what we do

What We Do

Religions for Peace - Myanmar (RfP-M) works to advance and strengthen multi-religious collaboration for peace and development. Through multi-religious action, RfP-M has provided support to vulnerable children and their families whilst strengthening child protection systems across Myanmar.

RfP-M promotes peacebuilding and social cohesion initiatives through national initiatives and locally through its local interfaith councils, Interfaith Youth Network and Women of Faith Network. Initiatives are aimed at encouraging local and interfaith dialogues, concern for shared well-being, tolerance and an increase in understanding amongst ethnic and religious groups.

Where We Work

We work throughout Myanmar in advancing the shared moral and spiritual values of Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and Hinduism to build social cohesion. RfP-M has implemented projects in Shan State, Ayeyarwaddy Region, Bago West Region, Mandalay Region and Yangon Region and launched new initiatives in Kachin and Rakhine states in 2015.

Projects and Programs

RfP-M focuses on child protection, health, social cohesion and promoting millennium/sustainable development goals. Here is an illustrative sampling of recent and current initiatives.

Child Protection

  • Provided more than 4,000 young mothers, would be mothers and caregivers knowledge to prevent disease and decrease the mortality rate of children under five due to preventable causes
  • Established five Community Learning Centers providing general and health education and sanitation awareness in the Ayeyarwaddy Region
  • Provided services, including access to education and nutritional support, to vulnerable children in the Bago and Ayeyarwaddy Regions and the Southern Shan State enabled children to flourish in school thanks to education and nutritional support received.
  • Strengthen the District Inter-religious Committees of Pyay and Pathein to continue the work in the area of child protection in collaboration with the Community Support Groups.

Millennium Development Goals

Provided edutainment to more than 450 youth on the millennium development goals that included discussions, songs, cultural dances and moderated programs to eight carefully selected townships in both remote and urban areas of Yangon.

Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion

  • Lead and organize interfaith dialogue sessions and workshops on peacebuilding in Meikhtila and Yangon and in other RfP Myanmar project areas.
  • Implement RfP’s global “Welcoming the Other” which goes beyond tolerance to promote shared concern for the well-being of the religious and ethnic through localized training on welcoming the other and distribution of the resource guide to stimulate activities to “welcome the other” to foster tolerance, understanding and social cohesion.
  • Develop the capacity of RfP-M religious leaders, women and youth to mitigate conflict and build peace and reconciliation. Religious leaders youth and women will be able to identify the drivers of conflict, mitigate and resolve existing conflicts and learn to develop initiatives at the national and local level utilizing various tools such as: education; advocacy; strategic humanitarian assistance[1]; positive messaging and counter narratives; and programs to prevent and respond to social hostility
  • Facilitate the conditions for the smooth return and/or resettlement of IDPs by assisting the community and authorities in identifying roadblocks and discussing solutions that address the needs and concerns of the IDPs, government and host/local population. The WoFN will facilitate meetings between local actors to ensure reliable information is provided and that there is coordination amongst the various entities.