UNODC celebrates community resilience in Borno State The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ( UNODC), through its STRIVE Juvenile project, joined hands with the Borno State Government to celebrate the inspiring achievements of young people and communities in promoting peace and protecting children from conflict at an exciting event held on November 16, 2023, in Maiduguri.
Participants witnessed UNODC handing over three Community Dialogue Structures to the Borno State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and National Orientation Agency. The Community Dialogue Structures bring together selected STRIVE Juvenile Youth Peace Champions - who have been trained and mentored by UNODC - and Community Leaders to facilitate crucial dialogue and conflict resolution.
STRIVE Juvenile Nigeria empowers Youth Peace Champions and community members to engage in intergenerational dialogue for peace
Since the emergence of Boko Haram and its affiliates in Nigeria, millions of people have been displaced and thousands of vulnerable children exposed to recruitment and victimization. This amounts to a massive humanitarian and developmental crisis in the North East region, especially in Borno State, the epicenter of the insurgency. However, even while families have been torn apart, livelihoods put on hold and peace destabilized, we have seen the power of resilience and concerted efforts from stakeholders to restore peace and reignite hope.
It is crucial that these efforts directly involve those who have been significantly affected by the ruinous activities of terrorist and violent extremist groups. Communities must be at the heart of designing interventions and driving positive change. A whole-of-society approach that prioritizes locally-built solutions is