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.
Girls for Safer-Hood
“As a young woman, what matters to me is knowing that girls like me are not alone, that someone is ready to listen, support us, and stand with us. This is the very first step toward transforming our communities, especially in a community like mine.”
The Girls for Safer-Hood Project is our response to the urgent need for safety, justice, and meaningful participation of adolescent girls and young women in Kisumu County. Implemented across Seme and Kisumu West sub-counties between 2024 and 2026, the project strengthens community protection mechanisms and creates spaces where girls and young women can actively help shape safer, more inclusive, and more accountable communities.
The project is built on a simple belief: when girls know their rights, they are better positioned to claim them; when they have trusted support systems, they can report violations; and when their voices are included, institutions and communities become more responsive.
It began by strengthening the capacity of 30 young women paralegals, equipping them with knowledge and skills on safety, justice, leadership, and community-based protection mechanisms. These young women became trusted actors within their communities, supporting survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), increasing awareness of available services, strengthening referral pathways, and contributing to improved community responses to violence.
Beyond responding to violence, the project focuses on prevention by co-creating opportunities for girls and young women to engage in conversations and actions on justice, safety, Reproductive Health and Rights (RHR), leadership, and decision-making. Through mentorship, community engagement, and peer learning, participants build the confidence and knowledge to advocate for the issues affecting their lives.
A key goal is to strengthen participation in governance and policy processes. Drawing on their lived experiences, participants contribute to advocacy efforts, including developing and submitting memoranda to the Kisumu County Assembly to inform and strengthen the Kisumu County Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Policy and the Kisumu County Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Policy.
We strongly believe that when girls are safe, heard, and included in decisions that affect their lives, communities become stronger.
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.