The Peace Corner Podcast

[English text below!] Le maintien de la sécurité environnementale et de la paix est le plus important défi auquel l’humanité n’a jamais fait face. Or, ils sont tous deux inextricablement liés. Cette double conjoncture aggrave les difficultés de manière quotidienne dans la région du Sahel. Les changements climatiques sont l'une des causes de la Guerre du Sahel ainsi que de la recrudescence du terro...

For centuries, the transgender community across India has been battling for basic livelihood, dignity and social acceptance. In 2014, the Supreme Court of India finally recognised the transgender community’s civil rights in the country. Kalki Subramaniam was one of the most prominent activists behind this milestone. In this episode of the Peace Corner Podcast, Mori Plaschinski from UNOY sits down...

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 th...

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 poli...

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 Que...

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 sensitisin...

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 of...

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 Mult...

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? W...

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...

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 r...

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,...

There are 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 15 and 29 in the world today. Youth are often overlooked and pushed aside, yet, are one of the most active agents for peace and security. Young people are often key figures in political or social movements. However, this leadership rarely translates into being able to actively represent themselves at the decision making level. Five years after...

Whilst COVID-19 rapidly spreads across the globe, misinformation is filling up millions of feeds and web pages. A dangerous trend that is also often seen in conflicts. Accurate information informs decisions and creates a space for learning. So, how can we break through the deafening noise of fake news and the overload of information? How can readily available information empower youth and women to...

Promises of peace followed 50 years of armed conflict in Colombia. However whispers of rearmament scuttle through the streets. Not only is the reality of conflict faced in Colombia, but also the existence of massive social injustices. Within Latin America, second only to Haiti, Colombians face the most significant inequalities. Discussion of pension reforms at Congress sparked mass protests in Nov...

Everyday, we are reminded of the war and violent conflict that surrounds us. Televisions, radios and newspapers flood us with the daily reality of humanity at war. But what remains largely invisible are those at the forefront of conflict -peacebuilders, striving for peace. For many it is easier to name warlords than peacebuilders. It is time to move peacebuilding out of the shadows and into the sp...

2013 was a significant year in Ukraine. On 21st November 2013, a student-led protest broke out in response to Ukraine’s former President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to end talks on a Ukraine-European Union Association Agreement. Referred to as ‘Euromaidan’, it began peacefully, however, as this march gained traction, it was met with violence from the police. Older generations began to join the st...

Despite the existence of many indigenous communities in Libya, they are often marginalised. Eight months of protests and revolution beginning in 2011 called for Muammar Al-Gaddafi to step down after his 42 years of reign. The end of rule placed people in a space where they could more freely express themselves, however, society was used to the norm of one culture, one language and one religion. The...

In conflict, youth are either seen as victim or perpetrator. Why is this the case and what impact does this have on the potential for achieving peace? Youth are often left to defend themselves during times of conflict, having to take survival into their own hands. These difficult situations have led to the negative portrayal of youth in conflict. How can we change the role and vision of youth? Are...

With tensions mounting in Bolivia, violent protests sparked the end of Morales’ reign as president. Shadowed by controversy for his position in power lasting more than a decade, he was the first Indigenous president that Bolivia had seen. Surely this marked a move towards inclusion? To find out whether this was the case, we sat down with Theo Roncken, a peacebuilder of Accion Andina in Bolivia. Th...

In 2001, only two terrorist organisations existed in Afghanistan. Eighteen years later, the number stands at twenty. Does the road towards peace need to be rewritten? What role can youth and women play in ending conflict? Does the international lens towards Afghanistan need to be changed? To answer our burning questions on this escalating situation, we sat down with human rights activist Najeebull...

Images of young children, armed with guns, forced to fight for rebels are often depicted in the news. But we do not hear about what happens next. Once they are saved, what is the next step? How can these children be accepted back into the community after all the violence? In Uganda, this is the harsh reality faced by many children and communities. So, how can those whose childhoods were stolen be...

This year in Chile, a situation of emergency was declared after marches led to arson riots, looting and the collapse of the subway. Despite the negative portrayal of the youth in the recent demonstrations and their association with the violence that erupted, the involvement of the youth has contributed to significant changes. The demands of the people of Chile are being met and the marches have le...

At the end of the Cold War, the neorealist paradigm focus on states, military security and the so-called ‘mutually assured destruction’ was challenged by the birth of a new concept, namely human security. This new concept emerged to articulate the need to focus on threats to individuals and communities and to go beyond states. Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan wrote that “we will not enjoy de...

Let’s take you back to September 25th, 2015. A day where all the world leaders gathered at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit in New York. It was here where they would draw up a blueprint of great importance for the upcoming 15 years. A blueprint of global action, a blueprint for peace and prosperity. And so.. the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were born. Now, almost four year...