TRIPOLI – Twenty-five young women and men from across southern Libya called for greater decentralization, improved economic opportunities, safer spaces for women and meaningful participation in political decision-making during a workshop and discussion with Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General - Political, Stephanie Koury on Wednesday.
Participants stressed that addressing the marginalization of southern communities and ensuring their voices are reflected in national reforms are essential to building sustainable peace and stability in Libya.
The workshop brought together youth from municipalities including Sebha, Ghat, Ubari, Derj, Wadi al Buwwanis, Qaraqara, Brak al Shati, Qatrun, Murzuq, Kufrah and Jufrah, to discuss the outcomes of the Structured Dialogue and identify how they could be prioritised and implemented by young people in their communities. Participants received briefings on the Dialogue's governance, economic, security, and national reconciliation and human rights tracks before working in groups to develop priorities and implementation ideas in each of the four tracks. DSRSG Political Koury joined the discussions to hear their proposals and explore how they could contribute to Libya's political process.
“We want penalties for those obstructing the political process and the rights of those in the South. We are being marginalized even though we have many resources,” said one young woman, reflecting widespread frustration over the lack of development and opportunities in the region.
Participants highlighted the challenges of delivering local peacebuilding initiatives, including limited financial resources and insufficient support for elected municipal councils. They called for greater authority and resources to be devolved to municipalities to enable them to respond more effectively to community needs.
Many participants also stressed the need to foster civic space and freedom of expression saying that the political division had resulted in a narrowing of freedom of expression. "We cannot speak about corruption or something without putting ourselves in danger. We hope for more work on the civil society law in order to guarantee protections for people working in civil society organizations and their independence,” said one participant. In addition participants stressed the importance of national reconciliation and rights-based transitional justice. Across five working groups, participants identified decentralization and stronger local governance as key priorities, alongside equitable distribution of national resources, improved public services and greater investment in border communities. They called for a unified national budget, stronger oversight mechanisms to tackle corruption, and economic diversification to reduce dependence on oil. Participants also emphasized the importance of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, expanding entrepreneurship opportunities and ensuring young people have a meaningful role in decisions on local budgets and development priorities.
“We need a solution for the economy which supports SMEs and stops spending without approval. We need a unified budget, as well as unified military and political institutions and DDR programmes which actually offer an alternative for young people. Youth are not just numbers put on papers, but are actual people who can participate on the ground to improve things,” said another young woman.
Participants from municipalities on the borders highlighted additional challenges, emphasizing the need for economic development opportunities. One participant noted, "In the current context, there are only two options for young people, either joining the military or engaging in smuggling of drugs and weapons".
Young women, they added, face additional barriers because of both their age and gender. Many – men and women – raised the issue of the safety or women participating in public and political life. Participants proposed more accessible mechanisms for reporting violence and greater cooperation with local and religious leaders to raise awareness of women's rights.
Responding to the recommendations, DSRSG Koury thanked participants for their practical proposals and encouraged them to consider concrete mechanisms for advancing decentralization and strengthening local governance as well as multiple ways they can can engage politically, including developing common positions affecting youth and their communities, strengthening networks with youth across the country, and preparing to participate in upcoming elections.
The workshop forms part of UNSMIL's ongoing efforts to broaden public engagement with the political process and ensure that the perspectives of young people, women and communities across Libya inform discussions on the country's future.
