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.
FORB Mtaani
NewGrounded in the principles of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FORB), this project fosters interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence among diverse young people in Kisumu County.
The FORB Mtaani (“mtaani means community” in Swahili) Project bridges the gap by creating safe spaces where young people can openly discuss religion, receive mentorship from religious leaders, and engage in community service.
At the heart of the project are 40 young people chosen to represent Kisumu County’s diversity. Over six months, they explore what Freedom of Religion or Belief means in everyday life. They practice navigating spaces where their beliefs may differ from the majority. They learn to hold respectful conversations when opinions diverge without shouting, without walking away, without breaking.
By the end of the six-month project, the FORB Mtaani Project aims to reach 600 young people under 30, creating a ripple effect that spreads from these trained fellows into their neighborhoods, schools, and places of worship. Through community service projects, interfaith dialogues, and ongoing mentorship from religious leaders, these young people will become peacebuilders in their own communities.
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.