The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Tuesday launched a youth-focused peace campaign in Juba, urging young people to take a leading role in promoting reconciliation, justice and social cohesion.
The initiative, titled “Hear Us, Act Now for a Peaceful World,” was launched at the University of Juba and aims to strengthen youth participation in peacebuilding and encourage engagement on issues including security, education and economic opportunity.
UNMISS Senior Civil Affairs Officer Mike Dzakuma said young people were central to South Sudan’s transition from conflict to peace.
“More than 70 percent of the population is under 30, and youth are disproportionately affected by conflict,” he said, citing impacts including loss of life, limited access to education and unemployment.
He said the campaign is based on the view that peace extends beyond the absence of violence to include dignity, justice and security.
Dzakuma said the programme would introduce “peace circles,” intergenerational dialogues bringing together youth, community leaders and other stakeholders to discuss local challenges and solutions.
He urged participants to extend peacebuilding efforts beyond the capital.
“South Sudan is not Juba. It cuts across all corners of the country,” he said. “If there is no peace in one corner, there is no peace in South Sudan.”
The launch brought together government officials, students, civil society representatives, traditional leaders and business figures, including Peacebuilding Minister Jacob Gore Samuel and Central Equatoria State adviser for peace and reconciliation John Mueller.
Samuel urged young people to promote dialogue over violence and unity over division, saying the government would support youth-led peace initiatives.
Meanwhile, youth participants said they remained largely excluded from meaningful roles in peace processes despite representing the majority of the population.
“We have been calling for peace all the time, but why is our voice not heard?” said participant Michael Julius, who criticised what he described as tokenistic inclusion of young people.
He also urged responsible use of social media to counter hate speech and misinformation.
Spoken word artist Arok Matur said she uses poetry to advocate for peace and gender equality, despite facing community resistance.
She said she was once beaten for returning late from a performance but later gained family support after her father attended one of her events.
Matur encouraged young women to continue using creative arts to push for social change.
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