By Tiffany Easthom; adapted and reprinted with permission; first published for Nonviolent Peaceforce newsletter, January 2025
Sudan
Despite the ongoing conflict, local community groups and
organizations have led the protection response, working to support vulnerable
communities and prevent violations of international humanitarian law against
civilians. NP's Women Protection Teams (WPTs), launched just before the war,
are a testament to the power of community safety. “People know where to find us
24/7,” explained Ishrava, who has been a WPT member since the groups were
organized. “We are trained in providing survivor-focused support and connecting
community members to follow up services, such as medical, psychological, and
legal support."
Iraq
When schools re-opened after liberation from ISIS, families
slowly began returning home to Ba’aj. Soon, community members began noticing
further implications of the occupation: kids were behind in their schooling and
age restrictions made many students ineligible to re-enroll in regular school.
NP's Youth Peace Team (YPT) worked to address this gap and actively advocate
for the inclusion of returnee children in education. After a series of
meetings, the YPT's advocacy paid off. “It was my dream to complete my
schooling." shared one returnee student."I tried to return to school
without success, but today, thanks to the YPT’s support, I am back in school.
Thank you.”
United States
Like so many Indigenous communities, Waniya’s community in
Standing Rock has faced escalations and violence when advocating for the
protection of their land and water. In April, Waniya Locke, a lifelong
Indigenous leader, asked for NP's safety support during a rally they were
organizing at the UN headquarters in New York. After listening to their
concerns, NP worked with Waniya and her rally partners to plan the route, map
out potential threats, and address safety concerns. On the day of the rally, NP
staff interfaced with law enforcement, managed the crowds, and stayed alert to
ensure a safe event."As a grassroots movement, having NP step in was
extremely helpful but also safe," Waniya reflected.
Philippines
In a small village where it had become common for gunfire to
break out due to decades of an illicit flow of weapons into the region, one
local Chairman led the initiative to transform the village into a gun-free
zone. "The resolve to fight for what is right got even stronger when I met
one of NP’s staff," shared Chairman Halim. "They had helped orient
all our youths in all sectors. There was even an Early Warning Early Response
system and an ordinance that was created to prohibit unauthorized persons from
carrying firearms in our community."
Ukraine
After enduring more than two years of bombing, attacks, and
occupation many Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes in eastern
Ukraine in search of safety. While there are many public shelters in Kharkiv,
none accept people without personal identification documents and many are not
well-suited to support those with low mobility. Working with a consortium, NP
and a small number of organizations created private shelters that accept those
without documentation and with unique support needs—like the Zernove shelter
that can host up to 80 people at a time.
South Sudan
In the Upper Nile state, where tensions keep violence
present, NP’s teams continue to foster resilience among communities. Since
2023, NP has been working with Chief Dak’s community that has seen conflict
with Arab nomads over food and land—listening to their concerns, working with
neighbors to build trust, and holding trainings that build on the communities’
skills in nonviolent communication and de-escalation. In March, NP brought
together representatives from the local community and Arab nomads in a pivotal
dialogue that concluded with an agreement between the groups. “So long as you
are here, you become part of us,” affirmed Chief Dak from Lelo village.
In moments when everything feels overwhelming, I’m reminded
of the enduring resilience of humanity. The snapshots above exemplify just
that: civilians coming together to advocate for their protection and build
community safety in the face of hate, conflict, and even war.
For generations, people have protected people. Our
collective work is a thread that connects the deep knowledge of nonviolence
from generations past to those yet to come. Together we're building a beloved
community, a legacy of peace and compassion that will ripple through time.
Tiffany Easthom is the Executive Director at Nonviolent Peaceforce. See Nonviolent Peaceforce’s website: nonviolentpeaceforce.org
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