Youth Lead the Way: Conflict Transformation Forums Inspire Peace in Jowhar
Jowhar, Somalia – The past week, Shaqodoon Organization finalized a powerful and engaging four-day series of Conflict Transformation Dialogue sessions under the YOU ACT Project, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Hirshabelle , FAO and IOM, Somalia with support from the UN Peacebuilding Fund as the funding donor of this initiative.
The sessions, held in Jowhar District, brought together over 400 participants including youth, women, elders, religious leaders , disability groups, IDPs Representatives and local government representatives—with a shared goal: building lasting peace and resilience through dialogues, inclusion, and action.
“This wasn’t just a workshop—it was a movement,” said one youth participant. “We shared stories, challenged each other, and left with real ideas to make peace and social cohesion happen in our communities.”
A Safe Space for Difficult Conversations
The dialogue forums were launched with a strong commitment to inclusive community engagement. The first day emphasized:
Fostering open and respectful dialogues
Bridging generational and societal divisions
Identifying shared community priorities
Promoting peaceful coexistence and local ownership
Identifying conflict indicators and proposing the strategies to address
Through interactive discussions, storytelling, and conflict resolution exercises, participants unpacked the root causes of resource-based conflicts, including land disputes, scarce resources, unemployment, weak governance and exclusion. They used participatory tools like the Conflict Analysis Tree, Conflict Timeline Tool and Stakeholder Power Mapping, to better understand the dynamics at play in their communities.
From Dialogue to Action
The final day marked a turning point as participants shifted from analysis to action planning. Highlights included:
Youth-generated peacebuilding project ideas, such as community dialogue hubs, school-based peace clubs, and youth employment campaigns.
Local Resource Mapping, identifying community assets that can be harnessed for peace and development.
Strategies to include marginalized voices, especially women, youth, and minority clans, in local decision-making.
A collaborative session on identifying, analyzing& monitoring early conflict indicators and build strategic response systems.
Building a Youth-Led Peace Movement
The YOU ACT forums have already begun to shift mindsets and spark grassroots action. Shaqodoon and its partners are committed to supporting youth-led implementation of the priorities and ideas generated during the sessions.
This activity is part of a larger effort to equip young people in Hirshabelle with the tools, confidence, and connections to become peacebuilders and champions of inclusive development.
What’s Next?
Shaqodoon will continue working closely with participants and local authorities to implement follow-up activities and support youth-led peacebuilding initiatives.
Stay tuned to our News & Updates section and social media platforms for more inspiring stories, community-led actions, and opportunities to engage in the YOU ACT Project.
