Just Future Alliance

The Just Future Alliance (2021–2025) was a global partnership programme that brought together international and local civil society organisations to advance inclusive peace, access to justice, and people-centred security in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.

Implemented across six countries (Mali, Niger, Afghanistan, South Sudan, the DRC and Burundi), the Alliance supported civil society actors in strengthening their advocacy capacities, engaging in policy processes, and holding institutions accountable. A central focus was amplifying the voices of local actors – particularly those from marginalised communities – and ensuring their meaningful participation in decision-making at national and global levels.

Throughout its implementation, the Alliance fostered collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and joint advocacy across regions, contributing to efforts to address the root causes of fragility. Its legacy continues through strengthened networks, enhanced civil society capacities, and sustained engagement in peacebuilding and governance processes.

Some highlights from the CSPPS Just Future Partners over the years

In 2025, AJCAD from Mali embarked on activities to increase the participation of groups with specific vulnerabilities in inclusive decision-making in peace processes, including women and youth. In that context, AJCAD embarked on activities of capacity strengthening on the transformation of conflicts and human security – more specifically by initiating a citizen-cafe in the regions of Bamako and Mopti. They further conducted community dialogues on human rights (for the most marginalised communities, with multi-national actors on access to justice), and online campaigns on justice and security reforms and best practices of the Just Future programme. From this, a podcast has been produced by the organisation on the relevant topics mentioned above. You can have a listen to it here! 

In 2025, Afghans for Progressive Thinking (APT), continued the work in championing youth empowerment and human rights, more precisely through the Afghan Youth Representative to the United Nations (AYR-UN) programme and a Creative Writing programme. Aligned with UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace, and Security, the AYR-UN initiative provides a vital platform for young Afghans to bring their voices to global policy arenas. The 2025 cycle of the programme, launched in February 2025, invited applicants aged 18-29 from across the Afghan diaspora to participate in a rigorous selection process. The final event, held in The Hague on 11 September 2025 with support from the CSPPS, showcased inspiring finalists dedicated to advancing human rights and youth inclusion. Aziza Akrami was selected as the Youth Representative for a six-month mandate to engage Afghan youth, compile insights, and present their priorities at the United Nations. She is amplifying Afghan youth perspectives at a time when their participation and voices are more crucial than ever. 

In 2024, Vision for Generation, based in South Sudan, presented their shadow report to the UN on the review of SDG16. The VNR process is an important step to show each country’s work on the SDGs, and its progress on SDG16, as it was reviewed during HLPF in July 2024. The VNR is also a process to show how governments and civil society work together in assessing and reporting the progress of the SDGs in their respective contexts. CSPPS partnered with the International Research by Students Programme (IRSP), one of the four platforms of the Study Association of International Relations & International Organization Clio in this context, on a research project with five students from the University of Groningen (NL). The research project focused on the thematic review of SDG16 in the context of South Sudan and the role and implications of civil society within this. The students directly engaged with civil society representatives in South Sudan.  As a result of this research and continuous work on the VNR process, civil society organisations in South Sudan held consultations and published a spotlight report on SDG16 and attended the High-level Political Forum in July to present their results in the official review session. These consultations enabled partners from South Sudan to strengthen the coordination between the relevant line ministries, including the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Peacebuilding, development partners and CSOs while empowering community members. While the national-level focus of the VNR process has been important, expanding it to the sub-national level will require significant additional resources and strategic planning. Another key lesson learned is the importance of continuous feedback loops to ensure that capacity-building initiatives remain relevant and adaptive to changing needs. The VNR report was presented at the High-level Political Forum in New York in July 2024, and a representative of the South Sudanese civil society was present during the official event to share their perspective and findings on the process. 

In 2024, CercleDev from Niger organised, as part of the project “Strengthening the synergy of local CSOs’ actions for sustainable peace”, two community youth forums, followed by a civic initiative, on the theme of “youth and women’s engagement for peace and security”. These activities aimed to strengthen the participation and empowerment of young people and women in peace processes at the local level, in accordance with Resolutions 1325 and 2250. During this period, four podcasts were produced to raise awareness and provide information on key issues relating to peace and security. Check out the social media of CercleDev!

In 2023, Reseau, Femmes et Paix in Burundi organised several activities in the framework of the Just Future partnership, such as workshops to improve the inclusion of vulnerable groups (including women and albinos persons)  in decision-making process, the publication of an advocacy report related to the issue of inclusivity in decision-making areas, and the production of a radio programme that highlighted the need for better consideration of the need of local population, specifically the most vulnerable one, by decision-makers.

In 2023, the Women International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, organised several activities aiming at strengthening women’s engagement in the electoral process in the framework of national elections in DRC.