Governance, Peace & Security
About Program:
The spread of violence by terrorist and other organized gangs have triggered a humanitarian crisis in the least developed parts of the countries of the Horn of Africa region, displacing more than 2.5 million people, hindering economic activities, and restricting access to basic services. To bring stability to the region, HoAYN intends to build capacity of youth and strengthen their involvement in the mapping and monitoring peace related processes.
While recognizing the role of young people is key to stabilization in the Horn of Africa region, it is important work towards implementation of the Silencing the guns campaign by the African Union by 2020 and UNSCR 2250 which calls for the effective participation of young people in peace building efforts in fragile areas as well as the Stabilization Strategy adopted by Member States of the Lake Chad Basin Commission in August 2018 and endorsed by the AU Peace & Security Council in December 2018. The Stabilization Strategy offers a renewed impetus for a “new way of working” focusing on bridging the gap between political will, financing and reality of progress on the ground.
Accelerating Youth Leadership & Accountability Program
The Horn of Africa Youth Network (HoAYN) is a regional network of youth serving organizations that is working to foster sustainable, equitable and youth-led development in East and the Horn of Africa Region. HoAYN is currently implementing a regional youth program aimed at strengthening the advocacy and the organizational capacities of regional civil society organizations and youth networks to contribute to realizing youth’s rights (girls and boys) to protection and participation. The membership of the HoAYN is drawn from youth-led and youth-focused civil society organizations from ten countries in the East and Horn of Africa including: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Eritrea, Tanzania and Djibouti.
In this regard, the HoAYN supports capacity strengthening and advocacy initiatives for its member organizations in areas of youth migration, peace & security, economic empowerment, and elimination of violence against women & girls. The Network promotes collaboration with national governments, line ministries responsible for IGAD affairs, organs of the African Union Commission and the East African Community Secretariat to advance the rights of the youth in the region. As such, it therefore provides an inclusive regional platform for Civil Society Organizations to promote inclusive policies and democratic governance for the well-being of boys and girls. Currently, the HoAYN with the support of Save the Children International is implementing the Accelerating Youth Leadership and Accountability Programme (AYLAP) in the East and Horn of Africa region.