Rural Smiles Foundation  is honored to have participated in the Continental Stocktaking Conference on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 8–10 December 2025, and to have been recognized as a finalist in the Youth in Action (Peace in Action) Youth Awards 2025. These engagements marked an important milestone in our organization’s journey as a youth-led civil society actor advancing peace, participation, and social cohesion in rural Uganda.

The conference, convened to commemorate ten years of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250, brought together youth leaders, civil society organizations, UN agencies, regional bodies, and policymakers from across Africa to reflect on progress made, identify persistent gaps, and collectively shape the future of the YPS agenda on the continent. For Rural Smiles Foundation, the space offered both recognition and responsibility: recognition of grassroots youth peacebuilding, and responsibility to deepen our contribution to inclusive and participatory peace processes.

Participation in the Continental Stocktaking Conference on YPS

Throughout the three-day conference, discussions focused on the implementation of the YPS pillars, the effectiveness of National Action Plans, accountability mechanisms, emerging challenges such as civic space restrictions, climate change, technology, and the evolving role of youth movements across Africa. Rural Smiles Foundation actively participated in these sessions, sharing perspectives grounded in rural realities where conflict often stems from exclusion, land disputes, gender-based violence, and limited access to safe civic participation.

In these discussions, Rural Smiles Foundation emphasized the centrality of participation as a foundation for sustainable peace. Drawing from our work in Kibaale District and the Greater Bunyoro region, we highlighted how youth inclusion in dialogue, mediation, and local decision-making reduces tensions and prevents conflict escalation. We shared lessons from community peace dialogues, youth-led mediation initiatives, and civic engagement programs that intentionally bring together young people, women, elders, and local authorities to resolve disputes peacefully.

We also contributed to conversations on accountability and impact, reflecting on how grassroots organizations can translate regional commitments into tangible community-level outcomes. Rural Smiles Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to building on existing contributions by strengthening youth leadership structures, expanding early identification of community tensions, and deepening partnerships that support peaceful civic participation.

Youth in Action (Peace in Action) Youth Awards 2025

At the margins of the Stocktaking Conference, Rural Smiles Foundation participated in the Youth in Action Peace Award Ceremony, a flagship initiative organized by the Office of the UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, UNFPA, UNDP, and UNICEF. Out of 169 submissions across the Great Lakes Region, Rural Smiles Foundation was selected as one of five finalist organizations recognized for their contribution to youth peacebuilding.

During the award ceremony, Rural Smiles Foundation was given the opportunity to present its work and impact in youth peacebuilding. Our presentation focused on how we support non-violent pathways to peace through community dialogue, mediation, civic engagement, and youth leadership particularly in rural and underserved communities. We shared how our Strengthening Civic Space initiative promotes peaceful participation during sensitive periods and how SpaceUG, our digital civic engagement platform, enables young people to safely raise concerns, share information, and engage constructively before tensions escalate.

Being recognized among the finalists and placing fifth overall was an affirmation of the relevance and credibility of rural, youth-led peacebuilding approaches. It also underscored the importance of investing in community-based organizations that operate at the frontlines of peace and social cohesion.

Building on Our Contribution to the YPS Agenda

Beyond recognition, Rural Smiles Foundation used the conference to articulate how we intend to build on our role in advancing the YPS agenda. We reaffirmed our commitment to:

• Strengthening youth participation in local governance, mediation, and peace processes.
• Protecting and expanding civic space to enable non-violent expression and dialogue.
• Addressing the intersection of land conflict, gender-based violence, and youth exclusion as key drivers of insecurity.
• Leveraging technology responsibly to support early warning, accountability, and inclusive participation.
• Ensuring that rural youth, young women, youth with disabilities, and other marginalized groups remain at the center of peacebuilding efforts.

Our engagement in Nairobi reinforced that peacebuilding is not only about high-level policy frameworks, but about everyday actions that make participation safe and dialogue possible at the community level.

Rural Smiles Foundation returns from Nairobi with renewed commitment, strengthened regional connections, and a deeper sense of responsibility to the communities we serve. The Stocktaking Conference and the Youth in Action Peace Awards reaffirmed that youth-led, grassroots initiatives are essential to shaping peaceful, inclusive, and resilient societies across Africa.

We extend our appreciation to the conference organizers, UN agencies, regional bodies, partners, and fellow youth peacebuilders whose insights and solidarity continue to shape the YPS movement. Above all, we thank the young people and communities in rural Uganda whose courage, participation, and belief in dialogue continue to inspire our work.

As we move forward, Rural Smiles Foundation remains committed to ensuring that peace begins with participation, dialogue, and the meaningful inclusion of youth at all levels.