Regional Peace Programme
We believe that peace is a prerequisite and a necessary condition for the redress of poverty. Our focus has majored on empowering communities to transform violent conflicts as well as advancing Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and Social Cohesion. By building peaceful societies, we move one step closer to ending child poverty.
The Eastern Africa Regional Peace Programme (RPP) was established by the Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and nested partners in 2016. The RPP is being implemented by NCA and 7 regional partners being: All African Conference of Churches (AACC), African Council of Religious Leaders (ACRL),
Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), The Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa (FECCLAHA), Hekima Institute of Peace Studies and International Relation (HIPSIR), International Center for Peace, Human Rights and Development (IPHRD), and, Arigatou International—End Child Poverty.
The Regional Peace Programme (RPP) focuses its work in 12 countries – Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda – in the Horn and Eastern Africa region.
Within the Regional Peace Programme (RPP), we have initiated and are facilitating the Regional Faith Leaders Forum (RFLF) and the Youth In Action (YIA) as platforms for networking, shared learning, interfaith dialogue and interfaith cooperation.Youth In Action (YIA) is the network of peace builders, comprising of youth and young influencers, formed in 2016. The Regional Faith Leaders Forum (RFLF) bring together faith leaders and peace practitioners, and was initiated in 2020. These platforms bring together actors from 7 countries – Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda – in the Horn and East Africa region.
Our Approach
Through RPP Youth in Action (YIA) and the Regional Faith Leaders Forum (RFLF), we seek to empower and activate communities to lead peace, justice, inclusion, and social cohesion. We aim to foster the formation of communities of peace practioners in the region. We also seek to enhance the capacity of actors to promote social cohesion and Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), prevent, counter and transform violent extremism (P/C/TVE), and promote social actions for peace.
Our approaches include dialogue, training, mentorship, learning and exchange visits, case studies and research. In addition, the Youth in Action (YIA) and Regional Faith Leaders Forum (RLFL) actors lead peace initiatives in their local communities and in collaboration with each other, across their countries.
Our Impact
Over the years, our work towards promoting peace through the Regional Peace Programme has directly reached over 10,000 people including children, youth and faith actors; as well as hundreds of thousands through the media (both mainstream and social media). Through this work, we have also mentored and transformed lives of young people in becoming community leaders and peace agents.
Additionally, our peace advocacy efforts have yielded systematic processes towards capacity building for faith actors, through training and mentorship. We, in collaboration with the Stefanus Alliance International and other partners, have facilitated advocacy training on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) to more than 380 faith leaders from 7 countries in Eastern Africa: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
Going forward, we shall continue to amplify our advocacy efforts, and creating impetus to push for global redress on policy and practice concerns towards child poverty alleviation.