Peace by Africa
With UNDP, EPC convened the first ever regional symposium for and by Civil Society Organizations working on inclusive reintegration in recent conflicts.
Peace by Africa is the Africa Wide Civil Society Network on Inclusive Reintegration and Community Based Peace Building Strategies.
Amid the complex and enduring impact of conflicts across the continent, the crucial role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in achieving sustainable peace has been increasingly recognized. In 2018, with UNDP, the Elman Peace Centre initiated the establishment of Peace by Africa, a network bringing together peace and security practitioners from African CSOs to strengthen their collective impact.
The network was envisioned as a platform to build strong societal alliances, foster collaboration, and elevate the role of CSOs in advancing peace and development within protracted conflict settings.
Peace by Africa operates through three strategic approaches:
- Strengthening technical capacities of CSOs;
- Advocating for the inclusion of CSO perspectives in peace and security processes; and
- Integrating civil society’s knowledge and experience in sustainable reintegration into formal justice and governance systems.
By connecting and empowering local actors, the network amplifies the influence of CSOs, both within their operational areas and across the broader African context through shared learning, collaboration, and collective action for peace.