Jeddah (UNA) – The Executive Director of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission, Dr. Hadi bin Ali Al-Yami, affirmed that experiences have proven that conflicts leave deep and long-lasting effects on young people, affecting their present and future, and limiting their opportunities for education, community participation and development. He explained that from this standpoint, the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission realizes that addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach that goes beyond the immediate response, towards empowering young people, protecting their rights and actively involving them in humanitarian work and peacebuilding efforts.
During his welcoming remarks at the session “High-Level Dialogue on Youth Engagement in Humanitarian Efforts in the Post-Conflict Phase: Peacebuilding and Development,” held on Monday, December 15, 2025, as part of the second day’s program of the 26th session of the Assembly, he explained that this high-level dialogue complements the substantive discussion held on the first day of the session (Sunday, December 14) on youth development, and confirms the Assembly’s and member states’ keenness to deepen this discussion from a more specialized angle, focusing on post-conflict contexts and on turning challenges into opportunities to build more resilient and stable societies.
He said, “We seek to examine one of the most pressing challenges in our contemporary Islamic world, which is the impact of conflicts on young people, and their pivotal role in humanitarian efforts, peacebuilding and development in the post-conflict phase.”
He added, “Despite limited resources, the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission continues to carry out its mandate, promoting a human rights-based approach that places young people at the heart of recovery and reconstruction efforts, and enhances their participation as genuine partners in peace and development, not merely as a group affected by conflicts.”
He stressed that young people in the countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation are not only among the groups most affected by conflicts, but they are also among the most capable of bringing about positive change, whenever they are given the opportunity, and provided with a supportive environment and comprehensive policies.
He said, “In this context, we hope that today’s dialogue will contribute to the exchange of visions and experiences, and to come up with practical and implementable recommendations that enhance the involvement of young people in humanitarian efforts and support their role in building peace and sustainable development in the post-conflict phase.”
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