conflict resolution

As the youth population continues to grow in countries throughout the developing world, I have been thinking about what role this burgeoning group will play in conflict and post-conflict environments. It is an oft-cited truism that peace must begin with the youth because they are more open-minded than the older generation, have tremendous energy and enthusiasm, and represent the future of their countries. Yet their very open-mindedness makes them susceptible to hatred and violence, as events like the clashes following the 2008 elections in Kenya illustrated all too vividly.

This week I am writing from Kampala, where I have spent the past week assessing potential opportunities for IREX programming in Uganda. As I read about Uganda in preparation for my trip, one theme that kept arising was the overarching importance of religion. Uganda has large Catholic and Protestant populations as well as a significant Muslim population, and I was interested to learn more about the impact of religion and faith-based organizations on the conflicts in northern Uganda and other regions of the country.

In honor of Conflict Resolution Day 2010 this Thursday, IREX is launching a new conflict mitigation program! This month, IREX is beginning the USAID/IREX Youth for Change: Building Peace in Rwandan Communities (Y4C) project. I met with Shannon Bruder, who will be managing the project, to get more information about the project’s goals and the current situation in Rwanda.
 

I’m writing this week from Rwanda, where I’m working on our Civil Society Strengthening Project. Although the project is not specifically focused on conflict, working with our staff and meeting with many Rwandans has given me the opportunity to think about the different ways we describe conflict programming – and how all of them are insufficient.