The Nigerian rumour mill – a nation under siege?
The distinction between freedom of expression and hate speech in Nigeria is blurred, and the country is under siege from disinformation. Combating hate speech in... Read More
Western Africa
The role of women in Countering Violence Extremism – the Nigerian experience with Boko Haram
While many resources have been dedicated to Countering Violent Extremism efforts, little attention has been paid to the role women play in the Boko Haram... Read More
Hope amidst the horror in Northern Nigeria
A range of conflicts are causing devastation across Northern Nigeria. Shifting to a more locally-led approach, by engaging and supporting civil society groups, will increase... Read More
Building resilience against violent extremism in Nigeria
As the Nigerian government continues its fight against Boko Haram, there are four mutually reinforcing elements to strengthen its approach.
From Abuja with love
If South Africa is really keen to assist its partner, Nigeria, in curbing terrorism it might consider initiating and consolidating negotiations and diplomacy with Boko... Read More
Who is my neighbour? The power of inter-religious peacebuilding in Nigeria
The simple gesture of helping a neighbour in need has led to friendship between a local Muslim farmer and two missionary priests in the town... Read More
Promoting community dialogue on Liberia’s constitutional review process
Students Against Destructive Actions and Decisions (SADAD) Liberia, a member of the Global Coalition for Conflict Transformation, has begun soliciting community views on the constitutional... Read More
The 2015 Nigerian Presidential elections – a question of democracy
The successful 2015 presidential elections in Nigeria provide important lessons for how to conduct free, fair, credible and peaceful elections throughout Africa.
Boko Haram and voter apathy in Nigeria
Terrorism by Boko Haram is contributing to voter apathy in Nigeria as citizens fear for their very safety in public spaces. Furthermore, many voters are... Read More
The rise of Boko Haram and the response of civil society
Armed violence, distrust and politicization of ethnic identity have eroded the fabric of the Nigerian state since independence in 1960. The challenge is how to... Read More
Boko Haram – the long shadow of Usman dan Fodio
Although radically different in many ways, Boko Haram is part of the long shadow of Usman dan Fodio and the creation of the Sokoto Caliphate,... Read More
The perils of outrage and inaction – Boko Haram and the Boy Who Cried Wolf
At this point, the international community and some key players in it run the risk of becoming like the boy who cried wolf. Cries of... Read More
Ebola and the paradox of human rights
The current situation surrounding Ebola in the United States helps highlight a bizarre paradox of our time. We have become so obsessed with romanticized notions of “human... Read More
The criminal side of Ebola
The Health Crisis is only one effect of the Ebola outbreak. Long term effects on the region’s ability to combat crime and provide safety and... Read More
Natural resources and violence in Nigeria
Unsustainable resource exploitation by Western oil companies has played a role in the development of grievances that subsequently resulted in the creation of rebel groups... Read More
From Nigeria to Iraq – the on-going failure to protect women and girls in armed conflict
Armed conflicts like the one currently consuming Iraq, plus the actions of Boko Haram in Nigeria, continue to show that women and girls are among the most... Read More
Can we leverage empathy to stop Boko Haram?
Empathy and dialogue, not force, are the keys to ending the Boko Haram’s campaign of violence and terror by leveraging efforts to pivot a community... Read More
Protecting schools from attack in Nigeria and beyond – how to support community-based responses
The abduction of close to 300 girls by Boko Haram from a school in Borno state, Nigeria in April, and the closure of schools due... Read More
Peace journalism and Boko Haram
What war journalism does is create a hype that gets everyone to say “Never Again” and employ powerful sounding hashtags – but it stops with... Read More
Justice is Liberia’s hope for the future
Whereas other countries have considered justice to be an essential component of peace and reconciliation, Liberia has totally disregarded the punishment of those who perpetrated... Read More
The Movement Against Violence and Impunity in Africa
The Movement Against Violence and Impunity in Africa (MAVIA) was established 2009 in the city of Monrovia, Liberia. It has since been involved with community... Read More
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