About Youth Positive Practice Memoire.

During one of our activities at the Borstal juvenile correctional facility in Buea, Cameroon, one of the children in his acknowledgement, confessed; “this is the happiest day in our lives”. This juvenile further said that youth civil society intervention will prepare them to join the process of making Cameroon an emerging nation by 2035 as well as prevent them from being used by Boko Haram and other extremist groups to destroy their country.

Inspired by this testimony, the Youth Positive Practice Memoire on Rehabilitation and Reintegration was born. It is a youth-led research developed by Local Youth Corner Cameroon which focuses on highlighting some of the positive initiatives undertaken by young people from across the ten regions of Cameroon which have contributed to the rehabilitation and reintegration process of violence and violent extremist offenders in Cameroon.

Similarly, this work is inspired by the clarion call made by the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth Peace and Security which highlighted reintegration and disengagement as major actions in which governments must support young people in the process.

This Memoire, therefore, serves to bring to light the issue of the transformation of young people with a history of crime and violence. It examines why young people engage in crime, violence, and violent extremism and through the lens of civil society showcases actions currently being undertaken by diverse organisations in response to the transformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of young people with a history of crime and violence into champions of peace in Cameroon.

 While this memoire is expected to serve as a tool for the celebration of successes recorded this far through selfless engagements of civil society, it also aims to advocate for inclusive conversations to be started by all stakeholders including the Cameroon government on the issues it raises. It is expected that more organisations would be inspired and encouraged by the best practices this memoire highlights to believe in the change they are making in the lives of individuals and communities and to do more.

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