Peacebuilding

How is Tearfund involved with peacebuilding?

Tearfund supports communities and individuals in conflict situations to work collaboratively across social divides. We aim to address the root causes of conflict, restore broken relationships, and respond effectively to crises.

Responding to conflict

Our response focuses on addressing both the causes and effects of conflict. We are committed to staying and working in conflict-affected areas for as long as necessary, working with our partners to respond to immediate needs and find sustainable solutions:

• We address the root causes of poverty and counter the issues that drive conflict, with a particular emphasis on building resilience and restoring broken relationships.
• We work with individual peacebuilders to nurture, equip and connect them, enabling them to form movements of peacebuilders locally, regionally and nationally.
• We work through churches, enabling them to fulfill their role as peacebuilders.

Conflict and sexual and gender-based violence

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is present in communities before a crisis hits, but risks and vulnerability to SGBV increase during emergencies and their aftermath. During armed conflict, sexual violence may often be used as a weapon of war.

Focusing on women, young people and those in the margins

Women, young people and those on the margins of society are most affected by violent conflict and yet are often excluded from peacebuilding processes. We therefore place a particular focus on working with women and young people and others who are marginalised, addressing harmful social and gender norms that exclude and stigmatise rather than include and welcome.

Sexual and gender-based violence tends to increase during crises and violent conflict and so supporting survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and addressing harmful gender norms are key elements of our peacebuilding response. Where possible, we also work with and through faith leaders to address these issues in their communities.