YPPD) is a youth empowerment think tank established to enhance the capacity of young people and their communities to promote Peace, Human Rights, Health, and inclusion of marginalized groups, as well as the creation of open societies that promote sustainable development. Since its establishment in Sierra Leone, the organization has and continues to increase young people’s understanding to finding practical approaches to building wholesomely functioning societies that promotes peace and mutual co-existence while deepening voices and actions which demands equity and accountability for all. It maintains the view that young people can be agents of positive change and works for ways of enabling youth to step forward for social transformation. The overarching goal of YPPD is to contribute to the endeavors of supporting youth development, peaceful conflict resolution, stability, sustainable development, peace and democracy in Sierra Leone. It works to increase the capacity of vulnerable groups through training, partnership, advocacy, enhancing the youth knowledge base and equipping them with livelihood skills. It is a platform for diverse kinds of actions committed to engaging key stakeholders at different levels of development across the country. YPPD’s work is inspired by the daily struggles of our communities and the enormous opportunity that exists in collaboratively working with others in the search for sustainable solutions. YPPD envisions a society where young people regardless of their social status are empowered and capable enough to lead, participate and influence in order to gain access to equal opportunities as stakeholders across all sectors of mainstream development.   Description of the project The Inclusive Conflict Prevention and Peace Project funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF) that aims to enable young women and men, organized through youth-led CSOs and CBOs and working in solidarity with older women and men, to foster more inclusive, gender-sensitive, and conflict-sensitive community-based dispute resolution (CBDR) mechanisms in rural and peri-urban Sierra Leone. This headline goal will be achieved through: (1) equipping and mobilizing young people to identify and take action on key drivers of conflict, insecurity and injustice in their communities; (2) supporting and influencing CBDR mechanisms to adopt more inclusive, gender-sensitive, and conflict-sensitive practices, with specific focus on addressing needs of young women; and (3) enabling young people, working intergenerationally, to advocate for evidence-based conflict prevention policy and practice, and build trust with key conflict prevention stakeholders. The project will be implemented as a collaboration between Youth Partnership for Peace and Development (YPPD), one of Sierra Leone’s leading youth organizations, and Cordaid, a Dutch international humanitarian and development NGO.   Job overview Reporting to the Project Manager, the Gender Advisor will have responsibility for providing technical expertise and leadership that ensures the project is both gender-sensitive and gender-transformative.   Key responsibilities Conduct and consolidate rapid gender analyses of situations at project sites and use this information to develop, with partners, gender-based action plans for various aspects of the project Incorporate gender dimension into needs assessments, research frameworks and youth self-assessment tool Advise and assist in the development of gender-sensitive training materials, adapt existing training resources and support their integration into internal and external training initiatives Assist all implementing actors (Cordaid, YPPD, and other partners) to incorporate gender analysis, use gender-disaggregated data, and build-in gender-transformative elements to their project activities Assist community-based dispute resolution (CBDR) providers to systematically integrate gender-sensitivity in their work, especially through responsiveness and accountability toward young women Facilitate a community of practice of young female activists within the ambit of the project Form strategic alliances with key actors internally and externally to advocate for gender-sensitive and gender-transformative programming and policies Support implementation of overall monitoring, evaluation and reporting framework Contribute to tracking of project indicators against targets Perform other tasks as assigned Qualifications 5+ years of professional experience in a gender-focused role in the fields of conflict prevention and peacebuilding, security and justice, public affairs, or youth mobilization and advocacy; previous experience in a gender advisory role strongly preferred Strong track record working with and for youth Superior communication skills in English, fluency or facility in other Sierra Leonean languages preferred Academic qualification in a relevant discipline (anthropology, development studies, education, women’s studies) preferred Proven sharp analytical skills Proactive, entrepreneurial, and effective in a fast-paced cross-cultural work environment Strong written and verbal skills for communicating with a diverse audience, including internally and external high-level stakeholders Salary To be negotiated based on experience TO APPLY Send your Cover Letter and CV by email to the Human Resources Manager at: recruitments@yppdatwork.org   Please address the Subject of your email as: Gender Advisor – Inclusive Conflict Prevention and Peace.  DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS JANUARY 13th, 2021 @ 5PM  WOMEN CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. Only successful applicants will receive a response

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