Introducing Local Peacebuilding in South Kivu

After being here for more than a month I'm excited to share with you about some of the organizations I'm working with in the DRC.

I'm going to start by explaining in more detail why I can't name the organizations I'm working with in my post, because I think it tells you a lot about the context here. Several participants in my research project have indicated that they fear violence as a result of their work. This is because the organizations that they work with challenge local power structures in a serious way. These activities include confronting the government over human rights abuses, trying to demobilize members of armed groups and generally working in unsafe parts of the country. As a result of their work members of these organizations receive death threats, have been arrested and have been the victims of violent attacks.

Here are some general trends I can note about the organizations. Two of the three organizations I'm working with are underfunded to the point that some or all of their staff are currently working for free, while the other is well financed. Two of the organizations work, at times with the states. All three of the organizations are heavily engaged in peace education, conflict resolution and have projects focused on women and/or children. They also work on human rights, ethnic discrimination, land conflict and natural resource management. 

The staff of the organizations that I'm working at are made up of men and women, although there are a lot fewer women, and they generally range in age from 30 to 60. They are almost all University educated, pursuing programs in human rights and law, rural development and teaching.

The employees of these organizations engage in a wide variety of daily tasks. The ones that I have directly observed include the intake and accompaniment of rape victims, facilitating peace clubs, conflict mediation, facilitating of inter-community dialogue groups, public defense services at the local jail, the delivery of sensitization and training programs and research on the local causes of conflict. From speaking with them I also know that they participate in disarmament activities, ensure the safety of prisoners, coordinate with field staff (extensively), participate in regional civil society mechanisms and engage directly at the community level in conflict resolution, the demobilization of armed groups and in community building activities. 

I often find myself inspired by the people who I am working with. I'm inspired by their commitment to peace, their willingness to continue their work despite some pretty significant structural and security challenges and their bravery when facing some very heartbreaking situations. 

I'm really grateful that I'll have the opportunity to write about what I'm observing in greater detail in my thesis and beyond.