Young People and their Role in the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Peace Negotiations

Young people have been playing various roles in the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). They have not only made up the bulk of the secretariat of both Peace Panels providing administrative and technical support, they have also been involved in shaping the content and language of agreements and in providing the necessary informal back channels that reshaped the dynamics and relationships across the negotiating table. Young people’s motivations for joining the process ranged from a sense of duty (religious, familiar, and tribal) owing to their being born into the armed struggle, a desire to contribute and become part of the solution, and to the practical need to engage in gainful employment that would later find deeper meaning. A number of factors facilitated their participation in the peace process, but being young was also a challenge as some senior officials are unable to take young people seriously, especially young women (https://www.youth4peace.info/ProgressStudy/CaseStudies).

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