Peace-building

Village Synergy at a local community level affected by domestic violence and conflicts, peacebuilding work is needed to create the basis for a sustainable, peaceful future. In our programs, we aim to transform the attitudes and behaviours of conflict actors and address local causes of conflict. We work at the grassroots level, with communities, local leaders, and stakeholders. As women and youth have a key role in promoting peace and security, Village Synergy strengthens its influence in peace and reconciliation processes. Our focus on areas of peacebuilding work are;

Strengthen social cohesion and trust

Domestic violence and conflicts lead to mistrust between people, the destruction of the social fabric, and trauma. If people do not deal with their own traumatic experiences and do not regain trust in each other, conflicts may easily start again. People need to learn new ways of non-violent behavior and inter-generational cycles of violence need to be broken. Sometimes working directly on peace and conflict is too sensitive. In these situations, bringing different groups together on less sensitive topics of common interest is an effective way of breaking down stereotypes and creating a common understanding between groups. Specific village Synergy interventions in this area of work are:

  • Community-Based Socio Therapy (CBST)
  • Mixed groups for sport, livelihood, or community projects
  • Peace education in schools and other groups

Community-based security, conflict prevention, and resolution mechanisms

In domestic and conflict-affected countries the violent conflicts of the past have led to divisions in society, feelings of hatred, marginalization, and trauma. Formal justice systems are either absent or dysfunctional, corrupt or inaccessible due to distance and costs. Local peace committees are an alternative mechanism focusing on the resolution of local conflicts, emphasize reconciliation and community cohesion, and play an important role in conflict prevention and early warning systems. Village Synergy supports the establishment and the functioning of these committees. Village Synergy also aims to improve the effectiveness and inclusiveness of local security councils. These councils are local mechanisms with representatives of local security actors, local government, and civil society, whose role is to protect civilians and provide security.