Youth, Women, Peace and Security
Peace and security are at the heart of WOVOP’s mission. This commitment traces back to our beginnings as the Student Talks program, where we witnessed firsthand how conflict, violence, and insecurity affect not only schools but also families, communities, and the future of young people.
Over the years, we have learned that sustainable peace can only be achieved when women and young people are meaningfully included in decision-making and peacebuilding efforts. Through this thematic area, WOVOP works to strengthen the leadership, participation, and resilience of women and youth in preventing conflict and building peaceful communities.
Our programs equip young people, particularly girls and young women, with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead processes in dialogue, mediation, conflict prevention, social cohesion, and community recovery. We also create opportunities for women and youth to engage in local, national, and regional peace and security processes, ensuring their voices help shape more inclusive and sustainable peace across Kisumu County and throughout Kenya.
We believe that when women and young people are supported to lead, communities become more resilient, inclusive, and better prepared to prevent and respond to conflict.
Dialogue, Negotiation and Mediation (DNM) Learning Hub
The Dialogue, Negotiation and Mediation (DNM) Learning Hub is WOVOP’s inaugural longitudinal learning program, established in 2021 to strengthen the capacity, leadership, and agency of young women in conflict prevention, resolution, and peacebuilding. The Hub was created in recognition that while young women are often among those most affected by conflict and insecurity, they are also powerful actors capable of shaping peaceful solutions within their communities.
Through an annual cohort-based learning model, the Hub brings together young women aged 18 to 35 from diverse backgrounds across Kisumu County’s seven sub-counties. Each year, a new cohort embarks on a learning journey that combines intensive training, mentorship, peer exchange, and practical community engagement.
The program begins with a five-day intensive training focused on dialogue, negotiation and mediation, conflict prevention, conflict transformation, leadership, and peace and security frameworks. This is followed by a twelve-month mentorship and learning journey in which participants receive ongoing guidance from experienced mediators, peace practitioners, and community leaders.
Each cohort brings its own energy, perspectives, and experiences, creating a diverse and growing network of young women peacebuilders. The intergenerational and peer-learning approach allows participants to learn not only from trainers and mentors but also from one another, strengthening solidarity, collaboration, and collective action across communities.
Beyond the annual training, the Hub continues to serve as a growing community of practice where alumni remain connected, share experiences, support emerging peace initiatives, and contribute to locally led solutions.
Partner with us
This work grows through partners, peace practitioners, facilitators, and organizations who believe in investing in young women as leaders in peace and security.