supporting, amplifying, and advocating for effective interreligious action (IRA) in peacebuilding
For more information, please reach out to Emily Sample, AfP’s Director of Research, Evidence & Learning.
Effective IRA in Peacebuilding is a core organizational conviction for Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP).
We believe that the IRA plays a key role in preventing violent conflict and building sustainable peace. We work to support, amplify, and advocate for IRA in peacebuilding by building the capacity of faith-based organizations, creating opportunities for peer learning, highlighting the pivotal contributions of religious communities in peacebuilding, and advocating for IRA as a critical contributor to peacebuilding and development.
Creating Standards of Practice for DME for IRA
AfP is a global leader in fostering better design and evidence-based evaluation for IRA in peacebuilding programs – strengthening not only individual design, monitoring, and evaluation (DM&E) capacities but working toward changing the culture of evaluation and shared learning in the IRA field.
Developing an evidence base for IRA
AfP works to develop an evidence base for IRA to ensure better policies and practices are incorporated in our field. We create and curate evidence around IRA to support field-wide achievement of shared outcomes through our pioneering research efforts. Our research involves both AfP-led, joint, and supported efforts, focused on identifying and addressing current peacebuilding research gaps.
Advocating for game-changing policies, laws, and funding for IRA
AfP advocates for policies that support effective IRA in peacebuilding and development initiatives globally through our policy and advocacy team with a strong network of policymakers and bi and multilateral donors and members. AfP gathers evidence and learnings at key AfP events and other high-level meetings to disseminate evidence and generate greater awareness of the unique role that IRA plays in preventing violent conflict and building sustainable peace.
U.S. Immigration Policy Brief
From Vision to Execution: A Roadmap to Success for the U.S. Root Causes Strategy in the Norther Triangle
“the U.S. needs to provide funding and resources to different, noncapital-centric groups and individuals working all across conflict prevention, development, and humanitarian assistance, including religious leaders, faith communities, and faith-based organizations (FBOs)”. ”
“Religious leaders, faith communities, and FBOs have a long history of service provision in Central American countries and are “uniquely positioned to make a profound and durable impact by virtue of their geographic, moral, and political reach and influence.” Faith actors have played a significant role in facilitating conversations and recommendations for the Root Causes Strategy through initiatives such as Faith in Action International’s Root Causes Initiative Policy Framework.”
Accelerating Collective Action for IRA
AfP has established strong relationships and a broad network of faith actors, FBOs, and NGOs working in interfaith programming. Through this network we work to advance collective impact of faith based peacebuilding organizations. We leverage our network to promote joint learning, build DM&E capacity, conduct research, and advocate for IRA as a critical contributor to peacebuilding and development.
Funders
Inter-Religious Research
Past Programs
Effective Inter-Religious Action in Peacebuilding (EIAP II) Program +
The EIAP II Program was a three-year effort to foster an evidence-based approach to develop more effective inter-religious action as an important contributor to peacebuilding and development. It aimed to develop the skills, knowledge, and institutional capacity of secular and faith-based NGOs on DM&E practices for IRA through a formative capacity building approach, develop an evidence base for effective IRA, and advocate and educate for policies that support effective IRA in peacebuilding and development initiatives globally.
Our work on the EIAP II program led to ground-breaking engagements with faith actors and faith-based organizations and provided AfP with the skills to champion IRA by providing practical guidance, conducting pioneering research, and building capacity to effectively design, monitor, and evaluate IRA. In many ways, the EIAP II program surpassed all intended outcomes and developed a core organizational conviction for AfP that IRA plays an important role in peacebuilding to prevent violent conflict and build sustainable peace, firmly embedding this work within our organizational mandates
The EIAP II program had a large and lasting impact on AfP. AfP's interfaith work through the EIAP II program led to us being recognized as a global leader in fostering better design and evidence-based evaluation for IRA in peacebuilding programs – strengthening not only individual DM&E capacities but working toward changing the culture of evaluation and shared learning in the IRA field.
Learn more about the EIAP II program here.
Effective Inter-Religious Action in Peacebuilding (EIAP I) Program +
The EIAP I Program was a three-year collaborative effort aimed at supporting inter-religious action in realizing its potential as a force for sustainable peace. It aims to foster cooperative exchanges among religious peacebuilders, evaluators, donors, and policymakers on how to evaluate inter-religious action in peacebuilding contexts.
The EIAP I Program started a rich and respectful conversation between secular and religious peacebuilders that strengthened the ability of religious peacebuilders to measure impact and helped evaluation experts expand their understanding of how to measure success in this area.
“[T[hese accomplishments are all the more impressive since EIAP broke new ground in the peacebuilding field. Peacebuilders have thought, talked, and written about religion and conflict for many years. They have long recognized what a powerful force religious action can be for peace. But it is rare that the debate about religion and peacebuilding has ever reached this deeply into practice and concrete action.”
“[T]his foundation in practical action – in concrete efforts to strengthen inter-religious peacebuilding, build a strong body of evidence, and prove its value – is what makes the grant exceptional. And what represents its greatest potential moving forward.”
The EIAP I program was driven by the core belief that inter-religious action plays an important role in both religious and secular peacebuilding programs to build resilient, peaceful societies. The overall goal was to foster more effective inter-religious action, as an important contributor to broader peacebuilding and development processes, by developing a framework for ongoing learning, establishing a nascent community of practice, developing guidance on how to evaluate inter-religious action, and advocating for policies that support inter-religious action in peacebuilding.