“The spirit of peace resides in all of us. Delivering peace with passion is everyone’s responsibility”

Inspired by this quote, Bakary Sonko, a beneficiary of UNFPA’s PBF project on increasing women and youth participation in decision making and as agents of community conflict prevention, shares his journey and perspective on how we can realise sustainable peace in The Gambia.

After receiving support from UNFPA to participate in a parliamentary training in Ghana 2019 and the Peacebuilding Institute in Rwanda in 2020 respectively, Bakary founded a youth-led non-profit organisation dubbed Peace Hub The Gambia in order to garner youth action towards achieving sustainable peace in the country. The establishment of this organisation has been a dream he had for years and was able to make it a reality through UNFPA’s support to actively participate in peacebuilding discourses both in and out of the country. 

In describing what peace means to him, Bakary shared that ‘peace means freedom in one’s state of mind, freedom to peacefully coexist and foster social cohesion and ensure that every member of society is able to thrive in dignity and health.’ To realise this, he said, everyone has a stake to contribute.

Bakary’s work through Peace Hub The Gambia creates an avenue to constantly call on Gambian youth to promote, preach and practice peace and actively participate in decision making processes in their communities. This he said, is key in building The Gambia we want now and ensuring the coming generations understand and appreciate the importance of inclusion in development processes.  

Speaking to the history of The Gambia, Bakary reflected on the need for government and other partners to nurture and promote democracy, promote national healing from the country’s traumatic past and ensure peaceful co-existence amongst tribes, political parties and all other social differences. “I want Gambians to see themselves as one and not as tribes or their differences.”

Bakary is one of hundreds of young people who benefited from the UN Peacebuilding women and youth project and who are translating this opportunity into a critical resource for fostering peace in their homes and communities, by serving as agents of peace both in their collective and individual capacities.  

UNFPA continues to work with government and CSO partners to ensure inclusive participation of youth and women in leadership, peacebuilding and decision making processes, in order to enhance national development and ensure representation of different voices at decision making tables. This we believe will help create a conducive environment for the communities we serve – women, youth and adolescents - to thrive.

Media contact:

Isatou Jallow – Communications Associate, UNFPA The Gambia ijallow@unfpa.org

Haddy Jonga - Programme Analyst Communications, UNFPA The Gambia ijallow@unfpa.org