ALLY – Amplifying Leadership of Local Youth – intends to amplify young people’s constructive voices and agency in addressing diverse factors of violent extremist narratives in South Asia, particularly in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It is a 30-month program funded by the European Union, launched in March 2020, and implemented by The Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers with a consortium of partners: UNOY Peacebuilders, Finn Church Aid, Youth Development Foundation, Sri Lanka Unites, Rural Development Society, and Center for Communication and Development. Combined, the consortium carries 100+ years of experience in youth-driven peacebuilding and capacity development.

The ALLY project has produced 5 publications on trends and challenges of radicalization in South Asia: 4 policy briefs and an analysis report. The briefs on Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) provide concise reviews of findings and policy recommendations related to strengthening the youth peace building sector in South Asia and specific countries as a mechanism for enhancing and broadening PVE activities throughout the region. First, they introduce the concepts related to violent extremism in specific contexts. Second, they explain the Participatory Action Research approach used in the base study, particularly its crucial role in illustrating the present contexts through the perspectives of peace builders. Third, it explores the key level findings.

The reader will learn the push and pull factors to violent extremism, and on the other hand, the previous and current initiatives to prevent violent extremism in each context. Together, these factors provide a comprehensive picture of the peace building work in South Asia and each country, and what can be done to improve and support this work. Finally, this brief concludes with recommendations that were informed by the discoveries presented here. 

Led by Program Coordinator Mridul Upadhyay, the analysis report on PVE in South Asia was researched and written by the eight young ALLY researchers (two from each of the four research countries) – Kaush Weerakoon, Sameer Yadav, Shafaq Sarfraz, M. Rezwanur Rahman, Sumaiya Tanim, Janith Perera, Muhammad Salal, and Ritu Jain – together with the Lead Researcher, Felix Bivens, who facilitated and supervised the entire research journey. Through a participatory action research approach, the ALLY researchers engaged 69 active young peace builders, all under the age of 30, from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. This unique peer-to-peer approach leverages the rich experience and knowledge of young peace builders, who are experts in the conflict dynamics in which they live. Felix trained the ALLY researchers –  who conducted the data collection and analysis, and authored the research paper at various stages of the process – to produce this comprehensive evidence base on youth-led peace building in South Asia. 

Violent extremism (VE) threatens the security and fundamental rights of peaceful living. Youth are essential actors in contributing to preventing violent extremism (PVE) and peacebuilding work. Youth are not only highly affected by VE, but they also play an important role as positive change agents. The way youth resilience manifests is very much dependent on social, political, and economic factors. ALLY intends to amplify young people’s constructive voices and agency in addressing diverse factors of violent extremist narratives in South Asia. The recommendations herein were produced by the ALLY youth researchers through eight months long participatory research with multiple stakeholders, and with further contributions from ALLY staff and fellows, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the EU.