As conflicts instigated by war, climate crises and political instability rock the Horn of Africa, leaders have called for engagement of women and the youth in peace building.

Speaking during the Igad Regional Forum for Eminent Personalities, Gender Cabinet Secretary Hannah Cheptumo and Igad Executive Secretary said women and youth must no longer be treated as bystanders in peace processes, but recognised as frontline architects of diplomacy and regional stability.

“Conflict has fractured families, displaced communities, and eroded hope yet women and young people have consistently emerged as agents of preventive diplomacy. Their wisdom, born from lived experience and community rootedness, represents an untapped reservoir for regional stability,” said Cheptumo.

The CS emphasised the importance of harnessing collective wisdom and building inclusive and culturally grounded mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution.

She highlighted Kenya’s progress in developing a robust gender-responsive peacebuilding framework, but cautioned that implementation still lags due to underfunding and political resistance.

Igad Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu urged regional leaders and elders to open doors wider for women and young people in peace building efforts across the Horn of Africa, warning that the region’s future hinges on inclusive diplomacy.

Dr Gebeyehu’s remarks come as the region grapples with what he termed a “double danger”—a convergence of violent conflict, climate shocks, and governance crises from Sudan to Somalia and South Sudan.

Gebeyehu emphasized that peace cannot be the preserve of the old guard alone. He challenged leaders to embrace a new paradigm that recognizes the lived experiences and community energy of the youth, especially in regions repeatedly torn by war.

“Through the accumulated wisdom of our elders, countless disputes have found peaceful resolution. But we must if we are still walking that hallowed path of impartiality,” he posed.

Gebeyehu stressed that the path to sustainable peace must include women’s leadership and youth engagement stating that the groups often bear the brunt of conflict yet remain sidelined in negotiations and political dialogue.

He noted that while the Igad Council of Eminent Persons, formed in 2023, has become a moral compass for the region, it must now evolve into a more inclusive and proactive engine of peace.

Althpohght Igad’s Vision 2050 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 emphasize gender equity and youth empowerment as pillars of regional transformation, Gebeyehu stated that decision-making spaces remain dominated by male elites and aging power structures.

He challenged the inertia calling for policy reforms and diplomatic innovations that discuss real decision-making power to women and youth.

Cheptumo called on Igad to formally endorse the gender-inclusive peacebuilding initiative, commit sustainable funding, and mobilize a diverse pool of peacebuilders, from former heads of state to grassroots leaders, to drive implementation.

“We must envision a regional roster of senior women and men, youth and elders, working together to identify, mentor, and elevate credible mediators,” said the CS while advocating for modular training in trauma-aware facilitation, negotiation, and psychosocial support across IGAD member states.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei challenged regional actors to go beyond rhetorical commitments and invest directly in local women-led and youth-led peacebuilding initiatives.

“Peace processes that ignore grassroots realities are destined to collapse. Women and young people in border communities, informal settlements and conflict-affected regions are not just witnesses to violence, they are architects of resilience. We must fund and formalize their role,” he said.

Dr Sing’oei also highlighted the strategic importance of addressing structural inequalities that make youth vulnerable to political manipulation and radicalisation.

“Let us transform youth from agents of unrest into champions of stability by offering them platforms, tools and trust,” he added.