Salzburg Global Fellow Khuzaimah Maranda shares her insights from the 5th World Congress on Justice With Children
This article was written by Salzburg Global Fellow Khuzaimah Maranda. She participated in the Asia Peace Innovators Forum in 2023 and the Global Innovations on Youth Violence, Safety and Justice program in 2024.
As a local civil society leader from the Southern Philippines, I find it challenging to amplify the narratives of active local community peacebuilders and champions, especially our work that involves children in conflict-affected areas, children in conflict situations, and even children who were once in conflict with the law. The Salzburg Global sessions I attended brought together people who have a similar appreciation of these issues, and their global perspectives opened my eyes to learning from success stories in other countries. Moreover, my participation has exposed me to the broader world and helped me become more adaptable to global trends and practices that are applicable in our context.
Thus, when I was invited to participate in a workshop organized by Salzburg Global at the 5th World Congress on Justice With Children, I was eager to contribute my own perspectives and experience. At the Congress, held from June 2 to 4, 2025 in Madrid, Spain, I was intentionally present and actively engaged with other Fellows and participants. Through these interactions, we worked together to consider how to present our community initiatives and country contexts to a global audience.
Thanks to the support of Salzburg Global and its partners, I was given the opportunity to speak in a workshop on “Redirecting Marginalized Youth in Crisis-Affected Societies.” This allowed me to share our own local initiative which began at the Asia Peace Innovators Forum, “Deradicalizing Former Militants: Engaging the Ummah in the Reintegration Efforts in Southern Philippines,” where most of the work we do is voluntary and community-initiated. It was heartwarming to hear words of encouragement from experts who were present in the room as well as to hear from fellow panelists about the importance of sustaining local initiatives that positively impact community peacebuilding and engaging children in difficult situations. It was a great platform to discuss relevant issues that affect peace work involving children in marginalized societies. Our workshop also fostered empathy and understanding from the audience, many of whom were hearing about our local stories from the Southeast Asian Region for the first time.
Among the hundreds of attendees and dozens of other sessions offered at the Congress, I joined several engaging conversations that gave additional insights and widened my horizon on how we consider the treatment of children when we talk about justice. For instance, on the first session I attended on “Breaking Barriers: The Role of Academia in Addressing Violence in Justice Systems,” I listened to the exchanges between the resource persons and the audience. This triggered my own reflection on how powerful academia is in providing a clearer picture of the physical and mental features of the child in the discussion on justice.
It was also interesting to observe how academia operates in the sensitive topic of justice with children, especially in contexts where the term “justice” is still abstract. Later, in a session on “Advocating for Child-friendly Justice in Challenging Times: Priorities and Struggles from Europe,” I learned from the experience of organizations that operate in highly developed societies and how they navigate the challenges of advocating for a more child-friendly justice system. I also realized the disparity in our societies, especially the advanced understanding and appreciation of the term “justice” by countries in Europe, while many activists in the Global South are still trying to understand how justice works in our context.
As a whole, participating in the Congress paved the way for more opportunities to connect and reconnect with old friends. It also greatly enhanced my understanding of the global trends and practices addressing the issues and concerns related to justice with children. These connections and knowledge will continue to impact my peacebuilding work in the Southern Philippines.
Khuzaimah Maranda serves as the Executive Director and founder for Thuma Ko Kapagingud Service Org., a local NGO in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Khuzaimah is an advocate for meaningful participation in democratic and peacebuilding processes, ensuring that all voices are heard. More specifically, she and her organization collaborate with partners and other stakeholders to provide Skills Enhancement Training for the socially-excluded youth. Additionally, she represents civil society organizations on the ECLIP Committee in Lanao del Sur and plays a crucial role as co-convenor for the Coalition for Social Accountability and Transparency. She is a Generation Change Fellow and a Salzburg Global Fellow.
To learn more about Khuzaimah's project on “Deradicalizing Former Militants: Engaging the Ummah in the Reintegration Efforts in Southern Philippines” from the Asia Peace Innovators Forum, please watch here:
