Civil Peace Service: Using civil methods to manage violent conflicts
Start & End Date: 2009-2022
Country/Countries: Kenya
Multilateral Institution(s) Involved: Civil Peace Service
Extreme inequality, rapid population growth, high youth unemployment, impunity and unfavourable environmental conditions fuel conflicts in Kenya. Most conflicts run along ethnic lines and are exacerbated by vested political interests. To avoid conflict and strengthen peace strongly established partner organisations are increasingly taking measures in a conflict-sensitive and target group-oriented manner. The goal is to ensure that local shakeholders are handling conflicts that relate to social inequality without the use of violence, thus promoting social cohesion at the community level.
The Civil Peace Service has been supporting civil society partner organisations in Kenya since 2009- and in recent years increasingy also governmental partner organisations. At present, the focus is on peace journalism, alternative dispute settlement and on establishing dialogue structures that encourage people to resolve conflicts without violence. Specifically, this means promoting the acceptance of diversity among the general public while managing past and acute conflicts through mediation. A further aim is to bring about a positive change in the attitutes of the general public, governmental representatives and politicians and promote socio-economic justice. Furthermore, the CPS is campaigning for the media to report neutrally and include more peacebuilding topics in their programmes. Psychosocial support is being provided for those traumatised by violence, injustice, poverty and a lack of prospects, as well as for employees of partner organisations, to strengthen them and encourage them to take part in dialogue processes.
Much more effective internal organisational structures have been established at the Media Council of Kenya. By providing targeted training measures tailored to the requirements of employees at partner organisations, the project has improved the implementation of peace projects. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights is strengthening the network of human rights organisations along the Kenyan coast. Partners (Kituo Cha Sheria, FIDA Kenya) are helping to allow lwss-heeded groups in three regions to use mediation to resolve conflicts such as those relating to returning land. Familie and neighbours who have been enemies for ten years are beginning to speak to one another again. The Radio-for-Peace programme run by the partner organisation Kenya Community Media network supports 40 local radio stations. A radio play on the topic of displacement that is broadcast across all stations thus reaches millions of listeners. The organisations Haki Yetu and Pamoja for Transformation work with nearly 1,000 young people, aiming to provide them with new prospects and a chance for reintegration into the community. In addition, employees of our partners are being trained to recognise traumatised people and provide them with appropriate care.