In June 1945, world leaders gathered together to make perhaps one of the most heartfelt pledges from their generation to ours: ‘We the peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person…’
For millions of people living in conflict-affected states, this is not just another historical charter; it is a promise and hope that we have carried close to our hearts. It is the hope that the bombs we saw destroy our homes, the weapons that stole our loved ones, and the endless months spent scrambling for food in displacement camps will be a distant memory for the next generation. More than 80 years later, we must ask: have we kept that promise?
What we're seeing today
Today, violence stands as one of the single greatest drivers of poverty. As the world confronts the highest number of active conflicts since World War II, the staggering cost of violence continues to undermine the global economy, accounting for more than 10 per cent of the value of global markets, and the cost to God’s creation is even higher: both people and our planet are suffering devastating losses. From production to detonation, weapons destroy vital ecosystems, poison soil and water, and release massive carbon emissions that accelerate the global climate crisis.
Protracted conflict strips communities of basic needs: safe roads to schools are closed, livelihoods are destroyed, and local markets are destabilised. Conflict drives millions of people into hunger and displacement, and makes them vulnerable to severe human rights abuses, including Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and religious freedom violations.
