In the words of Guncha Annageldiyeva: “We must strive to ensure that everyone, regardless of age or gender, has the opportunity to contribute to peace discussions”

Guncha Annageldiyeva, a 26-year-old activist from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, dedicates her work to empowering youth, particularly young women, to engage in sustainable development and peacebuilding. In her roles as Y-PEER International Coordinator and Coordinator of the Preventive Diplomacy Academy Alumni Network for the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, she mobilizes youth to tackle critical issues such as violence against women, sexual and reproductive health rights, and the implementation of ‘Youth, Peace and Security’ and ‘Women, Peace, and Security’ agendas.

In line with her dedication to youth empowerment and peacebuilding, Guncha participated in the second youth and adolescent dialogue marking the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. During the panel on peace and inclusive societies, she highlighted the power of intersectionality and intergenerational collaboration in driving gender equality and youth engagement. Guncha encouraged young people, especially young women, to step up and lead on the issues that impact them, while building partnerships with older generations to break down stereotypes and work toward common goals.

“Young people bring energy and fresh perspectives to peacebuilding, not only in current realities but also for the future. They have passion, a clearer understanding of their peers’ needs, and innovative views on peacebuilding tools.

However, expecting young activists to work solely on motivation and youthful spirit is unrealistic and potentially harmful. To address this, sufficient funding must be allocated for youth-led initiatives and organizations. Supporting grassroots youth networks with financial resources can make their peace efforts more visible, leading to a lasting and effective way of involving young people in peacebuilding.

It is also important to secure written commitments to involve both young women and men activists in drafting peace-related declarations and documents. This comprehensive approach will empower young people to move beyond the role of inspirational speakers and enable them to actively carry out peace-related initiatives with proper resources.

Unfortunately, the current reality is that young women often lack opportunities to express their voices and are underrepresented in their communities’ peace leadership. What is even more concerning is that women in decision-making positions may not always genuinely represent the needs of women at the grassroots level.

To ensure equal representation, it is necessary to communicate peacebuilding terminology and ideologies clearly to both young men and women, emphasizing how effective peace creation relies on diverse perspectives and inclusive involvement.

We must strive for equal access to technology, providing gender-sensitive perspectives. Current digital platforms offer open information on ongoing global conflicts and peacebuilding efforts. Through these platforms, young people can learn about contexts, initiatives, and activism they can join as young peacebuilders. I witnessed this firsthand when we organized webinars with a team of youth leaders that brought together young people from diverse backgrounds and geographical locations.

However, challenges such as hate speech, misinformation, manipulation of truth through misleading narratives, and online harassment, especially targeting young women, can undermine peace efforts. While recognizing the advantages and disadvantages of technology and its inevitable integration into our lives, we should not neglect the importance of face-to-face engagement, which is foundational for building trust and human relationships.

Another important aspect is intergenerational cooperation. Over a decade of activism, starting from the grassroots level in Turkmenistan and now expanding internationally, I’ve seen how essential it is to work across generations. We strive for inclusion by advocating for a better present and future with people of all ages.

While more experienced individuals often hold leadership positions in peacebuilding, this doesn’t mean all older people are well-represented. We need to work towards giving everyone, regardless of their age or gender, the opportunity to contribute to discussions about peace. In my advocacy work, I always strive to ensure that no one feels excluded or left out of the collective effort.”