Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa

I recently had the incredible opportunity to engage in a thought-provoking conversation at the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa. We discussed the critical role of women in peacebuilding and how leveraging social media can amplify their impact on conflict resolution. There’s an emerging consensus that women’s participation in peace negotiations significantly contributes to the quality and sustainability of peace. Women, who often play key roles as caregivers and community builders, are seen as trustworthy by all parties in conflict – as they are mothers, wives, and sisters to both victims and perpetrators. Their unique position allows them to foster trust and compassion in ways that others cannot. With the challenges in achieving this goal for a long time now, today’s digital age provides a clean slate and a powerful platform to build women’s capacity in peacebuilding, connect like-minded individuals, amplify the call for inclusivity in peace processes, and deconstruct barriers that would otherwise remain difficult to overcome in physical communities. As someone who has always been passionate about this line of action, having this conversation with women truly reinforced my belief in the importance of their involvement in creating lasting peace. Watch out for my upcoming paper on this topic, where I explore these challenges and opportunities in greater depth.

🌍 Meet Barrister Felix Agbor Nkongho (Agbor Balla) – Advisory Board Member at CHRIS 🌍 We are proud to introduce Barrister Felix Agbor Nkongho, a distinguished Cameroonian human rights lawyer and human rights defender, as a member of the Advisory Board at The Centre for Human Rights and Sustainable Development, INES-Ruhengeri #CHRIS. As one of five external members representing the African human rights community and beyond, Barrister Nkongho brings unparalleled expertise and commitment to our mission of advancing human rights and sustainability. Founder and president of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA), Barrister Nkongho’s illustrious career spans roles as: Legal Officer at the Sierra Leone International Criminal Court Human Rights Officer at the UN in Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, and DRC Lecturer on human rights law at the University of Buea He has addressed major platforms like the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, UN Human Rights Council, Pan-African Parliament, and more. His work has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including the 2024 ABA International Human Rights Award and the 2022 RFK Human Rights Award. At CHRIS, we are honored to have his valuable insights guide our work in fostering human dignity and sustainable development. #HumanRights #SustainableDevelopment #AfricanLeadership #LegalExcellence #CHRDA #CHRIS #INESRuhengeri #Advocacy #SocialJustice #HumanRightsDefender

TAG A TEACHER UNDER THIS POST There are no beautiful memories of the past without teachers. The ones who always caught red handed, encouraged us and gladly played the role of parent to us. Teachers are a strong pillar of our society, they contribute to our content and character. Today we celebrate them, this year's theme — “Valuing teachers' voices: towards a new social contract for education” — reminds us of the passion teachers bring to their profession daily, doing everything it takes to positively impact their students. We celebrate our mentor at CHRDA @Agbor Nkongho who has been a shining example for society. Who is your favourite teacher? Call them today.

Training young leaders on "Leveraging Digital Tools to enhance Women's Participation in Conflict Resolution" As the shift to digitalization continues women have to be up to date with the tools to enhance their internet use and amplify their voices for Peace and Conflict Resolution. This training covers the elaboration of tools, their uses, Artificial intelligence and the application of these in rural and urban communities. The exchanges and the feedback has been wonderful. This training is organised by The Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa collaboration with National Endowment for Democracy, the Association for the Socially Vulnerable (ASOV), Internews,DefendDefenders and Google

October 2:INTERNATIONAL NON-VIOLENCE DAY "Embracing Peace, Rejecting Violence. Let's create a world where love conquers all" Today we commemorate the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, a champion of non violence and peaceful resistance. International Non-Violence Day is a call to action, reminding us that violence only leads to more violence, while non violence has the power to transform conflicts and bring about lasting peace. Non violence is not just the absence of violence. It is a proactive approach to resolving conflicts, promoting understanding and respecting human rights. It requires courage empathy and determination. On this day CHRDA celebrates all efforts made by people all around the world to resolve conflicts in non violent ways and calls for a stop to the violence being perpetrated in Cameroon in all forms. #chrda #NonViolenceDay #Ghandi #nonviolence

The Day is here INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE 2024 THEME: “Cultivating a Culture of Peace” International Day of Peace has always been a time to lay down weapons and observe ceasefires. It must also be a time to see each other’s humanity because our survival as a global community depends on that. The International Day of Peace (Peace Day) is observed around the World each year on September 21st. This Day was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Peace Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a culture of peace. On September 21st, 2024, the World commemorates the International Day of Peace with theme “Cultivating a Culture of Peace”. This theme highlights the importance of promoting values attitudes, traditions and modes of behaviours and ways of life based on tolerance, respect and unity across all cultures. Cultivating a Culture of Peace means embracing diversity, dialogue and understanding at all levels of society and among nations; and fostered by an enabling national and international environment conducive to peace and harmony. This Day reminds us that Cultivating a Culture of Peace is both individual and collective responsibility that begins in our Communities and by respecting different cultures, we contribute to a more peaceful and stable World for all. CHRDA together with the rest of the World amplifies her voice through this medium to educate the public on issues of concern urging all to stand for peace as we long for a more stable future

It's Day 5 of our #InternationalPeaceDay2024 campaign and we are gaining traction. Peace is our collective responsibility. Let's dedicate this day to being instruments of Peace in our community and Beyond. #InternationalPeaceday2024 #chrda #WorldPeacePlease #worldpeace

Join us on Day 4 of our #InternationalPeaceday2024 celebration. It is time to lay down weapons and see each other's humanity because our survival as a global community depends on that. #chrda #peaceday #WorldPeacePlease

In a world with rising geopolitical tensions and protracted conflicts, there has never been a better time to remember how the UN General Assembly came together in 1999 to lay values needed for a culture of peace. #chrda #peaceday #WorldPeacePlease

Education is a human right.