Violations of people’s right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB)—the right to hold, change & manifest one’s beliefs—are particularly common in conflict settings, where they can be both consequences & drivers of violence. Simultaneously, 40% of people living in conflict settings are youth. Yet so far, a majority of initiatives to promote & protect FoRB have focused on religious leaders, who are largely older men. While there has been growing recognition of the importance of including women, their perspectives & experiences in FoRB work, youth have not yet seen a comparable shift in their favor.
At a time when movements like the Global Youth, Peace & Security Coalition & Fridays for Future are demonstrating young people’s drive & ability to create positive change, decision-makers in FoRB spaces are also facing up to the challenge of meaningful inclusion of youth in their work. For these efforts to be neither tokenistic nor limited to traditional elites, it is vital that young people themselves are given an opportunity to shape their inclusion.
Following two major international convenings on FoRB this summer—the Ministerial Conference on Freedom or Religion or Belief and the International Religious Freedom Summit—join representatives from Iraq, Nigeria & Israel-Palestine for an interactive audio roundtable to discuss young people’s experiences of advocacy in high-level spaces, lessons learned & recommendations for meaningful participation of youth in FoRB spaces.
Join the discussion: How to make space for youth leadership on freedom of religion or belief?
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