UN Women supports young women’s participation in global peace and security platforms

Date: Friday, 31 July 2026

Tiko Lagvilava, a young peacebuilder from Georgia and member of the Network of Women and Youth Peace Ambassadors, delivers a speech at the Global Strategic Dialogue, “From Normative Progress to Implementation Impact,” held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from 28 to 30 July. Photo: UNFPA

UN Women continues to support young women in bringing the voices of their Georgian peers at global peace and security platforms.

As part of this support, Tiko Lagvilava, a young peacebuilder from Georgia and a member of the Network of Women and Youth Peace Ambassadors, participated in the Global Strategic Dialogue “From Normative Progress to Implementation Impact”, which took place in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Held at the initiative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) from 28 to 30 July, the conference brought together peacebuilders and representatives of governments, UN entities and civil society from 47 countries. During the event, more than 60 participants discussed the future priorities for the global Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda. Notably, this was the first meeting of this scale dedicated to the YPS topic.

The event was an opportunity for young people to share their experiences and develop a shared vision for the future. Participants discussed and identified priority areas and emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships among young people, governments, UN entities and local communities, as such cooperation is critical to advancing meaningful youth participation. Priorities included identifying sources of sustained funding for relevant initiatives and ensuring the protection of peacebuilders. In addition, the conference underscored the need for the YPS agenda to remain responsive to contemporary challenges such as digital governance, democratic backsliding, gender inequality and disaster risks.

Tiko Lagvilava shares with participants of a session of the Global Strategic Dialogue how young people in Georgia’s regions are actively engaging in the peace and security related decision-making, highlighting their experiences, contributions, and the challenges they face. Photo: UNFPA

Tiko Lagvilava actively participated in the event’s sessions, as well as in group activities and panel discussions. She informed the participants about the implementation of the YPS agenda in Georgia and highlighted the lived experiences and challenges faced by peacebuilders in the regions. Together with other participants, Tiko also discussed the structural, political and financial barriers faced by young women in particular and explored the alignment of YPS methodologies with local peace and security frameworks. During the event, Tiko also participated in an intergenerational dialogue with representatives of the United Nations and the diplomatic corps.

Notably, the Georgian delegate also took part in consultations related to the Second Independent Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security and the fourth report of the UN Secretary-General on Youth, Peace and Security.

Tiko, who is actively involved in the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in Georgia, highlighted the linkages between it and the YPS agenda, noting that young women are often left out of both gender equality and youth support programmes. She emphasized that adopting intersectional approaches would help promote the active engagement of young women, foster intergenerational partnerships and develop coherent policy documents.

“The Global Strategic Dialogue provided a unique opportunity to present Georgia’s national context on the international stage, and also share experiences and strategies with practitioners from around the world,” Tiko said following the event. “The knowledge I gained about the linkages between the Youth, Peace and Security agenda and the Women, Peace and Security agenda, as well as the experiences shared regarding civil society protection mechanisms, will inform my advocacy and peacebuilding work.”

Group photo of participants at the Global Strategic Dialogue, “From Normative Progress to Implementation Impact.” The event brought together peacebuilders, government representatives, UN entities, and civil society actors from 47 countries to exchange experiences and advance the implementation of the peace and security. Photo: UNFPA

Supported by UN Women, Tiko actively participates in global thematic platforms. Notably, last year she also represented Georgia in Brussels at the Second EU Youth, Peace and Security Conference. The event marked 10 years since the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2250 (2015) and brought together more than 120 young people engaged in peacebuilding from around the world. At the conference, Tiko also advocated for the establishment of a YPS coalition. The YPS and WPS Coalition for Eastern Europe, the Balkans and the South Caucasus was subsequently established, with Tiko contributing to the initiative, and now regularly holds awareness-raising workshops on related issues.

UN Women will continue to support Tiko’s peacebuilding work and future engagement. This support was initially made possible through generous funding from the Government of the United Kingdom and is currently provided under the UN Women regional programme “Women’s Increased Leadership for Resilient and Peaceful Societies”, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.