Learning from Local Peacebuilding Approaches

Across Sub-Saharan Africa, the omission of local approaches addressing the growing spread of violence and extremism from national and regional processes has often led to unsustainable and non-credible peace.  In addition, the role of women in local peacebuilding has not been well analyzed or articulated in development or diplomacy outcomes, despite its primacy in the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda. To better integrate local or micro level peacebuilding approaches, it is important to highlight and examine formal and informal, traditional and non-traditional efforts that have worked in countering and preventing violent extremism (or other ideologically driven violence) from a local perspective.

RESOLVE launched a new research and convening initiative Learning from Local Peacebuilding Approaches in late 2020 in partnership with the USAID Bureau for Africa, deepening our engagement in Sub-Saharan Africa. Focused on lessons learned from local conflict mitigation and peacebuilding efforts—including both formal and informal processes—this project will foster new analysis of overlaps, synergies, and issues from local peacebuilding and countering and preventing violent extremism efforts. RESOLVE publications aim to investigate and frame the linkages between peacebuilding, governance and human rights, community resilience, and countering violent extremism at the local levels, together with local conflict resolution mechanisms and the role of traditional and customary authorities.

The project will engage and elevate the insights and analysis of international and local experts, sharing lessons learned from local conflict mitigation and peacebuilding efforts that can help enhance the impact of development interventions to prevent and counter violent extremism.

RESOLVE would like to thank the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)'s Africa Bureau for its generous support for this initiative.