Nonviolent Peaceforce: Community-based Protection and Peacebuilding


The project will contribute to overall peace and security of targeted communities by addressing key civilian safety and security concerns, including child protection, intra-inter-communal violence, SGBV, women’s protection and empowerment, youth participation, community participation and general protection and peacebuilding. Interventions will focus on trust building and inclusion, enhancing capacities of existing community-based protection mechanisms including Women protection Teams and Youth Protection Teams, and Peace Committees, and restoring confidence in peaceful relations at community levels.

Pays/région Thème Période Budget
Soudan du Sud
Aide humanitaire & RRC
Conflit & fragilité
Gender
nothemedefined
Protection, accès & sécurité
Prévention des conflits
Violence sexuelle & sexiste
01.11.2022 - 31.01.2025
CHF  2’981’450
Contexte

Across South Sudan, violence remains prevalent in many areas, posing serious security threats to civilians, threatening the durability of peace, and contributing to continued fragmentation of communities. Despite the signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) in late 2018, violence continues in many forms, including clashes between authorities and non-signatory groups, violence perpetuated by politically affiliated armed youth groups, cycles of violence and  revenge linked to intercommunity disputes, cattle raids and highly violent criminality. All this, exacerbated by the continued proliferation of small arms and light weapons and the political vacuum left in many areas as the power sharing agreements delay in their implementation. 

In such fragile context, Nonviolent Peaceforce’s presence and work remains relevant, needed and pivotal in preventing conflict at the grassroots level as a way of building a conducive environment where civilians are safer and included to participate in local decision-making processes, which is a pre-condition to build stability and sustainable peace in South Sudan.

Objectifs To ensure that a safe and enabling environment for inclusive and sustainable peacebuilding is fostered at community level.
Groupes cibles

The project will target estimated 31886 people. These include 

-    Women and girls, especially single-mothers, widows, pregnant, lactating women, child mothers, elderly; 

-    Youth in general, especially male youth prone to be attracted/caught up to/by armed and gang groups; 

-    Children: Unaccompanied children and orphans, children at risk to be abducted or at risk of child labour; 

-    Local community structures: churches, religious groups, PSN, associations, Intellectuals/academics, Human Rights Defenders, protection groups, women groups, farmer groups, WASH committees, peace committees etc.;

-    Influential personnel: religious leaders, community leaders, elderlies;

-    General population affected by the violence and conflicts including IDP, Returns and Host Communities.

Effets à moyen terme

1)    Violence and its effect on civilians, particularly women and children, is reduced and responded to;

2)    Community Protection Teams are strengthened and entrenched as integral structures in their communities;

3)    Communities are better positioned to influence local authorities and state mechanisms on civic decision-making processes and  peace processes;

4)    Social Cohesion is increased within and between communities.

Résultats

Principaux résultats attendus:  

-    Imminent violence against civilians is mitigated and responded to.

-    Communities are equipped to more effectively prevent violence.

-    The centrality of protection is increasingly integrated into humanitarian responses. 

-    Community Protection Teams are trained and/or mentored on addressing protection concerns, peacebuilding, and leadership.

-    Independent activities by Community Protection Teams are facilitated and supported.

-    Harmful social norms are addressed and challenged to support marginalized social groups, including women, youth and persons with disabilities and are linked to local, state and national leadership and Humanitarian, Development and Peacebuilding organizations, judiciaries and other persons in power.

-    Communities have increased knowledge of social cohesion and opportunities for fostering trust between themselves and with other communities.


Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

-    The direct protection component of NP’s work including patrols, accompaniment and protective presence has proven successful in preventing and effectively deterring threats against civilians. NP’s strategy for protection demonstrates that a perpetrator of violence will in fact yield to action by unarmed civilians.

-    NP’s community engagement approach has been effective in building acceptance and trust in various project locations with communities and key stakeholders – including duty bearers – which is essential to ensure engagement in activities. These will still be needed, as subnational violence continues.

-    Meaningful inclusion of women, local religious entities and chiefs or elders in dialogue processes has increased efficacy of protection and peacebuilding strategies. Hence, NP plans to further engage these groups where appropriate, to boost their peacebuilding capacity and positive involvement in dialogues.

-    WPTs have proven to be a good opportunity for women to take up leadership roles in peace and security, and in doing so increasing their protection and meaningful participation. Despite the gains made women’s leadership in sites such as Ulang, community attitudes towards women participation in decision making process remains uncertain. Traditional perceptions that women cannot contribute to decision-making often underpins low participation. However, there is acknowledgement that WPTs can support in preventing and resolving conflicts in the community particularly through awareness, advocacy on related issues including gender equality & human rights.

-    Due to lack of proper education facilities in some of the targeted locations such as Ulang, NP will further enhance its work in child protection by expanding on the child friendly spaces and training more volunteers. 

-    The inclusion of adolescent girls has been limited, the current phase will have specific focus on their inclusion through girls clubs and putting activities that intentionally target them.


Direction/office fédéral responsable DDC
Partenaire de projet Partenaire contractuel
ONG internationale ou étrangère
  • Other international or foreign NGO North


Autres partenaires
Nonviolent Peaceforce South Sudan; The Netherlands
Coordination avec d'autres projets et acteurs South Sudan Protection Cluster; NGOs; local authorities and OCHA; Mercy Corps; UNMISS; RSRTF 
Budget Phase en cours Budget de la Suisse CHF    2’981’450 Budget suisse déjà attribué CHF    2’549’500
Phases du projet Phase 1 01.11.2022 - 31.01.2025   (Phase en cours)