Safeguarding the Future: Addressing the Impacts of Conflict on Children, Youth, and Girls for Inclusive Socio-Economic Development

This side event aims to draw attention to the compounded challenges faced by vulnerable groups in conflict settings and explore actionable pathways for inclusive recovery.

Conflicts disrupt essential services such as education, healthcare, and economic systems, amplifying cycles of poverty and inequality. For children, youth, and girls, these challenges are further intensified by limited access to safety, education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. Global crises, including pandemics and climate change, add layers of complexity, underscoring the urgent need for integrated and inclusive responses.

Guided by the strategic visions of the United Nations (UN) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), this side event provides a collaborative platform to address the socio-economic repercussions of conflicts, while fostering resilience, equity, and sustainable development.

Objectives

1.  Highlight Long-Term Impacts of Conflict and examine the socio-economic challenges faced by children, youth, and girls in conflict zones, emphasizing barriers to achieving the SDGs.

2.  Promote Inclusive Post-Conflict Reconstruction and develop strategies to enhance equity and resilience through access to education, healthcare, mental health services, and economic opportunities.

3.  Strengthen Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration and enhance partnerships among governments, international organizations, civil society, and academia to effectively address the needs of conflict-affected populations.

4.  Empower Youth as Agents of Change and amplify youth leadership and innovation as key drivers of recovery and socio-economic development in conflict and post-conflict settings.

    Leverage UN and OIC Frameworks and share best practices from UN and OIC initiatives to promote reconstruction and socio-economic development.

For more information, please view the Concept Note.