Mandate

IIIP aims to address extremism and resultant violence, and the deeply associated religious and non-religious challenges through data and evidence-backed approach. The institute will specifically look at the role of women, youth, religious organizations and leaders, and media when analyzing problems and generating solutions, and at the way these play out in diverse socio-cultural and political settings. The research agenda will also contribute to a better understanding of the challenges to the acceptance of diversity in multi-cultural and multi-confessional societies. IIIP will also develop advocacy and communications toolkits for outreach to alienated and radicalized groups and individuals.

 

Against this broad context, the institute will seek to be a leading custodian of the nationwide debate, dialogue and implementing platform in Pakistan for the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 ‘Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies. The institute recognises that peace, stability, human rights and effective governance based on the rule of law are key gateways to sustainable development in Pakistan. Promoting peaceful co-existence and religious harmony shall remain its principle focus. The institute will pursue the SDGs broadly and the SDG 16 specifically to help significantly reduce all forms of violence, conflict and insecurity in Pakistan.

 

In order to fulfil its overall mandate, the institute will consist of three flagship centres:

 

A: The Centre for Global Harmony, which will focus on building new and innovative mechanisms of interfaith and inter-civilizational harmony and effective coexistence between the various religious and ethnic communities in Pakistan and beyond. It will also uniquely recognise and harness the evidence-based peace-building approaches unique to each religious and ethnic community to help use faith and identity to solve extremism. The centre shall pursue debate and dialogue amongst followers and scholars of various faiths.

 

B: The Centre for Data & Technology for Peace, which will utilise a cross-sector approach using data, technology and digital media space to build understanding and partnerships across perceived faith-based and cultural civilisations across the globe. Its key emphasis will be to address through innovative means social, economic and cultural determinants of a range of challenges that lead to religious extremism, prejudice, discrimination, and victimisation and promote global peace and harmony through dialogue, advocacy and research.

 

C: The Centre for Peace Studies & Inclusive Development, which will examine and promote Peace & Development link (through an interdisciplinary approach) as a critical tool for preventing violent extremism as outlined in UNDP’s conceptual framework that proposes eleven interlinked building blocks for a theory of change explaining how inclusive development can help prevent violent extremism:

 

  • Promoting a rule of law and human rights-based approach to PVE;
  • Enhancing the fight against corruption;
  • Enhancing participatory decision-making and increasing civic space at national and local levels;
  • Providing effective socio-economic alternatives based on social justice to violence for groups at risk;
  • Strengthening the capacity of local governments for service delivery and security;
  • Supporting credible internal intermediaries to promote dialogue with alienated groups and reintegration of former extremists;
  • Promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment;
  • Engaging youth in building social cohesion;
  • Working with faith-based organizations and religious leaders to counter the abuse of religion by violent extremists;
  • Working with the media to promote human rights and tolerance;
  • Promoting respect for human rights, diversity and a culture of global citizenship in schools and universities.

 

D: The Peace Memorial Gallery, which will document and exhibit the sacrifices, events and experiences of religious extremism and resilience against these, with a globally inclusive emphasis on Pakistan as well as other countries to highlight sufferings of the people at the hands of extremism as a global problem that cuts across races, religions and continents.