Faculty of Management Sciences

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Youth participation in peacebuilding in post-conflict northern Uganda
(2023) Awici, Charles Churchill; Harris, Geoffrey Thomas; Kaye, Sylvia Blanche
The study examined the role of youth in building peaceful, democratic and inclusive societies in postconflict settings. This was in an attempt to rectify a situation in which, in war, youth and children are traditionally viewed as participants, witnesses and victims, but in post-conflict situations, they are left out in peacebuilding process. Using participatory action research, the research draws upon direct voices of youth to understand how youth perceive and relate to peacebuilding processes and outcomes in northern Uganda. Data was collected through review of secondary data, interviews, focus group discussion and observation. The study revealed that about half of the young people in the study had participated in peacebuilding interventions, and valued their participation because they were also victims of conflicts and disputes, and wished to self-discover, improve their self-esteem, and secure the future of their communities. Despite these positive perceptions, the majority of the youth believed that they lacked the space and support to harness their potential to build and sustain peace. The study identifies conflict and structural violence, youth’s acceptance, internalisation and buttressing of the barriers to their participation in peacebuilding, and negative community perceptions and stereotypes of youth as having hindered youth action to positively change their lives. Together, these barriers help to explain why despite significant investment by government and NGOs, many youths fail to translate programmes and policies into long-term benefits for their communities, thus placing Lira District and northern Uganda in general perilously between war and peace. Additionally, the results of the peacebuilding project demonstrated that a youth-led initiative can be effective and a source of hope for peace if it is supported by a network of stakeholders. Therefore, the focus should be to take advantage of the capability and agency of young people to address the root causes of the inadequacy and ineffectiveness of youth participation, and to reflect on peacebuilding actions in order to realize and sustain positive peacebuilding outcomes. Finally, the study makes policy and practice recommendations, poses new questions, and points to possibilities for future work with youth.
Peace education as a peacebuilding tool in the Western Sahara region
(2023) Bibee, Justin D.; Kaye, Sylvia Blanche; Harris, Geoffrey Thomas
Peacebuilding is a profound challenge in societies that experience decades-long protracted conflict. The Western Sahara Conflict is considered such a profound peacebuilding challenge. Located in the Maghreb region on the North-West coast of Africa, the Western Sahara is considered the Most Inaccessible Place on Earth, the Least Economically Integrated Region on Earth, and the Last Colonised Place on Earth. The conflict is known as Africa’s Longest Conflict, Africa’s Forgotten Conflict, and the World’s Oldest Conflict, and Western Sahara as the Most Heavily-Mined Place on Earth which has produced the Most Protracted Refugee Situation Worldwide. The Western Sahara has a long history of violent conflict. In 1991, Morocco and the Polisario agreed to a UN-brokered ceasefire for a future self-determination referendum, which has yet to take place. Morocco rejects a vote including independence as an option, considering Western Sahara integral to the kingdom. The ceasefire was broken in late 2020, resuming violent conflict. For 48 years, from 1975 to 2023, all peacebuilding efforts have failed. This protracted conflict has divided communities along a "berm," the second-largest man-made defensive barrier in history, leading to polarization, animosity, and negative attitudes between the groups. This study employs an action research approach and peace education as a key tool to implement a peacebuilding intervention in Laayoune, Western Sahara. The interdisciplinary methodology seeks to understand the complexities of relationships between Moroccans and Sahrawis in the region. Research findings show that peace education workshops effectively promote reconciliation and peacebuilding by providing a safe space for dialogue, fostering mutual understanding and empathy among participants, and facilitating transformative changes in relationships, trust, and cooperation, while also contributing to personal growth and development among participants. This study makes significant contributions to the field of peacebuilding by highlighting the often-overlooked effectiveness of peace education as an intervention in the Western Sahara Conflict and emphasizing the vital role of action research in ensuring the sustainability of peacebuilding efforts.
Reducing violence through the seed of greatness youth programme in Empangeni
(2023-04) Mthabela, Happiness Sonto; Plüg, Simóne
Youth violence is a major issue all over the world. The prevalence and patterns of youth violence are also common in South Africa, where young people are regularly exposed to violence in their families, schools, and communities. Youth violence can lead to numerous health consequences, including increased rates of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, suicide, anxiety and premature death. Young people who are exposed to violence at such a young age are more likely to become involved in violent cycles, both as repeat victims and as potential perpetrators of violence, or develop other antisocial behaviour. Given the extent of youth violence, unless drastic intervention strategies succeed in breaking the cycles of violence, levels of violence are only likely to rise over time. This study aimed to uncover, understand, and respond to experiences of violence that exist amongst the youth of Empangeni in Northern KZN, by raising awareness of peacebuilding approaches and emphasising how youth involvement in peacebuilding programmes can provide lasting solutions. This study focused on youth from The Seed of Greatness Youth Programme, a youth organization based in the Empangeni area, and adopted a Participatory Action Research approach to engage youth affected by the problem of violence in building a peaceful community. The qualitative research approach was utilised to obtain detailed and rich data. The data was collected through face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions. The information collected was audio recorded and then transcribed. After transcribing, the data was analysed and themes and sub-themes were derived from the collected information. The study reveals that the most prevalent forms of violence youth are experiencing in Empangeni are physical violence and gender-based violence. The main causes of violence were found to be substance abuse, peer influence, ongoing exposure to violence and a lack of economic opportunities. Findings also highlighted the perceptions of the effects of violence which were found to be PTSD and depression, development of coping strategies among victims, vigilantism and desensitisation to violence. Furthermore, in collaboration with the participants, a training workshop aimed at reducing key factors linked to violence was designed, implemented and evaluated. The Participatory Action Research method proved to be an extremely effective approach for this study. The process allowed the youth of Empangeni to be key role players in the research and to participate in all the stages of the research process with the purpose of creating social change. This involvement made youth feel valued which, in turn, yielded positive results as their involvement and participation in the project increased. The insight and experience acquired through the participatory action research process was valuable for both the researcher and youth in that both learned from each other through the sharing of knowledge in the research process
The role of South Sudanese refugee and Ugandan women in peace and conflict transformation, Uganda
(2022) Dawa, Irene; Kaye, Sylvia Blanche
This study was guided by two research questions: (1) what explains the current participation or lack thereof of refugee and host community women in conflict transformation and peacebuilding in their communities? and (2) how can women and men be empowered to work together and what are the opportunities and limitations to their participation? The study adopted a mixed methodology approach. An exploratory and constructivism worldview orientation was employed to facilitate participation and understanding the meanings narrated by participants. Data pertaining to the study were collected from respondents comprising refugee and host community women and men through observations, individual interviews, focus group discussions, semi-structured questionnaires, and document analyses. The study revealed that women of Bidibidi refugee settlement played a major role in conflict prevention/transformation and peacebuilding through information sharing, motherhood and childcare, intermarriages between communities, social support psycho-social and spiritual healing to resolve and transform violent conflict. The study identified several findings: that the inclusion of men into women programs is beneficial as it facilitates relationship-building for sustainable peace; the positive impact of women participation in conflict transformation. The study further revealed that peacebuilding was being undermined by multiple factors including: a lack of resources for women including access to education, gender-insensitive infrastructure in the settlements, a lack of knowledge and skills, cultural barriers that restrict women’s participation in public lives, a general lack of focus on peacebuilding and conflict transformation, and an inadequate level of education/training for women. The study concluded that achievements by women in conflict transformation and peacebuilding at grassroots level received little to no attention as they continue to be side-lined by all actors including the humanitarian actors in peace processes in the settlement. The study therefore makes a deliberate call to stakeholders, especially the Government of Uganda and humanitarian actors, to utilise the untapped expertise of women and address these challenges for sustainable peace in the settlement and the country at large. Being a pioneer study in a refugee settlement in Uganda, further studies will need to be carried out to identify appropriate strategies through which these challenges can be addressed in order to achieve meaningful participation of women in peacebuilding and conflict transformation.
Bridging the gender gap through local peace committees in Zimbabwe
(2022) Tshuma, Darlington; Kaye, Sylvia Blanche; Harris, Geoffrey Thomas
Peacebuilding research, specifically in post-conflict societies and those transitioning from authoritarian rule to democracy and from violence to peace, demonstrates a growing demand to enhance our understanding about the efficacy of peace infrastructures, particularly informal peace infrastructures as potential tools for sustained and inclusive peacebuilding. In the same vein, the growth and popularity in recent decades of peace infrastructures as peacebuilding tools suggests the need for further investigation especially in societies where transition(s) is reluctant - a case in point is Zimbabwe. Further, the use of peace infrastructures to facilitate inclusive peacebuilding has gained prominence in the light of growing evidence of the correlation between societal stability and socioeconomic development on the one hand, and inclusive peacebuilding on the other. This is a participatory and exploratory action study that investigated the possibilities of using a community peace infrastructure to facilitate inclusive peacebuilding in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe to overcome gender disparities in local peacebuilding processes. The study’s objectives were twofold, namely: firstly, to identify and understand conditions that promote successful conflict intervention at grassroots level, and secondly, to find out the extent to which these interventions can help to positively transform conflicts. To this end, the principal researcher in this study collaborated with an action team to establish an informal peace infrastructure (local peace committee) where the envisioned change could potentially happen. This study draws together empirical qualitative data on an informal peace infrastructure created as part of this research intended to facilitate inclusive peacebuilding in four communities that fall under wards 7, 8, 16 and 28 in Bulawayo (refer to Table 7.1). Zimbabwe’s protracted social and political conflicts and its long history of human rights violations remain as sources of polarisation and political violence. Consequently, a significant component of the country’s contemporary history is about violence, its memory, and impunity. What has been variously described as a culture of violence can in fact be traced to incomplete transitions and complex historical processes starting with the precolonial episode where political cultures and practices were influenced and permeated by primordial ideologies of heredity, patriarchy and kinship. Similarly, colonial subjugation and occupation in the 19th century imposed an undemocratic system based on white supremacy, patriarchy and violent authoritarianism such that equal and even higher levels of violence had to be employed to resist colonial occupation and subjugation in the middle of the 20th century. Emerging from these multiple episodes of violent conflicts and authoritarianism; it is unsurprising that command politics and violent suppression of dissent became preferred “governance tools” for a triumphant ZANU-PF that won the country’s first democratic election in February 1980. The study uses Lederach’s Conflict Transformation theory as a lens for analysis. As a theoretical tool, Conflict Transformation is rooted in a transformative paradigm that places emphasis on constructive relationship building and the need to transform oppressive and undemocratic systems into democratic and inclusive systems as a basis for sustained peacebuilding. By emphasising local agency through transformative bottom-up peacebuilding processes, Conflict Transformation aims to facilitate constructive change by anchoring peacebuilding within a society’s unique socio-political environment. Findings from this study show that while informal peace infrastructures face numerous challenges such as resource constraints and sometimes barriers to accessing key policy and decision makers and political players, they fill a vital peacebuilding void left by the state which is not only incapacitated to lead peacebuilding initiatives but also lacks the legitimacy to fulfil its peacebuilding roles. Research findings in this study indicate that informal peace infrastructures can be useful platforms to facilitate inclusive peacebuilding, for example by increasing minority groups’ representation and women’s involvement in peace processes at the community level. The study aimed to increase understanding of the gendered nature of peacebuilding in the country and the ways in which women, but also men exercise agency through a focus on their own voices and lived experiences. Similarly, this study also revealed that socioeconomic challenges, politics and entrenched patriarchal interests present stumbling blocks to women’s effective participation in peacebuilding processes. At the same time, while dominant discourse depicts and projects peacebuilding as a ‘masculine’ and ‘manly terrain’, this study found that men who are involved in informal peace processes at the community are sometimes perceived as weak and feminine, a label that the men in this study continue to resist and push back against. Finally, this inquiry hopes to make small but important contributions to the peacebuilding discourse by illuminating how informal peace infrastructures may serve as a basis for improving peacebuilding practice in the country.
Building a culture of peace and nonviolence : enhancing Shona Traditional Court Systems
(2022-03) Makore, Brian Tazvitya; Kaye, Sylvia Blanche; Harris, Geoffrey Thomas
In traditional Shona culture, as in other Ubuntu societies, gender roles are given and traditional leaders have no other way of knowing than hegemonic discourses which draw on dominant cultural, traditional and religious value systems which produce patriarchal norms and rules of behavior that are internalized as beliefs and customs. Without conscientisation, Shona traditional leaders remain bonded to the hegemonic construction of traditional masculinities and contrary to their peacebuilding role, they may unconsciously participate in the oppression of women and other vulnerable groups who may not belong to the dominant cultural groups. The problem forms the major motivation behind the study which aimed to train a critical mass of Shona traditional leaders in Ward 3 and Ward 11 of Murehwa District under Chief Mangwende in Mashonaland East Province of Zimbabwe for transformation into gendersensitive active nonviolent role models. Through a participatory action research design, Kemmis et al. (2014), the thesis developed and tested an integrated framework for the analysis and design of a discursive intervention in oppressive gender relations. The analytical framework was informed theoretically by Connell and Messerschmidt’s (2005) concept of hegemonic masculinities and Bell’s (2013) four I’s of oppression and methodologically by Fairclough’s (2013) dialectical relational approach. The action framework was informed theoretically by Bajaj’s (2019) critical peace education (CPE) and methodologically Freire’s (1964, 2005) transformative learning. At the philosophical level, the study combined Bhaskar’s (1979, 2016) transformational model of social activity, (TMSA) and applied this to European Commission’s (2013) definition of gender education (GE) to develop a transformational model of peace education (TMPE) which I shall term, gender transformative education (GTE) Furthermore, the study combined Connell and Messerschmidt’s (2005) concept of hegemonic masculinities, Freire’s (2005) transformative learning and Kolb’s (1983) learning cycle to develop the attendant learning cycle which I shall term critical masculinities learning cycle (CMLC). The models explicitly identified conditions in which traditional Shona masculinities were not be compatible with peace and justice and, simultaneously, the possibility for transforming gender relations in traditional Shona culture. As regards peace research, a key innovation of the study was to critique some of the premises and the constructs underpinning mainstream studies in gender, violence and peacebuilding and the need of these sub-disciplines to constantly reflect on issues of hegemony and ideology in a historically and dynamically informed manner, while at the same time insisting on action to transform asymmetrical gender power relations. A gender training manual has been produced from the findings of the study: it is intended to serve as a template for traditional leaders to acquire gender transformative values and knowledge and to develop gender transformative skills and attitudes that are necessary conditions to live in harmony with themselves, others and their environments.
Transforming post-conflict relationships via peace gardens in Masvingo, Zimbabwe
(2018-10) Rukuni, Tinashe; Kaye, Sylvia Blanche; Harris, Geoffrey Thomas
The study discussed ways of transforming post-conflict relationships via peace gardens in Masvingo, Zimbabwe where political party supporters had failed to cope with the aftermaths of election-related violence since 1980.The motivational factor for carrying out this research arose from the philosophical perspective that working together for a common goal builds sustainable and durable peace. This study was underpinned by the peace and power theory which promotes working together in cooperative and peaceful ways. The study was carried out with a sample of 36 participants from the key informants and focus group discussions from which an action team of 10 participants was formed. The overall aim of this study was to explore the use of peace gardens as an intervention strategy in transforming post-conflict relationships with specific objectives being to explore the causes and effects of election-related violence in Masvingo, Zimbabwe and to examine the use, effectiveness, and challenges of using peace gardens in transforming post-conflict relationships. The type of inquiry used in this study was advocacy participation world view while the research design was a qualitative paradigm with exploratory action research and evaluation components. Data for the study was generated through focus groups, interviews, and participant observations. The study findings revealed that politics and elections were the main causes of conflict in Masvingo with hate speech, the creation of division and partisan distribution of food as tools by which the conflict was enforced. The findings revealed the effectiveness of peace gardening as an intervention strategy in peacebuilding through its ability to dismantle barriers of division, hatred and thereby creating debate platforms for conflict resolution modalities among former political rivals.Though the results of this peace gardening intervention strategy demonstrated embedded yielding effects of action research, the study concludes that peacebuilding initiatives do not work like magic considering the sensitivity of politics and conflict. Participants in action research do not change their attitudes overnight, a scenario which calls for more or prolonged intervention cycles in promoting durable peace.
Exploring transitional justice options for Zimbabwe
(2017) Madenga, Innocent; Kaye, Sylvia; Harris, Geoffrey Thomas
Zimbabwe is in dire need of wholesale reform. Gross human rights violations which date back to the pre-colonial period could have been abated in 1980 when the magnanimous policy of national reconciliation promised a new start. The watershed opportunity was, however, lost mainly because no deliberate efforts were made to account for the wrongs of the past in order to start afresh. The result was that Zimbabwe won the independence, but peace remained elusive. This is evidenced in the continued instability, insecurity and uncertainty. The non-retributive pledge had inherent weaknesses; it lacked inclusive participation, hence, no broad ownership. Simply drawing a line between the wounded past and the present, meant burying the past without the prerequisite rituals bent on ensuring non-recurrence. The futility of this blanket amnesty is evident in the sustained legacy of gross human rights abuses and impunity. Political violence has been institutionalised through politicisation of all aspects of life. This research is guided by Lederach’s reconciliation theory which uses Psalms 85:10 to emphasise the importance of commitment in converging the seemingly divergent aspects of truth, peace, justice and mercy into a ‘meeting place’ called reconciliation. Using a mixed methods approach, this research established that the invariably top-bottom approaches massage the symptoms rather than address the root causes of conflicts. The victims’ agitations for revenge and retribution prompted me to design action research processes aimed at engaging the research participants in interactive activities. The action research component aimed at sensitising participants to the merits of letting go of the burdens of the past, and to use scars as reminders of hope and not victimhood. The issues of forgiveness without apology, compensation or even remorse were contentious. However, through give-and-take concessions, the dialogue intervention yielded invaluable by-products such as maximisation of indigenous knowledge systems. Building on the participants’ input, sustainable healing and reconciliation can be achieved through deliberate truth-recovery, the right to justice, reparation, forgiveness and non-recurrence assurances. The research outcomes show that Zimbabwe urgently needs a ‘hybrid’ transitional justice framework based on inclusive participation. Inclusivity is critical because politicians are not necessarily experts in peacebuilding. The yet to be implemented National Peace and Reconciliation Commission can be used as a tool to seek public opinion on how to overcome the entrenched ‘fearology and militarism’ (Oberg 2016) ahead of the watershed 2018 general elections. Uncensored national debates can be used to gather information on the way forward. The multiple merits of Information Communication and Technology should be fully maximised in peacebuilding.
Developing peacebuilding skills among civil society organisations in Zimbabwe
(2017) Makwerere, David; Kaye, Sylvia; Harris, Geoffrey Thomas
Local peacebuilding practices require a systematic and reflective analysis in order for them to bring an impact. Successful peacebuilding pivots on the development of a set of skills to attend to the challenges presented by the conflict. The study was inspired by an observation that the emergence of CSOs working on peacebuilding in Zimbabwe was happening in a context where there was no proper training and organisational capacity development. Using an action-research design, and a case study of two CSOs operating in Bindura and Mazowe Districts in Mashonaland Central Province in Zimbabwe, the study involved a sample group of fifty-seven participants, and included a core Action Research Team (ART) of twelve participants to initiate the process of capacity development related to peacebuilding in Zimbabwe. Interviews, Focus Group Discussions, Document studies were used in a triangulation approach to enhance validity and reliability of the process. The preliminary assessment revealed that the peacebuilding environment in the two districts is highly polarised. There is a combination of both direct and indirect violence in the area. The state as well as traditional institutions are active perpetrators of both direct and indirect violence in the two district. The use of Local Peace Committees and the workshop method has not reaped the desired outcomes owing to the polarization. After a preliminary assessment of the peacebuilding environment in the area as well as a critique of the peacebuilding models being used by the two organisations, we then set out on a process of identifying strengths and weaknesses in both the programming as well as the delivery of the projects in the communities. A series of focus group discussions and organisational document analysis of the two organisations, we eventually agreed on the development of a training module for the Action Research Team. Five thematic issues were identified as forming the basis of the intervention programme. The five thematic issues were on the conceptual issues of conflict, violence and peace in a local context, conflict analysis skills, conflict sensitive programming, culture, conflict and change and lastly basic counselling skills for peacebuilders. A three-day training workshop was then held in order to develop capacity relating to the thematic issues. The short term evaluation of the intervention showed that the training was successful as the participants had already started implementing some of the new knowledge and skills.

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