Originally published on Global Voices

The Kivu-Kinshasa green corridor in the DRC. Image from Anicet Kimonyo. Used with permission.

This article by Anicet Kimonyo was originally published by Peace News Network on October 29, 2025. An edited version is republished on Global Voices as part of a media partnership agreement.

Armed conflicts in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are fueling poverty and accelerating environmental degradation.

In North Kivu province, home to Virunga National Park, one of the oldest in Africa, nearly 50 percent of the park’s territory is now under the control of armed groups, according to an assessment by the Provincial Directorate of North Kivu of the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) from April 2025. These groups include the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC)-M23 rebels, Islamist groups, and various smaller local militias, as well as Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which has members who took part in the Rwanda Genocide in 1994.

This armed presence around the park deprives the green economy of an estimated USD 30 million a year in revenue, diverted to rebel groups, according to the report. This perpetuates a cycle of violence to the detriment of biodiversity and local development.

The DRC has officially launched, by decree, the “Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor” (CVKK), a colossal project that aims to combine reforestation, economic development, and the stabilization of conflict-ravaged regions. The initiative, presented by authorities as a major contribution to the fight against climate change, will nevertheless require the government to overcome numerous structural and political challenges.

Signed on January 15, 2025, by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, Decree No. 25/01 gives substance to one of the largest greening initiatives ever conceived in Central Africa. Spanning nearly 550,000 square kilometers, including 285,000 square kilometers of primary forests and 60,000 square kilometers of peatlands, the CVKK aims to transform areas weakened by decades of violence into hubs of sustainable growth. Emmanuel de Mérode, director of the ICCN, says:

The CVKK project is considered one of the largest initiatives [in the world] on the climate issue. The Congo is providing good news, and this will continue to be noticed.

In addition to protecting the Congo Basin, described as “the world’s largest tropical forest carbon sink,” the corridor is expected to enable the annual transfer of 1 million tons of food from the Kivus to Kinshasa. This will help to feed people impacted by conflict, primarily, and the entire country, considering the agricultural potential of this Green Corridor area. A dedicated fund will be created to develop businesses along the route in renewable energy, agriculture, and logistics. The government estimates the project will require at least USD 1 billion in financing over the next three to four years.

The CVKK is structured around several pillars: sustainable agriculture, ecotourism, community forestry, and ecosystem restoration. The stated objective is to create hundreds of thousands of “green” jobs, thereby providing legal alternatives to poaching and illegal resource exploitation. Emmanuel de Mérode explains:

The corridor provides economic benefits that do not depend on forest destruction, but on sustainable production methods. Hundreds of thousands of jobs [will be] created thanks to the preservation of species and forests. The communities themselves become conservation agents.

In Bas-Uélé, forest administrator Justin Tshipopo welcomes an “opportunity to strengthen community forestry.” He emphasizes the need to take traditional knowledge into account. He said:

Communities have preserved their forests for centuries. These practices must not be forgotten.

He stresses that the corridor must become a concrete instrument of development in fragile territories, capable of generating economic opportunities and strengthening social cohesion.

Long-term success will depend on the authorities’ ability to sustainably involve local populations, integrate their ancestral knowledge, and ensure impeccable governance. The Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor thus presents itself as a crucial test for the DRC’s ecological and economic transition, a challenge worthy of its immense natural resources.

While the ambitions are lauded, local activists are also demanding inclusive and transparent implementation. Fanny Minesi, representing the wildlife conservation NGO Friends of Bonobos of Congo (ABC), warns against a purely technocratic approach to the project. She asserts:

Our concern is to ensure that communities are not only informed, but also that they consent to the projects and become active participants. We must ensure that projects are not designed without the communities, and that the private sector, often preoccupied with profit, is not the only one guiding the decisions.

The success of the CVKK depends on close coordination between the government, conservation agencies, the private sector, and communities. However, land tensions, weak infrastructure, and historical mistrust persist. Some local populations are wary of the project, as they believe the government wants to take their land.

Pilot initiatives in the eastern DRC and Tshopo, however, are showing encouraging results, with a measurable reduction in local violence by armed groups against civilians and improved protection of Virunga National Park. Officials say the corridor will create jobs for hundreds of thousands of people, including young people, and will help them access more economic options so they are not pressured to join armed groups due to poverty.

Already, the DRC launched Climate Week on Monday, October 27, with the aim of bringing together stakeholders in the climate sector to jointly reflect on the issues. The Congolese Minister of the Environment and Climate Economy, Marie Nyange Ndambo, said during a press conference:

Without the DRC, there are no sustainable solutions to the global climate crisis, which we have not created elsewhere.

Continuing her address to the participants of the Congolese National Climate Week, Ndambo clarified that through the Congolese National Climate Week, the DRC aims to unite the voices of civil society, indigenous peoples, and other local and national stakeholders to prepare for COP30, which will be held in Belem, Brazil, starting November 1o, with a strong and credible conviction that “reflects our priorities and realities, so that at Belem, the Congo and the Congolese people speak with one voice and affirm that the DRC is ready to assume its role as a climate leader.” Nyange added

We want every Congolese to understand that the climate is not a distant issue, it affects our daily realities and therefore protecting the environment is protecting our future.

Originally published on Global Voices

Man sitting on grass while taking photo in Kampala, Uganda. Photo by Morriz 95. Free to use via Pexels.

This article by Meagan Doll was originally published by Peace News Network on September 8, 2025. An edited version is republished on Global Voices as part of a media partnership agreement.

Against the backdrop of several protracted conflicts worldwide — such as South Sudan, Ukraine, and Gaza, among others — conflict reporting is top of mind for media professionals and peacekeepers alike. After all, journalism has long been celebrated for its ability to reveal hidden truths, hold power to account, and tell stories in the public interest. Despite these promises, however, existing research on the role of news during conflict paints a less encouraging picture. The lion’s share of work demonstrates that such reporting tends to be inflammatory and overly sensational, at times resulting in increased cynicism and negative sentiments toward marginalized groups.

Some have proposed peace journalism as an alternative reporting approach. Developed by Norwegian sociologist and peace researcher Johan Galtung, peace journalism focuses on structural causes of conflict, multiparty interactions, and opportunities for peacemaking through careful attention to word choice and broad framing narratives. Of course, such emphases are not typically communicated uniformly through journalism education nor necessarily picked up on the job.

Instead, principles of peace journalism are often delivered to media professionals through specialized trainings or workshops, many of which are hosted in and across East Africa. But what do journalists who attend these trainings get out of them, and what are the implications of this for conflict reporting?

What peace journalism means to peace journalists in East Africa

Regarding what peace journalism means to peace journalists in East Africa, the quick answer is: It depends. An interview-based study of practitioners who attended peace journalism trainings in Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda revealed that journalists tended to understand peace journalism in one of two ways: the reporting focused either on communities impacted by conflict or on policies to address that conflict. These perceptions varied based on the precarity of one’s professional position. For example, entry-level journalists or reporters working in remote areas with relatively few resources were likelier to emphasize aspects of peace journalism concerned with victims of violence and reconciliation framing. In contrast, more established media professionals and those working in larger, well-resourced organizations tended to focus on policy recommendations for elite audiences, including third-party interventions.

Perceptions of peace journalism

What do these different perceptions of peace journalism mean for conflict reporting and peacekeeping?

First, it is worth acknowledging that peace journalism comprises more than a dozen popularly recognized practices, and varied interpretations should be acknowledged and perhaps expected. Stories with policy solutions and community impact both contribute to peace journalism storytelling, and one is not necessarily superior to the other. Instead, these different understandings underscore the need for training and guidelines that take journalists’ professional constraints into consideration.

The most suitable or effective conflict reporting workshops, for instance, should tailor content for the type of positions media professionals occupy, acknowledging the different realities of such work. This might entail, for example, peace journalism workshops focused on editing for supervisors who primarily oversee the work of others, whereas journalists in the field would benefit from more tangible peace journalism tools, such as safety guides or interview training. Such considerations can be expanded to include journalists’ social and cultural identities, where certain practices may take on new meaning or challenges for women or within certain religious environments.

Implications for peacekeeping more broadly

With respect to implications for peacekeeping more broadly, variability in journalists’ understandings of peace journalism underscores a fundamental truth in peace studies and conflict response: Journalism is just one piece of the puzzle.

Actors from many sectors must be committed to non-violence and justice on the long road to lasting and transformational peace. Some have critiqued peace journalism based on the misunderstanding that news media can, or should, bear responsibility for addressing conflict alone. The fluidity in journalists’ understandings of and engagement with peace journalism thus serves as a reminder that we shouldn’t essentialize peace journalism as a silver bullet solution that can bring about peace or end conflicts alone.

Journalism’s first responsibility in any society is to inform — not to engage in complex political negotiations or develop peace plans — even while the ways that media professionals report on these topics can certainly shape how audiences perceive their value and viability.

To this point, the diversity in perceptions and experiences that journalists bring to conflict reporting should not be viewed an obstacle to comprehensive or ethical peace journalism. Rather, such perspectives can be harnessed to report stories from a variety of angles and vantage points, which together aid peacekeeping forces, public officials, and multilateral organizations in imagining creative solutions toward conflict resolutions.

Taken to the extreme, for as many journalists as there are reporting on a given conflict, just as many unique stories and frames can be produced in service of avoiding the common traps of conventional war journalism. In fact, very few conflicts have been solved with single, silver-bullet solutions, so this diversity of perceptions and understandings may very well be key to solving what feel like otherwise intractable conflicts around the world.

Originally published on Global Voices

Students at the Womanhood School of Health Sciences prepare to do a cultural performance of the Gbagy tribe. Photo by Mohammed Ibrahim. Used with permission.

Across Nigeria, from the bustling streets of Lagos in the South West to the quiet communities of Taraba State in the North East, schools are finding creative ways to plant the seeds of peace and unity among their students. Their method? Culture.

At the heart of this transformation is the idea that music, dance, and cultural appreciation can do more than entertain: They can unite.

“One of our main objectives is peace-building,” Nuradeen Bello, Director of the Womanhood School of Health Sciences in Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria, told Peace News Network (PNN).

Our students come from different tribes and religions. Cultural activities help them see beyond those differences and appreciate each other’s traditions.

At his institution, students from diverse backgrounds, including Christians, Muslims, Gbagis, Hausas, Igbos, Yorubas, Nupes, Kanuris, and Ebiras, come together to showcase traditional foods, costumes, and ceremonies. Bello believes this exposure builds a deep-rooted respect that textbooks alone can’t provide. He added:

Some of our students had never even heard the Ebira language before. After participating in our events, they not only heard it, they celebrated it. When there’s unity, peace follows naturally.

Bello emphasized that cultural education starts early at his school. He added that by the time students graduate, they have participated in at least two or three cultural events. Bello said the impact is lasting, teaching students tolerance and preparing them for peaceful living wherever they go.

He suggested that if other schools embraced such an approach, it could promote unity and tolerance in Nigeria. He said:

All schools should aim to harmonize their activities to include everyone. Every student should be recognized and given a sense of belonging.

He stressed that this would bring harmony and unity in schools, helping peace naturally thrive.

Students at the Womanhood School of Health Sciences are about to do a cultural performance. Photo by Mohammed Ibrahim. Used with permission.

Culture as a bridge in the South

In Lagos, Obialunamma Chidindu, a schoolteacher at Moral Esteem School in Abijo, Ibeju-Lekki, has seen how powerful cultural showcases can be — especially during events attended by parents from across Nigeria. She noted:

Cultural dance presentations help foster unity. When Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo dances are performed together, it creates an atmosphere of shared appreciation.

Chidindu admitted she shared the Igbo dance from a recent school event on her social media because she choreographed it. But she made clear:

It wasn’t just the Igbo culture represented. We had Hausa and Yoruba too. Everyone was celebrated, and all the parents, regardless of tribe, appreciated the diversity.

She believes every school can find its rhythm when it comes to promoting culture, even if not during major events like graduation. Chidindu noted that some schools observe Cultural Day on Democracy Day or other national holidays. “What matters is the intention — bringing people together through shared experience,” she said.

On the impact on their students, she added that the dances were not just entertainment, but helped them appreciate one another regardless of tribal differences. “You can see that spirit of unity being cultivated through such events,” she said.

One of the major challenges facing the cultural programs is preference given to a particular tribe or tribes during an event, which Chidindu feels might trigger reactions from other tribes in the school.

According to her, the organizers must avoid limiting such a cultural show to a particular tribe, as other groups should also be represented. “People might start thinking, ‘Oh, this tribe is more important, that’s why they’re being showcased,’” she said. To address such a challenge, she advised having performances from at least three different tribes in the school.

Students at the Womanhood School of Health Sciences prepare to give a cultural performance. Photo by Mohammed Ibrahim. Used with permission.

Unity dances and young minds in Abuja

Mohammed Lawal Abubakar, head of the Cultural and Creative Club at LEA Primary School, Zuba in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, organizes a yearly “Unity Dance” that brings together students from various ethnic groups in the capital. Abubakar shared:

The children are always excited. They learn dances from other tribes and wear traditional outfits. It makes them feel seen and included.

He added that such cultural events in schools promote national development and peaceful coexistence by encouraging unity among citizens, especially when children are introduced to it early.

Nigeria is a country with many ethnic groups, especially in the North. If children are taught to appreciate each other’s cultures, they will grow up respecting one another.

He emphasized that the aim is to teach children mutual understanding to help foster peaceful coexistence, urging other schools to adopt such good practices to show their pupils that this will help promote peace in their communities.

For him, the dances aren't just about fun, they're about building national identity. Abubakar explained:

These events help children understand one another and develop empathy early. This is where peace starts on the playground, not just at peace summits.

He said the positive response has been overwhelming. He noted that when he introduced the idea to his school, everyone embraced it.

The children look forward to it, and as teachers, we are happy about it because it undeniably builds mutual understanding, which contributes to peace in the country.

Strengthening identity in the Northeast

In Taraba State, Suleiman Muhammad Adamu, director of Albayan School, echoed the same sentiment. He noted:

We organize cultural celebrations so that students can understand and appreciate their traditions and those of their peers.

For Adamu, it’s not just about showing off tribal dances; It’s about shaping identity and fostering pride. He said:

Many children have little exposure to cultures outside their own. These events deepen their understanding and spark curiosity about others.

The bigger picture: Peace beyond the classroom

Prince Charles Dickson, team lead at Tattaaunawa Roundtable Initiative (TRICentre) in Jos, sees the ripple effect. As someone committed to dialogue and nonviolent approaches to conflict, he believes cultural expressions like dance are powerful instruments for healing, education, and bridge-building, especially among young people.

He described the idea of using cultural dance in schools as a tool for peacebuilding in Nigeria as both timely and deeply significant. He explained:

Dance, rooted in local heritage and identity becomes more than performance, it becomes shared memory, emotional release, and communal affirmation.

He added:

When embedded into school curricula or extracurricular activities, it not only celebrates diversity but also teaches tolerance, empathy, and coexistence in a way that is non-threatening and joyful.

In a country as diverse as Nigeria, where tribal and religious tensions have long caused friction, these stories from classrooms across the country serve as a quiet revolution. They prove that peacebuilding can start with a song, a step, and a shared plate of traditional food.

As Bello put it, “We are not just teaching our students to pass exams, we are teaching them to live together.”

Originally published on Global Voices

People dancing at a market during the peace Caravan and Inclusion Campaign. Photo by Activista The Gambia. Used with permission.

This article by Mohammed Ibrahim was originally published by Peace News Network on April 14, 2025. An edited version is republished on Global Voices as part of a media partnership agreement.

The Gambia, a West African nation surrounded entirely by Senegal, has recently seen a worrying rise in tribal divisions. With a population of fewer than five million and a deeply rooted traditional society, concerns about increasing tribalism, exclusion, and marginalization have drawn national and international concern. In June 2024, the CEO of Peace Network, Alassan Justice Jallow, warned of signs of potential violent conflict in the country, including hate speech, disinformation, and misinformation around ethnic and religious attacks.

To tackle these issues, a coalition of peace-focused organizations, including Activista The Gambia, Safe Home for Migrants Association (SaHMA), Global Platform, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, launched a 10-day peace caravan in February 2025.

Backed by the UN Peacebuilding Fund’s Women and Youth Project, the initiative targeted communities across the Banjul, West Coast, and Upper River regions in the smallest African country.

Taking the message to the people

Ansumana Camara, the national coordinator of Activista The Gambia, told Peace News Network (PNN) that activists used the caravan to bring elders, women, and young people together to discuss peace and harmony.

He said that during the trip, activists visited districts and met with village heads and community leaders to advocate for the inclusion of youth in development committees and women in district tribunals.

Camara noted the grassroots impact of such engagements. He said:

We took the message directly to where people live, work, markets, public spaces, because these are the voices often left out of policy conversations. We made sure they were heard.

In marketplaces like Barra, Farafenni, Kaur, and Basse, the Peace Caravan delivered lively musical performances and serious conversations. Camara noted:

We targeted these places because the people there, especially women, are the backbone of society. They must not be left behind.

Women dancing at a market during the Peace Caravan and Inclusion Campaign. Photo by Activista The Gambia. Used with permission.

Camara recalled the success of similar initiatives during the last election cycle. He said the activists organized a caravan to promote peaceful elections and voter education. This experience, he said, showed them how effective direct community engagement can be in building trust and awareness.

Confronting tribalism and empowering women

Amie Jobe, a peace activist and representative of SaHMA, said that tribalism is one of the most pervasive issues they’re confronting. “Most of these communities are struggling with tribalism,” she noted.

She added that there are deep divisions around identity and inclusion. This, Jobe said, was why the caravan participants came together to speak openly and honestly about peace and inclusion.

Ousman Baldeh, Program Manager at Global Platform, also highlighted the urgent need to address rising tribalism head-on. He told PNN:

Tribalism is rising in The Gambia. People are beginning to identify more with their tribes than with the nation. Some political parties are aligned with particular tribes, and that means even if you are competent for a position other tribes may not vote for you.

Jobe emphasized that including women in community structures is critical, as many village women are sidelined. She noted:

They raise the kids, they farm, but they don’t have a voice in leadership. When women are included, they feel represented. They know there is someone they can talk to about their problems.

She explained that the group brought women and men together, old and young, to have one conversation about peace, because unity is powerful. It builds understanding, and it builds a future, Jobie said.

Women at a market during the Peace Caravan and Inclusion Campaign. Photo by Activista The Gambia. Used with permission.

Challenges on the ground

But the caravan’s work isn’t easy. Jobe admitted:

One of our biggest challenges is resources. We can’t reach every village the way we want to. And sometimes people misinterpret our work as political. That discourages them from participating.

Baldeh stressed the importance of taking peacebuilding beyond workshops and into the streets. He said that the caravan offers an opportunity to bring the message to people directly:

You can’t only talk about peace on TV or in conferences. How many people in rural villages can access those platforms?

Badeh said that the caravan is meeting with chiefs, youth, women, and everyone who has a stake in peace. He said that participants were asking authorities to include marginalized groups in their decision-making processes.

A crowd listening to the peace message during the campaign in one of the villages visited. Photo credit: Global Platform. Used with permission.

Listening and tackling taboos

The caravan was also an opportunity for the activists to listen. Badeh said that when caravan activists speak, children and youth speak back, and participants hear about their problems. This way, the purpose is not merely to preach peace and inclusion, but to create a dialogue. He said this is a way to overcome some of the long-standing caste and traditional challenges that persist in many rural Gambian communities. He noted:

In some rural areas, people who are considered ‘slaves’ by traditional standards can’t even speak during meetings… They can’t marry who they want. This is part of the problem. To build peace, we need to promote inclusion at all levels regardless of tribe, gender, or background.

He said peacebuilding is not easy, but warned that if issues of tribalism, marginalization, and inequality are not addressed, it will affect everything: the economy, politics, and people’s daily lives.

A crowd listening to the peace message during the campaign in one of the villages visited. Photo by Global Platform. Used with permission.

Lasting impact and future hope

The Peace Caravan’s impact was clear: Village leaders committed to include youth in development structures and women in community tribunals. Elders opened their ears. Youth opened their hearts. And across regions, the music, the dance, and the dialogue brought people together.

Women at a market during the Peace Caravan and Inclusion Campaign. Photo credit: Activista The Gambia. Used with permission.

This is why in one of the meetings with elders, Alkalo Sailu Bah of Basse emphasized the importance of the caravan’s mission and advised the organizers to always preach peace and remain steadfast in nation-building.

A vendor at the bustling Serrekunda market echoed the caravan’s sentiment by telling the organizers:

Without peace, we cannot even come to the market to sell. We all have a responsibility to maintain peace and we need to be reminded of it every day.

As The Gambia confronts complex challenges from traditional hierarchies to political polarization, initiatives like the Peace Caravan are proving that grassroots peacebuilding remains not just relevant but essential.

Originally published on Global Voices

National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Binta Adamu Bello right with Hafsat Muhammad Baba during a visit to GIWAC office to foster a working Relationship against women trafficking in the country. Photo by GIWAC, used with permission.

This article by Mohammed Ibrahim was originally published by Peace News Network on March 5, 2025. An edited version is republished on Global Voices as part of a media partnership agreement.

In Northern Nigeria, where deeply rooted patriarchal norms often silence women, a new wave of women-led initiatives is emerging not only to combat gender-based violence (GBV) but to foster peace and social cohesion.

Historically excluded from peace discussions, women are now at the forefront. They are advocating for justice, providing support to survivors, and reshaping societal perceptions of domestic violence to make it known as a critical threat to community stability.

Gender-based violence as a barrier to peace

A 2019 survey by Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics showed that 30 percent of the country’s women aged 15 to 49 had experienced physical violence, while 68 percent had experienced emotional, economic, or sexual abuse.

Hafsat Muhammad Baba, Team Lead of GIWAC. Photo by GIWAC, used with permission.

Such widespread violence is not only a human rights violation but also a major obstacle to sustainable peace. “When women are unsafe, communities remain unstable,” says Hafsat Muhammad Baba, the team lead of the Global Initiative for Women and Children (GIWAC) in Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria. She added, “We cannot talk about peacebuilding while women live in fear inside their own homes.”

Women’s organizations are filling the gaps left by weak law enforcement and limited government intervention, providing support structures that promote healing and reconciliation while pushing for a cultural shift toward nonviolence.

Empowering women as agents of peace

Baba, the team lead of the Global Initiative for Women and Children (GIWAC), emphasizes that addressing GBV is essential for long-term peace. “We must ensure that women are heard before violence escalates into a full-blown crisis,” she tells Peace News Network (PNN).

Her organization engages in grassroots advocacy, training women to recognize early warning signs of abuse and to speak out before situations worsen. Baba explains:

Survivors need safe spaces to share their stories and access support. This is not just about justice; it’s about healing, rebuilding trust, and restoring dignity.

She also advocates for engaging men in peacebuilding efforts, highlighting that toxic masculinity and societal expectations often fuel domestic violence.

Men must understand that strength is not in violence but in respect and partnership.

Hafsat Muhammad Baba with officials of Gender Awareness Trust (GAT) delegation at the GIWAC office both groups working to fight GBV in Northern Nigeria. Photo by GIWAC, used with permission.

To enhance the impact of their advocacy, Baba calls for religious and traditional leaders to play an active role.

Mosques, churches, and community gatherings should serve as platforms to reinforce messages of nonviolence and respect for women, she insists.

Baba also says these platforms can be used to educate men on what religious scriptures actually say about treating women with respect.

Overcoming barriers to justice and peace

Hannatu Ahuwan of Legal Awareness for Nigerian Women highlights the difficulties women face when seeking justice.

Many survivors are pressured to drop cases, reinforcing a cycle of impunity.

While the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law has been domesticated in most northern states, weak enforcement remains a challenge. She explained that the lack of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs), financial constraints, and security risks further complicate the fight against GBV.

Insecurity in the region makes it difficult for us to operate in high-risk areas where violence against women is most prevalent.

Ahuwan believes that a well-coordinated GBV response system would not only aid survivors but also contribute to broader peacebuilding efforts.

Communities that actively combat GBV foster environments where disputes are settled peacefully, rather than through violence.

Legal advocacy and mediation as peacebuilding tools

Olufunke Bamikole, Chairperson of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Kaduna Branch, photo via Olufunke
Bamikole.

Olufunke Bamikole, Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Kaduna Branch, stresses the role of legal advocacy in ensuring lasting peace: “A society that does not protect its women cannot achieve sustainable peace,” she says.

FIDA’s work extends beyond litigation to mediation and conflict resolution. “Not every case has to end in the courtroom,” Bamikole explains. “When disputes are resolved amicably, survivors often feel more empowered, and communities learn healthier ways to address conflicts.”

Media, government, and community collaboration for peace

Baba, Ahuwan, and Bamikole all agree that the media plays a crucial role in shifting public attitudes toward GBV. “When people read about survivors overcoming their trauma, it gives others the courage to break the cycle of violence,” says Baba.

Ahuwan urges the government to take more proactive steps in strengthening GBV response mechanisms.

Expanding women’s role in peace processes

Despite systemic barriers, women-led groups continue to demand their rightful place in peace discussions. Baba explains:

Women are natural peacebuilders. They mediate in families, resolve disputes, and foster unity, yet they are often excluded from formal peace processes.

She calls for more inclusion of women in security discussions, interfaith dialogue, and policymaking.

A peaceful society is one where women are not just protected but actively involved in shaping policies that impact their lives, she says.

A call to action for lasting peace

The fight against GBV in northern Nigeria is more than a women’s rights issue, it is a peace and security imperative. Sustainable peace cannot be achieved while half of the population continues to face violence and discrimination.

As women-led organizations step forward, their work must be recognized, supported, and amplified. “The voices of women can no longer be ignored,” says Baba. “Their fight for justice and equality is a fight for the future of northern Nigeria and for lasting peace.”

Originally published on Global Voices

Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia. Image by Erik (HASH) Hershman from Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).

This article by Ibrahim Bangura was originally published by Peace News Network on March 10, 2025. An edited version is republished on Global Voices as part of a media partnership agreement.

Liberia’s long and turbulent history of civil conflict, marked by two brutal civil wars, has scarred the nation’s socio-economic and political fabric. The first civil war lasted from 1989 to 1997, and the second from 1999 to 2003, with the wars killing a total of between 150,000 and 200,000 people.

Efforts toward peace consolidation and national reconciliation in the post-war period have been protracted and, in many respects, incomplete and symbolic. While progress has been made in maintaining relative peace, as evidenced by multiple peaceful transfers of power through democratic elections, the underlying issues of justice, governance, and socio-economic inequalities remain largely unaddressed by the governing elite.

Decades after the signing of the Accra Peace Agreement in 2003, Liberia continues to grapple with unresolved long-standing ethnic grievances, weak governance structures, and socio-economic challenges that threaten its fragile peace. The prolonged wait for full reconciliation raises fundamental questions about the effectiveness of past initiatives and the prospects for a lasting peace. This article explores the implications of Liberia’s delayed reconciliation process and examines the structural and socio-political challenges that hinder genuine peace consolidation.

Despite the cessation of hostilities, the wounds inflicted during the civil wars persist, as many victims and survivors feel that justice has been denied to them. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), established in 2005, aimed to foster healing by uncovering the truth about war atrocities and recommending measures for accountability. However, the failure to implement many of its key recommendations — such as the banning of perpetrators from public office — has significantly undermined trust in the reconciliation process. The continued presence of ex-warlords in political and economic spheres fosters a culture of impunity and sends a message that crimes committed during the war bear no consequences. As a result, many Liberians remain skeptical about the government’s commitment to justice and national unity.

Efforts to promote reconciliation have been largely inconsistent and underfunded. Community-based reconciliation initiatives, including women’s peace huts, have yielded some success at the local level. However, these efforts have not been effectively scaled up to achieve national cohesion. Many war-affected communities continue to feel neglected, and reintegration programmes for ex-combatants have faced logistical and financial constraints. Moreover, political elites often exploit ethnic and historical grievances for electoral gains, thereby fueling tensions instead of working towards national cohesion.

A key obstacle to peace consolidation is the persistent socio-economic disparity across Liberia. High levels of unemployment, particularly among youth, and widespread poverty create a fertile ground for instability. Many young people who were either child soldiers or war-affected civilians still struggle with economic exclusion, leading to frustration and susceptibility to political manipulation. Furthermore, Liberia’s slow decentralization process has left many rural communities feeling disconnected from governance structures, reinforcing their marginalization. Strengthening local governance and ensuring equitable development are critical to sustaining peace and fostering the environment required for national reconciliation.

The absence of a robust transitional justice process remains a significant hindrance to peace consolidation. The TRC’s recommendation to establish a war crimes court in Liberia has faced strong political resistance, largely due to the involvement of powerful individuals who were implicated in war atrocities. Atrocities committed during Liberia’s civil wars include incidents with hundreds of people killed in fighting between soldiers and armed groups, as well as sexual violence and forced conscription of child soldiers.

The lack of accountability for these atrocities has weakened public confidence in the rule of law and emboldened perpetrators of past and present injustices. In May 2024, Liberian President Joseph Boaki signed an executive order establishing the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia. However, Boaki’s critics said that the court risked opening old wounds. A date for the court’s establishment has still not been set. Without addressing the grievances of victims and holding those responsible accountable, Liberia risks perpetuating cycles of violence and mistrust.

The prolonged delay in achieving full reconciliation presents a serious challenge to Liberia’s stability. Sustainable peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but the presence of inclusive political institutions, economic opportunities, and a strong rule of law. The failure to address wartime grievances and implement meaningful reconciliation measures has left the country vulnerable to social unrest and political instability. If left unaddressed, these unresolved tensions could lead to renewed conflict, particularly during contested electoral processes or periods of economic downturn.

To move beyond decades of waiting, Liberia must take decisive steps to consolidate peace and reconciliation. First, the government should prioritise justice and accountability by supporting the establishment of a war crimes court to address past atrocities and fortify the rule of law. Secondly, reconciliation programmes should be revitalised, focusing on community dialogues, victim support, and ex-combatant reintegration.

Thirdly, economic and social inequalities must be addressed through job creation and equitable development to prevent widespread deprivation and marginalisation from escalating to instability. In order to truly achieve this, governance reforms, including decentralisation of power and anti-corruption measures, should be strengthened to ensure political inclusivity and citizen participation in national decision-making processes.

Finally, there should be consistent efforts made by the state and its development partners to empower young people through access to education, skill building, employment, and political representation to reduce their vulnerability and provide them with legitimate avenues towards community participation. Young people are, after all, the future of any society, and have been historically invaluable in peace and nation-building activities.

Originally published on Global Voices

Ibrahima Yakubu, the Team Leader of NPJ, makes a point during a meeting. Photo by Mohammed Ibrahim, used with permission.

This story was written by Mohammed Ibrahim and originally published by Peace News Network. An edited version is republished on Global Voices as part of a content-sharing agreement.

Nigeria, a country of over 200 million people with more than 250  ethnic groups, has consistently made headlines because of various crises. In northern Nigeria,  religious or ethnic conflicts have resulted in the loss of countless lives and property. Some blame the media for fueling societal divisions through biased and sectarian reporting.

In response to this, the Network of Peace Journalists (NPJ), in collaboration with non-governmental organizations including the Interfaith Mediation Center, Mercy Corps, and Kaduna State Peace Commission, have undergone training in peace journalism. They aim to use their training to foster peace and reconciliation rather than hate and division within society.

In an interview with Peace News, Ibrahima Yakubu, the team leader of the NJP in Northern Nigeria, emphasized the impact of peace-building training in mitigating conflicts and combating the spread of “fake news” on social media, while aiming to promote positive narratives. He said, “We have been experiencing conflict reportage that destabilizes communities. It’s time to change the narrative by encouraging journalists to promote peace journalism.”

According to Yakubu, journalists in Nigeria have directly experienced the impact of instability. As such, their role is to ensure that they promote peace through their newspapers, broadcast radio stations, and online news platforms. Yakubu also advocates for journalists to write personal blogs, which he believes can strengthen the push towards assisting every citizen in promoting the ideas of peace journalism.

Andrew Mshelia, a Kaduna-based broadcast journalist and member of NPJ, highlighted the pivotal role of journalists in promoting peace in regions prone to religious and political tensions like Kaduna. “People believe us journalists, and they take our words seriously. It’s not just about holding the government accountable but also holding ourselves accountable,” he explained.

Mshelia highlights the importance of media agenda-setting, in which the media can highlight not just what to think, but also what to think about. He emphasized the need to focus on stories that unite rather than divide, recognizing that peace is essential for societal stability and progress.

Mayen Etim, the group's deputy team leader, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that peace is paramount for societal advancement. She stressed the need for journalists to promote peace, as their words can either foster harmony or ignite conflict.

“So for us journalists, it is imperative that we seek peace. If we set any ethnic group against the other and the country is set ablaze, we will be running helter-skelter … we should remember to write to live because if you write and you set the nation ablaze, you will also be affected,” she said.

She added that the local people are tired of hearing bad news in the media, which is why they are working hard to train more journalists to embrace peace journalism, preach peace, speak peace, talk peace, and work for peace.

Samson Auta, a development practitioner and Early Warning Early Response Specialist (EWER) said the media is key to engaging the community and the government on how to address issues that can lead to crisis or conflict in society. The EWER system is a way to identify threats at an early stage in communities and initiate a rapid response to mitigate conflicts.

Auta believes that journalists should be supporters of peace because they are also members of the community, and would themselves benefit from building peace in every community. “We noted that in the past most violence that happened, we discovered that some journalists contributed to it directly or indirectly due to their reportage.” Referring to the activities of the NPJ team, he said,  “We could see their work so far, they have become part of the peace professionals by avoiding headlines that will escalate violence or tensions.”

The group is actively seeking partnerships with organizations, aiming to expand peace journalism training beyond Kaduna to other parts of Nigeria. As journalists, they understand the power of their pens and the responsibility that comes with it. By promoting peace, they aim to not only shape the present but also pave the way for a brighter and more unified future for Nigeria.

Originally published on Global Voices

Bicentina Auma, chairperson of a small farmer's co-operative in Northern Uganda, harvesting finger millet. Image by DFID – UK Department for International Development from Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0 DEED).

This story was written by Maria Andrea Nardi and originally published by Peace News Network, and an edited version is republished on Global Voices as part of a content-sharing agreement.

In recent years, there has been a “crackdown” against environmental defenders across Uganda. Journalists, students, farmers, and rural dwellers are defending the natural environment, protesting and mobilizing against unfair treatment and forced displacements brought on by fossil fuel infrastructures, agribusiness, hydropower, or carbon offsetting. This has pitted authorities and large-scale capital business interests against environmental defenders who are seeking to protect the natural environment from profit-driven corporations expanding the resource extraction frontier into new areas. In this context, and 15 years after the end of the armed conflict in northern Uganda, we question whether peace can be sustainable in this region of the country.

To fully comprehend current disputes over land or the defence of the natural environment, it is necessary to observe how nature is integrated into peace-building and development policies. This is because there is often a narrow understanding of how local communities integrate the natural environment into their everyday life. Three issues stand out in relation to the contributions nature can make to foster sustainable peace and development in northern Uganda beyond its role in generating income through the exploitation of resources. The natural environment is relevant for peace because it works as a (a) semiotic system, (b) public space, and (c) reconciliation means.

Nature as a semiotic system

In northern Uganda, once people left internal displacement camps and returned home after the war, evidence shows that tensions among families and clans arose because of decreasing access to land. One of the reasons for this is transformations in the natural environment, as the features in the landscape that used to serve as markers for territorial formations were removed.

The natural environment functions as a semiotic system, where elements like rivers, hills, and trees carry significant meanings for local communities. These features guide people in navigating their surroundings and staking claims to ownership. For instance, a mango tree at a crossroad or a stone by a pond may serve as markers to find one’s way home. In the absence of formal demarcation systems, customary tenure becomes crucial, and maintaining peace between families and communities often relies on these symbolic landscape markers.

Nature as a public space

In Uganda, trees in villages are important spaces for reunions. They provide shelter from the sun; people stay under their shade to cool down, to chat, to play, to read, to teach or study, and to discuss the future of the local community. Some tree species are even deemed sacred, and some, due to their size, shape, or location, are worshipped (such as the Nakayima tree in central Uganda).

Public space under a tree might serve as an arena for political participation, empowerment, social cohesion, and community healing and reconciliation. For ecological and political reasons, “nature” in villages and urban areas is highly relevant, as shown by the work currently done by environmental organisations in northern Uganda. 

Nature as a means for reconciliation

The Agreement on Accountability and Reconciliation signed in 2007 by the government of Uganda and the Lord Resistance Army specified traditional rituals performed by local ethnic groups “to reconcile parties formally in conflict, after full accountability.” Mato Oput is one such ritual: a reconciliation ceremony that takes place after someone from a friendly clan is killed. The name refers to the drinking of oput, a bitter drink prepared with smashed roots of the oput tree and drunk at the peak of the ceremony. For some, “there is perhaps no single tree more vital in the great work of healing from the brutal civil war that has raged throughout Acholiland for over 20 years.” 

Various parts of the oput trees and other natural elements are required for this ceremony which marks the end of a lengthy mediation process. The natural environment is necessary for local accountability and reconciliation, for healing and sustaining peace. Environmental defenders and cultural leaders are currently concerned about the alarming rate of logging of oput trees in northern Uganda. 

Environmental defenders as peacebuilders

A narrow understanding and utilisation of nature that restricts people’s possibilities to relate to one another and their environment might exacerbate conflicts, either by marginalising certain knowledge or destroying the material base for peoples’ socio-ecological relationships.

Therefore, there is an urgency to revise the ways in which the value of nature is integrated into current existing peacebuilding and development policies in Uganda. It is also crucial to support environmental advocates who are pushing for the inclusion of local perspectives on nature in development strategies.