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

Young people (ranging from ages 21 to 32 when they entered the process) have been playing various roles in the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) since the process formally started in 1997. 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. Among the factors that facilitated their participation in the peace process are: inspiration born out of awareness and understanding of the conflict; the institutionalization of the peace process within the government bureaucracy thus providing a natural entry point for young professionals; trust born out of confidence in young people’s abilities, as a function of security especially among the rebels, and in the ability of their peers as young people themselves opened up spaces for other young people to participate; young people’s education, skills and experience; and the energy, dynamism and passion that comes with being young. Being young, however, was also a challenge as some senior officials are unable to take young people seriously, especially young women. On the MILF side, space for participation has also been limited to their inner circle. In order to harness the potential of young people in political dialogue processes, there is a need to equip young people with the necessary skills and expertise, inspire them to become part of the solution, channel their inspiration towards organizing and engaging dialogues among their peers, and create the space where they can professionally apply their skills or meaningfully participate and turn their inspiration into passion.