About KCYPS

Organising Young Peacebuilders
Across Kenya

How We Started

Why The Coalition Exists

The Mission

The Kenya Coalition on Youth Peace and Security (KCYPS) is committed to collective organization and advocacy to advance youth development, peace, and security in Kenya.

Who We Unite

This coalition unites youth-led organisations, activists, advocates, and peacebuilders with government officials and national civil society organisations. Their shared goal is to champion the implementation of the YPS Agenda in Kenya, with a specific focus on cultivating young people’s leadership at the local level.

The Challenge

While there are numerous initiatives by young people and other stakeholders in Kenya working towards the YPS Agenda, these efforts often operate independently and face challenges in scaling up to the national level due to inadequate communication. The lack of awareness regarding ongoing activities and their impacts makes it challenging to assess potential threats and trends at the community, county, and national levels.

Our Approach

The success of other national coalitions on YPS underscores the significance of establishing a multi-stakeholder platform for coordination and advocacy at the national level. KCYPS is dedicated to ensuring that youth perspectives are meaningfully incorporated into national and local legislative decision-making processes concerning peace and security.

How It Works

To effectively integrate local efforts and perspectives into its activities, the coalition is decentralised, establishing county chapters with their own leadership structures — localising YPS efforts, strengthening activities at the local level, and ensuring every county has representation. The coalition has forged partnerships with different stakeholders, including the Government of Kenya and other development partners, in the development of the first National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security.

KCYPS emerged from the aspirations of youth peacebuilders and youth-led organizations aiming to fortify youth-led initiatives and improve the coordination of YPS advocacy.

What Drives Us

Mission & Vision

Mission

To enhance the meaningful participation of youth in peace and security processes through capacity building, advocacy, and partnerships.

Youth-Led Peacebuilding

Vision

To create a peaceful and secure Kenya where youth are active participants and leaders in peacebuilding processes.

What We Do

KCYPS Objectives

Eight commitments that guide every initiative, partnership, and advocacy push the coalition takes on.

Create a multi-stakeholder platform for sustained communication, coordination, and partnerships between youth peacebuilders, youth-led organizations, youth activists, civil society organizations, national and local policymakers.
Lead national advocacy for effective, youth-led implementation of the YPS resolutions.
Build support and ownership for the YPS agenda among national and local policymakers and key stakeholders, such as youth and youth-led organizations, and the private sector.
To encourage greater investment in and recognition of young people's critical contributions to peace, security, and development in Kenya.
Raise the profile and amplify the voice of young peacebuilders at the county and national level and promote greater recognition of the role of peace advocates in social development.
Promote and facilitate inter and intra-county exchange and global advocacy to promote peacebuilding across Kenya.
Develop materials and documents to support the advancement of the youth, peace and security in Kenya.
Mobilize resources and network to support, engage and train young peacebuilders.

5Leadership Members

19Member Organisations

47Kenyan Counties