Why we need Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies?

The impact of rapid political, social, economic and religious change together with the inequality globally and within communities presents a situation where the problems and solutions are tightly linked. Our faith traditions therefore inspire us to be change makers where conflict, mass displacement, poverty, violent extremism, and inequality call for common action.

In promoting peaceful, just and inclusive societies, shared principles include the importance of dialogue in safe spaces; attention to building trust; a deep commitment to telling the truth, promoting justice, searching for peace and a sincere commitment to inclusion and hearing different voices, and thus the dignity of every person including those facing different forms of marginalization and discrimination.

Peaceful, just and inclusive societies mean that there is good governance practices and religious involvement in fighting corruption and excesses in governments; acts of solidarity, compassion and care to people on the move or disrupted by migration crisis, prevention and elimination of violence at home and streets especially mitigating the effects on women and children, shared ideals of religious freedom and understanding patterns of marginalization of various communities along issues like proselytizing, blasphemy and linking human rights and religious freedom to advocacy.

Translating Commitments to Action

In response, Religions for Peace 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, developed through an inclusive and participatory process and adopted by the World Council on 26 February 2020, contains six strategic goals that provide a transparent and collaborative framework for the entire Religions’ activities Peace movement. Each of the goals advance Religions for Peace’s multi-religious vision of peace, build on its past work and align with one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Six Standing Commissions – one for each of the Strategic Goals – were established to serve as advisory bodies for Religions for Peace’s work in those respective areas.

The Standing Commission on Promoting Peaceful, Just, and Inclusive Societies coordinates the activities in this priority area. The Standing Commissions are the mechanism by which Religions for Peace leadership may directly collaborate on and guide the future of Religions for Peace Programmes in their respective areas of focus. The Council will act as the ‘group of elders’ to guide Religions for Peace’s work in this space. The composition of this standing commission considered different areas of expertise, as well as different regions and religions.

Religions for Peace has learned a great deal in its 50-year history about the power of multi-religious collaboration in building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies and advancing human development. From Sierra Leone to Myanmar, Religions for Peace has created an open space for dialogue and collaborative action for peace. For example, the Interreligious Council of Sierra Leone mediated the civil war and negotiated for the release of child hostages. At the same time, Religions for Peace-Myanmar convened the government, the military, ethnic armed groups, and civil society organizations as the country’s first multi-religious and multi-stakeholder Forum for Peace Reconciliation. These Religions for Peace Interreligious Councils are now responding to the Covid-19 crisis.

Religions for Peace’s multi-religious response to the global health crisis is built upon its experience in previous public health crises such as HIV/AIDS and Ebola. Religions for Peace, in partnership with major international partners such as Save the Children and Plan International, and with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, launched the Hope for African Children Initiative to provide care and support for orphans affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa, ensuring their access to HIV/AIDS treatment, preventing stigmatization and discrimination, and advocating for governmental actions on the protection of children.

Religions for Peace have engaged religious communities and institutions to respond to refugees and migrants’ issues, addressing the root causes of violence, chronic poverty, corruption, and climate change. Since 1970, Religions for Peace has worked in partnership with UNHCR to form a Religions for Peace-UNHCR Multi-religious Council of Leaders. It comprises religious leaders serving on the front lines in conflict zones, addressing the root causes of displacement, and fostering care and support for migrants and displaced communities worldwide.

In April 2020, UNICEF and Religions for Peace released a joint statement expressing commitment to a multi-religious response to the pandemic. Based upon the statement, Religions for Peace advanced partnerships with UNICEF and Joint Learnings Initiative (JLI) to scale up religious communities’ engagement in the Faith and Positive Change for Children Initiative in six regions of the world in response to COVID-19. Also, Religions for Peace hosted a high-level roundtable in November 2020 with Arigatou International, the Global Partnership to End Violence, The Global Coalition to End Child Poverty, UNICEF, and World Vision International, addressing gaps in response to poverty and violence against children, as well as disruption of education due to pandemic. Organizations agreed to a framework that fosters open dialogue and joint actions among faith communities and other stakeholders for the well-being of children worldwide.

Practical and deliberate action – Multi-Religious Humanitarian Fund (The Fund)

With the generous support of the GHR Foundation, Rissho Kosei- Kai, Religions for Peace-Japan, and the Fetzer Institute, Religions for Peace launched the Multi-Religious Humanitarian Fund (The Fund). The Fund is a mechanism that provides seed funding for diverse religious communities to come together in joint service of humanitarian needs faced by all – especially targeting the most vulnerable populations. The Fund’s ethos is all religions and faiths serving all communities together. The Fund facilitated the immediate implementation of projects, whereas of today, Religions for Peace administered seed grants in 20 countries in 4 regions, covering everything from undertaking public outreach to remote areas, disseminating messaging and information from local health authorities, undertaking public advocacy campaigns using social media, to offering alternative religious and spiritual services and care, to advocating for and offering financial, medical and nutritional support to elderly, orphans, refugees and internally displaced peoples. The Fund enables and strengthens relationships between religious institutions, ordained and lay male and female faith leaders, and youth networks, all in service to basic needs in their shared communities, in both a response to the immediate crises and a means of building resilient and sustainable peace, unity, and social cohesion in a post-crisis world.

See more on Multi-Religious Humanitarian Fund here.