Dialogue for a policy on the relationship between the secular state and religion

TAJIKISTAN

The rise in religious radicalism, combined with other social and economic issues, is contributing to tension in communities, and may even be utilised to foment widespread unrest in Tajikistan given the right triggers.

However, a major exacerbating factor is the government’s response and policy towards religion and religious organisations, which risks alienating these communities. Religious values and communities can play an important role in promoting democracy, tolerance and peace, and as such, religious leaders are important actors in civil society with a great deal of influence over their constituencies.

This project aims to harness the potential of religious leaders for their peacebuilding role, to foster positive relationships with State bodies that define policy towards religion and to improve that policy in a way that reduces tensions within and between religious and secular communities. It does so by combining the peacebuilding expertise of International Alert with those non-governmental actors that participated in the Tajik peace process, building on existing capacities and the positive Tajik peace-making experience.

This project is funded by the European Union.