The world today is home to the largest generation of young people in history, with 1.8 billion individuals between the ages of 10 and 24. Ninety percent of these young people live in developing countries, with over half residing in fragile, conflict-affected contexts. While there has been notable progress in including youth in decision-making structures, significant gaps persist, hindering their ability to fulfill their potential as agents of change. The COVID-19 pandemic and recent global financial crises have further restricted their meaningful participation. This situation is particularly challenging for youth of faith, who often face even greater limitations in engaging in various decision-making processes and frameworks.

Against this backdrop, the Islam and Freedom of Religion or Belief Community of Practice convened its third virtual webinar titled “Dialogue, Mutual Understanding, and Social Cohesion: The Role of Young People in Preventing Conflict and Promoting Peaceful and Just Societies.” The webinar focused on how youth can prevent conflict by promoting human rights, including FoRB, and engaging meaningfully in decision-making processes to bring positive change.

In his opening remarks, the US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, His Excellency Mr. Rashad Hussain, stated that “protecting religious freedom and human rights is not just the right thing to do, it’s crucial for peaceful and stable societies.” He underscored that for youth to be successful, partnerships and capacity-building support are critical. During the ensuing discussion, JISRA Local Partners from Ethiopia, Iraq, and Nigeria shared good practices and lessons learned about meaningful youth participation in decision-making processes from their specific contexts.

The Peacemakers Network is currently implementing the Dutch-funded Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) program, which includes Mensen Met een Missie, Tearfund, Search for Common Ground, Faith for Action, and the Network. JISRA is implemented in partnership with 50 local civil society organizations based in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, and Uganda, with supporting lobby and advocacy in Europe and the USA. This international, interreligious partnership aims to further peaceful and just societies where all enjoy freedom of religion and belief (FoRB).

As part of the program, the Peacemakers Network has established the Islam and FoRB Community of Practice (CoP), which aims to build the capacity and knowledge of JISRA local partners through trainings, advocacy, and research. The CoP comprises 45 members from across the 7 JISRA countries and has identified a series of webinars and workshops to enhance the skills and knowledge of JISRA partners.