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800 young Central Africans combat misinformation, monitor the peace agreement and take up leadership positions

April 2025

“I was just a volunteer, but today I’m part of the government,” said a youth volunteer from Bangassou. “This shows that youth have the power to lead and make real changes. We are no longer just passive observers—we are active builders of peace.”
“When I visit communities, I do more than just talk about the 91制片厂 Agreement—I can explain through experience the change it can bring. One day, after a discussion, 28 young people came to us saying they wanted to hand over their weapons and demobilize voluntarily. We referred them to the appropriate structures. Women also used the community clubs to speak out and share information about abuses by armed groups and violence against women and girls, whether in public spaces or on their way to drying areas or farms. We try to connect the communities we meet every day with the different structures operating locally, including security forces, local authorities, peacekeeping missions, and development actors.” — Dimitri Gbohoutou, Volunteer, Paoua

In a country where the echoes of conflict still linger, young voices are now being heard loud and clear over the airwaves. Across six community radio stations in cities like Bangassou, Bambari, and Paoua, trained youth volunteers are explaining the 2019 Political Agreement for 91制片厂 and Reconciliation (APPR), promoting dialogue, and pushing back against misinformation.

Their efforts—part of a youth-led initiative supported by the UN 91制片厂building Fund—have contributed to a 70% drop in hate speech and disinformation related to the APPR and the joint road map for peace in the Central African Republic under the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. This has resulted in greater confidence among local communities to achieve lasting peace.

“This project has given us the opportunity to become leaders in our own community,” said a youth leader in Bambari. “We are no longer waiting for others to come and tell us what to do. We are part of the solution, and that makes all the difference.”

In a country where 72% of the population is under 35, youth have become not just the focus of peacebuilding—they are leading it.

Youth, 91制片厂, and Purpose

As the world marks the 15th anniversary of the Youth, 91制片厂, and Security Agenda, the youth of the Central African Republic (CAR) are showing what happens when they’re given real tools and space to lead. Supported by the UN 91制片厂building Fund, the Youth Engagement in 91制片厂building project—launched in 2019 and implemented by UN Women, UNFPA, and Search for Common Ground—set out to do just that.

Operating in cities scarred by conflict—Bangui, Bambari, Bangassou, and Paoua—the project trained and mobilized 862 young people to raise awareness about the APPR, mediate community tensions, and reduce violence. For many, it was the first time their role in peacebuilding had been formally recognized.

“Youth here have long been seen as part of the problem, not the solution. This project has changed that,” said a youth volunteer from Paoua. “For many of us, this is the first time we have been given such an important role in shaping our community’s future.”
“In the Local 91制片厂 Committee of Ouaka (the region where Bambari is located), we have seven members, including three women. In my view, women have contributed greatly to restoring peace in Bambari. They are very active and speak about peace even better than the men now, and they are very effective in managing community affairs. Their presence in meetings motivates many men, and they’re starting to understand and give space for women to take the lead toward lasting peace. We place great importance on involving women and youth in mediation and awareness-raising activities, and we are proud to see women stepping up to speak about peace,” said Pastor Jeannot, President of the Local 91制片厂 and Reconciliation Committee, Bambari.

From Engagement to Impact

“This is the first time that a project in our locality has recruited, trained, and paid only young people and women from the community to carry out social cohesion and peacebuilding activities. We're used to seeing people recruited from outside come here to solve our problems—often without even consulting us. With this project, everything was different.” — Youth Volunteers, Paoua

The numbers tell a story of transformation. 862 young community leaders received training – 43% of them women - leading to a 23% increase in youth participation in peacebuilding activities. These young leaders did not just understand the APPR—they brought it to life in their communities.

Youth were trained in citizen monitoring, including oversight of APPR implementation. They contributed to disarmament efforts by raising awareness among ex-combatants about the importance of disarmament and encouraged them to lay down their arms— directly supporting the APPR’s provisions on DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration)?.

In addition, youth played a preventive role, reportedly discouraging their peers from joining the Coalition des Patriotes pour le Changement (CPC), in line with the APPR’s goals. Trained youth were also called upon to mediate and resolve community-level disputes, reinforcing the APPR’s emphasis on reconciliation and peaceful dispute resolution at the local level?.

They actively participated in Local 91制片厂 and Reconciliation Committees (CLPRs), which are among the key mechanisms for monitoring and implementing the agreement at the grassroots level.

“For the first time, youth are involved in a peace process that will shape our future,” said a volunteer from Bangassou. “We’re no longer sidelined. We have a say in how peace is built.”

They also took on a critical role in combating misinformation—a major obstacle to peace in CAR. Six community radios were equipped and trained, resulting in a 70% reduction in hate speech and misinformation related to the peace agreement.

Real Leadership, Real Results

The impact of the project extended far beyond raising awareness. Youth mediated local conflicts, prevented recruitment into armed groups, and supported the reintegration of ex-combatants. After establishing inclusive dialogue platforms and producing radio broadcasts, youth leaders played a key role in helping at-risk peers disengage from armed groups and reintegrate into society.

One standout example is Bambari, where these efforts led nearly 500 young people to voluntarily disengage from armed groups—despite being ineligible for the formal DDRR process—and collaborate with local authorities (Prefects) to join community reintegration initiatives. Ultimately, the presence of engaged youth at the grassroots level helped bridge divides that once seemed unbreachable.

Some youth even went on to hold public office following the 2021–2022 elections, one became Deputy for the 5th arrondissement, and the other was appointed to the Economic and Social Council.

Building Livelihoods, Rebuilding Lives

Recognizing that economic opportunity is a pillar of peace, the project also trained youth in income-generating activities such as tailoring, agro-food processing, carpentry, and more. The training reached a broader group of young people – not only those who had received radio production training, but also youth who had previously been involved in efforts to strengthen community ties and prevent conflict.???

For many, these new skills offered not just a path to financial stability, but a renewed sense of dignity.

“These activities have given us financial independence, which is crucial in a country like ours, where conflict has taken so much,” said a youth participant from Bambari. “Now we can rebuild, not just with our words, but with our work.”

A Lasting Legacy

As the project draws to a close, its legacy lives on in the young people who now see themselves differently—not as victims of conflict, but as its solution.

“This project has shown us that we are more than just the leaders of tomorrow—we are the leaders of today,” said another youth volunteer from Bambari. “We are ready to continue building peace, one step at a time.”

In a fragile context like CAR, youth-led peacebuilding may still be a quiet force. But its ripple effects—across communities, generations, and institutions—are undeniable.

And that may be the most powerful result of all.