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
Civil conflict, civil society – a history of political and social change in Burkina Faso
There is a long history of civil society groups working to achieve social change in Burkina Faso. These will be crucial as the country starts... 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
Reconciliation in the Cote d’Ivoire – mission impossible?
Four years on from the Second Ivorian Civil War, the Cote d’Ivoire’s truth and reconciliation commission is tasked with helping to heal the divisions the... Read More
Building peace or a fragile future? The legacy of conflict in the Cote d’Ivoire
It is time to speak up and say that the politics of partial justice will not consolidate peace and reconciliation in the country. There can... Read More
Politics, protest, peace – preparing for elections in Burkina Faso
Mass protests saw the president of Burkina Faso resign in 2014, after nearly 30 years in power. As the country prepares for a general election... Read More
Blaise Compaoré – here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?
The lack of progress in the rural standard of living and the lack of jobs for youth led to growing discontent. Blaise Compaoré’s proposal to... 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
Burkina Faso – the (in)significant coup
While it looks as though the political transition in Burkina Faso is being handled peacefully, concerns remain that the country could descend into violent conflict. It... 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
The impact of Ebola
The impact of the Ebola outbreak goes far beyond the thousands of people who have died a horrible death from this ugly disease. And it... 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
The road to peace in Mali – political roadblocks and other obstacles
Civil society organisations are doing good work in Mali. But their job is being made more difficult by the need to address the root causes... 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
Building community cohesion in the Ivory Coast
Distressed by post-election violence and North-South ethnic tribalism, James Offuh created United for Peace Against Conflict International (UFPACI) in January 2012 to build community cohesion... Read More
Mali – hijacked autonomy, outsized ambitions, French intervention
Whilst it may be fairly easy for the French forces to take the three major cities of north Mali, there are fears that the Islamic... Read More
