The FoRB–PCVE nexus in East Africa
Violations of freedom of religion and belief (FoRB) often fuel grievances that extremist actors exploit. At the same time, promoting FoRB can reduce marginalization, foster tolerance, and strengthen resilience against violent extremism. These dynamics are increasingly visible across East Africa, where questions of rights and security are deeply intertwined. A new policy brief, The FoRB–PCVE Nexus in East Africa, published by the University of Groningen together with the Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) and supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explores how FoRB and efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism (PCVE) intersect. It identifies both risks and opportunities and offers recommendations for building more inclusive responses to violent extremism.
Key concerns
A central concern raised in the workshop was the tendency to reduce violent extremism to radical Islamism. This narrow framing risks ignoring the multiple structural causes – such as political manipulation, land injustices, and ethnic discrimination – that drive local grievances. Participants emphasized that without addressing these underlying issues, counter-extremism efforts are unlikely to succeed.
During a workshop with academics, policymakers, practitioners in Kenya one of the participants explained: “In Lamu we often have what the media calls terror attacks. But these are not terror attacks; they are local militia groups paid by politicians to scare people off land. If we do not address these grievances, young people remain vulnerable to recruitment.” Such examples demonstrate how extremism is often intertwined with social justice concerns, and not solely religious ideology.
The discussions also revealed the exclusion of women and youth from FoRB–PCVE policymaking spaces. Despite being both targets of extremist recruitment and potentially powerful actors in prevention, they are rarely included in national or regional policy platforms. This absence undermines the effectiveness and legitimacy of PCVE efforts.
Policy recommendations
The policy brief outlines several recommendations to strengthen the FoRB–PCVE nexus. First, policymakers should broaden definitions of violent extremism beyond Islamist frames, acknowledging the political, social, and economic drivers that sustain extremist violence. Second, FoRB literacy should be promoted among policymakers, religious actors, and security agencies to build a shared understanding of rights and responsibilities.
Third, inclusive approaches must be prioritized, ensuring that women and youth are meaningfully represented in strategy and policy spaces such as National Action Plans on PCVE. Finally, FoRB and PCVE initiatives should be localized – grounded in the lived realities of communities and responsive to their grievances – rather than imposed as abstract global concepts.
Taken together, these steps can help transform FoRB and PCVE from parallel agendas into mutually reinforcing approaches that address both rights and security in East Africa.
To find out more, download the full policy brief here.
This brief is part of the East Africa Policy Brief series and draws on insights from the Reimagining the Role of Religion in Building Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies workshop held in Nairobi in November 2024. At this event, academics, policymakers, practitioners, and partners from the Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) – a global partnership promoting peaceful and just societies where everyone enjoys FoRB – examined how FoRB and PCVE intersect in practice. It was developed collaboratively by the University of Groningen, Mensen met een Missie, CHRIPS, the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya, and the Technical University of Mombasa, with support from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
