The Youth Engagement program was developed in 2021 by ISOKO Executive Director Chistian Ngendahimana and the then Youth Engagement Coordinator (now Director) Shayne Wong. The program was developed in recognition of key barriers and opportunities noted among many of ISOKO’s partners and the communities they work in regarding the Youth, Peace and Security agenda and the inclusion of young people in civic and political spaces. The Youth Engagement program was created with the goal to support and uplift young people, partners, and communities in East Africa and around the world to advocate and create opportunities for young people to engage in their communities and decision-making bodies. Since its inception in 2021, the program has steadily expanded to include the programs such as the Young Women Leaders for Peace in the Great Lakes region, national action plan development support, and localisation strategies for national action plans and UN resolutions