The global threat to peace and security that emanates from violent extremism requires the development of innovative approaches to prevent the growth of local and global security risks. Security responses bear high financial and human costs; they do not tackle the root causes of radicalization and violent extremism and have the potential to exacerbate polarization within and between societies. International development actors have recognized this issue and therefore, a growing interest in supporting innovative measures that promote sustainable change for the creation of peaceful societies has emerged. This paradigm shift is also supported by the evidence that the drivers of violent extremism relate to socio-economic factors that require preventive measures seeking to address structural drivers of radicalization (governance, service delivery, access to justice, human rights, inequality, etc.).
The empowerment of youth, women, and civil society actors is essential to the prevention of violent extremism. Young people are particularly affected by violent conflicts. As a result, it is necessary to involve them more closely as peacebuilding actors in order to strengthen their resilience to extremist influences. At the same time, youth are central agents of change in their communities and beyond.
Cognizant of the central role of youth, the African Union Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (AUC-CIDO) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, through the GIZ APSA project and the Sector Project Values, Religion and Development both commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) jointly launched the Interfaith Dialogue on Violent Extremism (iDove) initiative in 2017. The aim of the initiative is to foster new approaches to preventing violent extremism (PVE) and to promote dialogue between African and European youth to develop common strategies in this field. iDove puts youth at the center of its activities, while seeking to amplify their voices and promote them as ambassadors of a shared culture of peace.
From 2017 to 2019, iDove activities have brought together participants from Europe and Africa to address PVE through dialogue, capacity building, and innovative projects using new technologies. More recently, and after two years of implementation, iDove has expanded its reach to the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
Through this report, iDove partners take stock of the achievements and impact of the initiative by reflecting on the activities that have been carried out, while emphasizing their continued commitment to support efforts for the promotion of the United Nations Youth, Peace and Security Agenda, as well as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 aspirations for a peaceful and secure continent.
