TRIPOLI — After 228 youth registered to take part in UNSMIL’s YouEngage workshop on community violence reduction earlier this month, the Mission hosted a second session on April 16^th with 32 young men and women from central and western Libya to discuss how youth can contribute to stability in Libya.

The participants highlighted political fragmentation as a key factor driving to ongoing violence and insecurity in their communities. 

"The severe political divisions intensify damaging tribalism and regionalism," one participant said.

Others added that divisions contribute to competition for control over oil and other resources and opportunities. Distrust in political parties and armed groups complicates efforts toward establishing stability, youth said, and many individuals resort to having weapons for personal protection.

After the discussion, the youth developed the following recommendations:

• Improve youth participation mechanisms in elections to promote confidence in the political process.
• Support local NGOs in awareness-raising and peace advocacy efforts.
• Establish public-private partnerships to improve the national economy and create more jobs and investment opportunities for youth.
• Support startups and accelerate entrepreneurship projects across the country for sustainable peace and security
• Strengthen accountability, transparency, and inclusive policies, and appoint officials based on competence, not their tribal backgrounds.
• Invite media outlets to reduce tension and promote peace through reducing misinformation and limiting divisionary rhetoric.
• Launch a comprehensive national plan for disarmament, reintegrating militants through economic and social incentives, and preventing recruitment through training programs and job opportunities for youth.
• Implement transitional justice and achieve national reconciliation.
• Empower all Libyan cultural components, women, youth, and people with disabilities to ensure their effective participation.

UNSMIL's YouEngage programme seeks to engage 1,000 young Libyan men and women by end of May 2025, to gather their ideas and recommendations on various subjects to inform UNSMIL's youth-oriented strategies, promote inclusion, and amplify the voices of those who are traditionally excluded. All youth in Libya are encouraged to get involved by joining the YouEngage programme's groups on Facebook or LinkedIn.