S/PV.7573 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. Members of the Council have before them document S/2015/935, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by Angola, Chad, Chile, France, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Spain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. I shall first give the floor to the member of the Council who wishes to make a statement before the voting.

We are extremely proud to present today something that we consider as the first draft resolution on youth, peace and security. Investing in young people guarantees peace and security, as well as development and progress in our societies. Draft resolution S/2015/935 clearly and directly calls for the participation of young people in decision-making, in particular in the areas of peacebuilding, political participation and conflict resolution. It also calls on Member States to ensure such participation in a positive manner. Through the draft resolution, we aim to make young people a positive element in the building societies by strengthening their role, including in ensuring social inclusion, progress and economic development. The presentation of this draft resolution is the culmination of efforts launched by Jordan’s Crown Prince following the open debate (see S/PV.7432) on countering violent extremism that he presided over. It also follows the holding of the Global Forum on Youth, Peace and Security, which was held in Jordan last August and produced the Amman declaration on the role of young people in that regard. The adoption of the draft resolution will mark the beginning of a new phase in the efforts of the United Nations system on the role of young people, within a five-element framework that includes participation, protection, preventing conflict, strengthening partherships, and reintegration into society. Seeing young people’s lives squandered in today’s armed conflicts serves to strengthen our conviction as to the role of youth in preventing the outbreak of conflict. It also leads us to call on Member States to create a conducive environment and provide the necessary mechanisms to make it possible for young people to help build and strengthen peace and respect and tolerance, in particular respect for different religions, with a view to integrating youth in our institutions and bolstering efforts to achieve lasting development in which young people are a factor in creating rather than destroying. In that regard, coordination among the United Nations system, Member States and the private sector, as well as political, technical and financial support, have an important role to play. That must take place while taking into account the needs of young people and their participation in peace efforts during and following conflicts. The draft resolution also calls on Member States and all parties to armed conflicts to take the necessary measures to protect civilians, especially young people, in line with their obligations under international law, including the Geneva Conventions and other international instruments. It also calls for States to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity against young people, as well as to enhance accountability and end immunity for those who commit such crimes. We hope that, by adopting this draft resolution, we will be drawing the world’s attention to this issue and heightening international support so that young people can be accorded the importance they deserve in the process of creating a better future for them, at this time when an increase in negative events throughout the world is leading young people to take a wrong turn and fall victim to fallacious ideas that incite them to violence, as we have seen in the recent terrorist attacks in numerous parts of the world, including the Middle East, Africa and France. Terrorist groups recruit young people to hurt them. They are the first victims. We believe that protecting young people from the fallout of conflict and ensuring that they do not turn to violence and extremism must be done via collective efforts at the local, regional and international levels. That also includes efforts to ensure that they do not become marginalized, as well as strengthening their sense of worth and of their role, so as to entrench the principles of acceptance and respect for the other. And it includes reinforcing Government educational programmes so that they meet the needs of young people. In conclusion, we thank all the Member States that participated in the negotiations on the draft resolution.

The Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now.

The draft resolution received 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2250 (2015).