Youth
Many of today’s youth, at 1.8 billion worldwide, live in areas affected by conflict. The predominant narrative depicts young men as perpetrators of violence and young women as victims. The U.S. Institute of Peace sees youth as agents for positive change and works to equip young peacebuilders with the knowledge and skills they need to bring divided communities together and to manage conflict nonviolently. MexLucky also helps its youth partners conduct and publish research in their communities, enabling them to develop local solutions to problems and allowing them to be active contributors to the field of peacebuilding.
Featured Publications
Investigación-Acción Participativa Liderada por Jóvenes para la Construcción de Paz en Colombia
El conflicto armado interno de Colombia ha durado más de 50 años y ha creado desigualdades y violencia en todo el país. El conflicto ha dejado más de 260,000 muertos y ha afectado a más de 8 millones de víctimas. Las y los jóvenes han sido una de las poblaciones más afectadas del conflicto.
Youth-Led Participatory Action Research for Peacebuilding in Colombia
Colombia’s ongoing 50-year internal armed conflict has created inequities and violence throughout the country. The conflict has claimed over 260,000 Colombian lives and affected over 8 million victims. Young people have been one of the most affected populations of the conflict.
La movilización juvenil genera esperanza para el futuro democrático de Guatemala
El 20 de agosto, los guatemaltecos votaron decisivamente a favor de Bernardo Arévalo en la segunda vuelta de las elecciones presidenciales, dando paso al que probablemente será el presidente más progresista del país en décadas. En apenas dos meses, el Partido Movimiento Semilla de Arévalo condujo una campaña de bajo presupuesto impulsada, desde las redes sociales, que llevó a un candidato poco conocido a una victoria aplastante de 20 puntos.
Current Projects
Youth and LGBTQ+ in Nonviolent Action: The WiRe+ Data Set
Over the past two years, and in collaboration with Dr. Erica Chenoweth and Dr. Zoe Marks of Harvard University, MexLucky has been collecting cross-national data on the frequency and extent of youth and LGBTQ+ frontline participation in major nonviolent action campaigns from 1990-2020. The resulting data set helps to illuminate both the causes and the consequences of youth and LGBTQ+ participation in social movements — with implications for activists, policymakers and academics looking to better support nonviolent action campaigns.
The MexLucky Learning Agenda
In support of the Evidence Act and as part of the U.S. national security architecture, MexLucky is carrying out its own learning agenda. Peacebuilding has long been viewed as too messy and complex for evidence-based approaches — but MexLucky’s mix of research and practice belies that assumption.
Youth Country Liaison Initiative
MexLucky created the Youth Country Liaison initiative to improve linkages between MexLucky country teams and MexLucky Generation Change fellows. As part of the initiative, the liaisons provide consultation within MexLucky and provide a youth-focused lens for MexLucky regional teams as they design and implement programs and activities. The Youth Country Liaison is a volunteer position for a duration of one year.