We know the same-old story. A violent conflict breaks out and international interveners come rushing to support peace in the country. But oftentimes, this leads to a short term ‘fix’ and even more chaos returns with monstrous damage to the people. What we often tend to forget, is that locals know best. Local peacebuilders and ordinary citizens know best what the root causes and solutions are to the violence that is affecting them. But why then are they systematically pushed aside in offering solutions? And why do youth and women have to try so hard to reach the decision-making level in spite of seemingly global consensus on the importance of their voices?

In this live launch episode of a fresh Peace Corner season, we are starting our journey with award-winning peacebuilding author and researcher Séverine Autesserre and a young changemaker. Make sure to tune in and subscribe!

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

Strong gender stereotypes plague the participation of Jordanian women in daily life. Not only strongly ingrained cultural perceptions, but infrastructure and legislative measures limit women’s ability to fully contribute to society. The lack of gender-friendly facilities and child care outside of the capital, prevent women from even stepping into the workplace. How can meaningful economic and political participation be achieved when so many face these barriers?

Fatema of GPPAC sat down with peacebuilder Sanaa Albanawi of the Jordanian National Commission of Women to discuss women’s participation in the Middle East and North Africa. Great improvements can be seen, but what can help to break these cultural barriers? Tune in to hear how for instance interactive theatre can raise awareness for women’s issues and bring Jordan one step closer towards equality.

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

Colombia has always been an interesting case-study in the peacebuilding field. Since 2016, a lot of optimism exists after having reached a peace agreement with the FARC. However, the fragile peace faces many challenges. The COVID-19 outbreak has deepened the already existing problems, affecting disproportionately the rural areas.

In the midst of a crisis, there are always opportunities. La Paz Querida is a group of citizens convinced that a peaceful future is possible for Colombia. In this episode, Carlos from UNOY Peacebuilders sat with Dr. Carlos Lemoine and Dr. Gabriel Murillo, members of LPQ, to discuss their work in promoting a culture of peace and a new ethic based on human dignity. They are making this happen by promoting dialogue and advocating for sustainable social policies to protect the most vulnerable. Tune in to listen to their stories and learn about their efforts to build a culture of peace in Colombia.

Sierra Leone only has 2,028 cases of COVID-19. The experience of the Ebola epidemic in 2014-2016, shaped how the West African nation approaches the virus. The same is true for the brutal civil war, which has led to many people wanting to maintain a culture of peace and stability in the country. In both cases, youth has been at the forefront of change. Young people have taken the lead in sensitising people on the measures to prevent COVID-19 and have brought peacebuilding and humanitarian support together. But what does this look like?

On the Peace Corner podcast, Caitríona from GPPAC sat down with Marius Kargbo, from Young Leaders Sierra Leone Network, to learn about the role they have played in helping their communities in countering fake news, accessing proper prevention information and how COVID-19 can become an opportunity to build a more peaceful world.

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

In Uganda, the marginalised, such as youth and women, are feeling the effects of the pandemic the most. Many people are facing hunger, as they solely depend on the informal sector to earn their keep and provide for their families. As a result, domestic violence has soared and the risk of increased armed violence is looming.

Natalie of GPPAC sat down with returning guest Patrick Bwire, a project officer at CECORE in Uganda. Whilst the pandemic has seriously affected his work, he has been able to give a voice to the marginalised. In this pod, Patrick dives into the intersectionality between peace and development. He argues that peace shouldn’t be left behind, because it is the bedrock for positive changes to happen in Uganda.

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

In 2018, Colombia had over 7 million internally displaced people. With lockdowns all over the world, it is the most vulnerable and marginalised communities that are the most affected. This is the case in Colombia. How can we change that to build a diverse and equality society for all?

Alessia from UNOY wanted to find out, so she sat down with Diego Garzon, the co-founder and project leader of Multicultural. Through his work at Multicultural, he focuses on empowering young people from marginalised communities in Colombia through educational, social and cultural activities. In this episode of the Peace Corner podcast, we discuss how empowering young people is key to creating a culture of peace in Colombia. Beyond that, we take a deep dive into the problems faced by IDPs and other marginalised communities as well as the challenges they face during this pandemic.

Check out some of the music videos from Multicultural: https://youtu.be/7Vsi6vYtt0o,

https://youtu.be/ayKbKh-gkh0 ,

https://youtu.be/xpO7g8jCvOA

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

With over 349,300 cases of COVID-19 and 39,485 related deaths, Mexico has felt the harsh reality and impact of this pandemic. In Mexico, just like in other places across the globe, vulnerable communities are disproportionately impacted by this deadly virus. Not only are they at high risk, but they are not given the space to voice these concerns. How are indigenous communities impacted in Mexico? What are their predefined roles in society and how can this be changed?

Young peacebuilders Daniel Martín and Maria Francisca Garcés Ocampo of Centro de Colaboración Cívica (CCC) in Mexico dialed in to discuss giving a voice to ethnic minorities, the presence of racism in Mexico and how spaces can be build for change.

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

The 25th May 2020 is a date that will go down in history. The tragic death of George Floyd at the hands of the police, marked the beginning of a call for racial justice and an end to police brutality. Despite the threat posed by COVID-19, protestors took to the streets in over 4,000 cities worldwide. United in their message, they continue their mission for change. But what does this movement mean for the future? What do we as societies need to feel safe?

For the Peace Corner podcast, Zander of +Peace sat down with peacebuilder and human security expert Jon Rudy to discuss how we can transform societies to prioritise human security and to eradicate structural violence.

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

Over 70% of the Zimbabwean population are youth. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government imposed lockdown saw the closure of the informal sector. With the majority of the youth in Zimbabwe employed here, and without savings, the daily struggle to feed their families intensified. Tensions in their densely populated living spaces grew. Extortionate prices of mobile data heightened the risk of contracting COVID-19 as access to information and guidance on social distancing could not be obtained. But how can civil society organisations help to reach these vulnerable populations? How can previously active youth peacebuilders continue their fundamental work?

Young peacebuilder Nqobile Moyo, the director of Voices In the Vision for Africa (VIVA), dialed into the podcast to lay his cards on the table. Tune in to hear how his personal journey and pledge to support the youth in the COVID-19 response is playing out in Zimbabwe.

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.

7 decades of civil war and military oppression have swept Myanmar. Suppression of the Rohingya, a stateless ethnic minority, has been so severe, they are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, despite calls for a nationwide ceasefire, clashes between the military and the Rohingya have continued. On the 10th of May, the government set their own ceasefire, but what did this entail? Increased vulnerabilities have further exacerbated conditions for previously displaced refugees. 15,000 Rohingya face quarantine in already crowded camps. With the suppression of human rights activists and the media, how can these issues be heard and, most importantly, resolved?

Giving a voice to those who are silenced and suppressed, we are joined by peace activists Khin Ohmar, Chair of the Board of Progressive Voice Myanmar, and Marc Batac from Initiatives for International Dialogue for a new episode of the Peace Corner podcast.

Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.