Swat, Pakistan — June 6, 2025 — The Human Resource Development Network (HRDN) has initiated a comprehensive four- day youth training program in Swat under its flagship Youth Engagement and Resilience Initiative (YERI) Project. This initiative aims to enhance the capacities of young individuals to prevent and counter violent extremism (PVE/CVE).
The training is structured over four days. Exploring PVE and CVE Strategies with focus on building awareness around violent extremism, exploring its root causes, and equipping youth with tools to
become proactive peace ambassadors within their communities. Participants engage in critical thinking exercises,
discussions and scenario-based learning tailored to their specific contexts. Enhancing Digital Literacy and Online Safety through the YERI E-Learning Platform The final two days of the Youth Engagement and Resilience Initiative (YERI) Project’s training program are dedicated to hands-on engagement with an innovative E-learning platform. This platform offers self-guided modules covering essential topics such as online safety, responsible internet usage, interfaith harmony, diversity and inclusion and strategies for ensuring accuracy in online spaces. Notably, the platform empowers users to report hate speech and other forms of violent content encountered online, aligning with international efforts to combat online hate speech and promoting a proactive approach to digital safety.
Asma Ejaz, Project Manager of YERI remarked, “This initiative represents a vital step toward nurturing resilient, informed, and digitally empowered youth. By combining knowledge-building on extremism with technology-based tools, we are preparing young people to meet the challenges of the modern world.”
Aness-Ur-Rahman, the lead trainer of the training said “We aim to cultivate a mindset that fosters peace, tolerance, and constructive dialogue. By empowering youth, educators, and the public with skills to access accurate information and discern truth from misinformation, we strive to counter all forms of extremism”.
Anwar Ali Meer, a participant from a local NGO said “Our community has endured much due to violence and extremism nce ong via different means. Initiatives like this training are crucial in equipping youth to address these issues and foster a more peaceful environment.”
The YERI Project underscores HRDN’s ongoing commitment to inclusive development, peacebuilding, and youth-led social transformation across Pakistan. The project is supported by the European Union (EU), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA).
The Human Resource Development Network (HRDN) is a membership-based network comprising national and international NGOs and individual professionals. Established to promote sustainable development, HRDN empowers its members by offering opportunities for capacity building, networking, and knowledge-sharing.
The training is structured over four days. Exploring PVE and CVE Strategies with focus on building awareness around violent extremism, exploring its root causes, and equipping youth with tools to
become proactive peace ambassadors within their communities. Participants engage in critical thinking exercises,
discussions and scenario-based learning tailored to their specific contexts. Enhancing Digital Literacy and Online Safety through the YERI E-Learning Platform The final two days of the Youth Engagement and Resilience Initiative (YERI) Project’s training program are dedicated to hands-on engagement with an innovative E-learning platform. This platform offers self-guided modules covering essential topics such as online safety, responsible internet usage, interfaith harmony, diversity and inclusion and strategies for ensuring accuracy in online spaces. Notably, the platform empowers users to report hate speech and other forms of violent content encountered online, aligning with international efforts to combat online hate speech and promoting a proactive approach to digital safety.
Asma Ejaz, Project Manager of YERI remarked, “This initiative represents a vital step toward nurturing resilient, informed, and digitally empowered youth. By combining knowledge-building on extremism with technology-based tools, we are preparing young people to meet the challenges of the modern world.”
Aness-Ur-Rahman, the lead trainer of the training said “We aim to cultivate a mindset that fosters peace, tolerance, and constructive dialogue. By empowering youth, educators, and the public with skills to access accurate information and discern truth from misinformation, we strive to counter all forms of extremism”.
Anwar Ali Meer, a participant from a local NGO said “Our community has endured much due to violence and extremism nce ong via different means. Initiatives like this training are crucial in equipping youth to address these issues and foster a more peaceful environment.”
The YERI Project underscores HRDN’s ongoing commitment to inclusive development, peacebuilding, and youth-led social transformation across Pakistan. The project is supported by the European Union (EU), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA).
The Human Resource Development Network (HRDN) is a membership-based network comprising national and international NGOs and individual professionals. Established to promote sustainable development, HRDN empowers its members by offering opportunities for capacity building, networking, and knowledge-sharing.
