Abstract
Interfaith networks have played a crucial role in peacebuilding and development in Africa, often bridging grassroots efforts with national orientation to social cohesion and stability. This chapter focuses on understanding the peacebuilding strategies applied by the Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in Eastern Africa, the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa (FECCLAHA). In line with the SDG 16 target of promoting just, peaceful and inclusive societies, FECCLAHA puts emphasis on grassroots mobilization for peace and development while working closely with civil society organizations and government officials. FECCLAHA has mainly focused on five main strategic responses to peacebuilding and conflict transformation for inclusive societies. The first is the social cohesion approach which fosters unity between communities in conflict and draws attention to potential conflicts that could emerge if they are not addressed. The second is the gender rights and peacebuilding initiatives. The third is youth engagement in conflict resolution. The fourth entails advocacy against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, and the fifth is advocacy for good governance and accountability. These activities are closely linked and represent a much broader perspective on peacebuilding.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
ACCORD. (2017). ACCORD Trains Regional Faith Women in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa Region on Mediation. Reliefweb. https://reliefweb.int/report/burundi/accord-trains-regional-faith-women-great-lakes-and-horn-africa-region-mediation.
Africa Centre for Strategic Studies. (2018). Catholic Church Increasingly Targeted by Government Violence in the DRC. https://africacenter.org/spotlight/catholic-church-increasingly-targeted-by-government-violence-in-the-drc/.
African Council of Religious Leaders. (2020). Small Arms and Light Weapons: Africa. Religions for Peace. https://www.rfp.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Small-Arms-and-Light-Weapons-Africa-English.pdf.
Al Katanty, J. (2023). U.N. Condemns M23 Rebel Offensive on Congo Town, Hundreds Flee. REUTERS. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/un-condemns-m23-rebel-offensive-congo-town-hundreds-flee-2023-01-26/.
Alfani, R. B. (2019). Religious Peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Peter Lang Publishing Incorporated.
Burchard, S. M., & Djak, I. (2013). History of Elections, Ethnicity and Electoral Violence in Kenya. In Elections and Electoral Violence in Kenya: Insights from the 2007 Elections—Implications for the 2013 Elections (pp. 2–7). Institute for Defense Analyses.
Davis, I. (2022). Armed Conflict and Peace Processes In sub-Saharan Africa. SIPRI. https://www.sipri.org/yearbook/2022/07.
Diamant, J. (2017). Ethiopia is an Outlier in the Orthodox Christian world. Pew Research Centre. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/11/28/ethiopia-is-an-outlier-in-the-orthodox-christian-world/.
Diop, B. (2002). Engendering the Peace Process in Africa: Women at the Negotiating Table. Refugee Survey Quarterly, 21, 142–154.
El Habti, H. (2022). Why Africa Youth Hold the Key to Its Development Potential. World Social Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/09/why-africa-youth-key-development-potential/#:~:text=Today%2C%20more%20than%2060%25%20of,under%20the%20age%20of%2025.
Faith to Action Network. (n.d.). Combatting Political and Religious Radicalisation through Multi Religious Collaboration in Burundi. https://www.faithtoactionetwork.org/what-we-do/peaceful-justice-and-inclusive-communities/pluralism-burundi/
FECCLAHA. (2018). Annual Report 2018. http://fecclaha.org/annual-reports/
FECCLAHA. (2019). Annual Report 2019. http://fecclaha.org/annual-reports/
FECCLAHA. (2020). Annual Report 2019. https://fecclaha.org/annual-reports/file:///Users/elly/Downloads/fecclahaann-report-2019-english-final.pdf.
FECCLAHA. (2021). Annual Report 2020. https://fecclaha.org/annual-reports/
FECCLAHA. (2022). Annual Report. http://fecclaha.org/annual-reports/
FECCLAHA. (n.d.). About Us. https://fecclaha.org/who-we-are/.
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect. (2022). Democratic Republic of Congo. https://www.globalr2p.org/countries/democratic-republic-of-the-congo/#:~:text=Attacks%20by%20armed%20groups%20and,and%20armed%20groups%20actively%20operate.
Hassan, T. (2023). South Sudan: Events 2022. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/south-sudan#:~:text=In%20September%2C%20the%20United%20Nations,12%20people%20sustained%20serious%20injuries.
Human Rights Watch. (2022a). Rwanda: Events 2021.World Report. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2022/country-chapters/rwanda.
Human Rights Watch. (2022b). Uganda. https://www.hrw.org/africa/uganda.
International Crisis Group. (2022). Turning the Pretoria Deal into Lasting Peace in Ethiopia. https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/horn-africa/ethiopia/turning-pretoria-deal-lasting-peace-ethiopia.
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. (2010). Electoral Justice: An Overview of the International IDEA Handbook. https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/chapters/electoral-justice-handbook/electoral-justice-handbook-overview.pdf.
International Rescue Committee. (2007). Mortality in the Democratic Republic of Congo: An Ongoing Crisis. https://www.rescue.org/report/mortality-democratic-republic-congo-ongoing-crisis.
Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU). (n.d.). Our History. https://www.ircu.or.ug/
Kirimi, S. (2018). The Role of Local Networks for Peace in Kenya. Local Network for Peace: Lessons from Community-Led Peacebuilding. JSTOR. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep19651.8
Langer, A., Stewart, F., Smedts, K., & Demarest, L. (2017). Conceptualising and Measuring Social Cohesion in Africa: Towards a Perceptions-based Index. Social Indicators Research, 131, 321–343.
Leininger, J., Burchi, F., Fiedler, C., Mross, K., Nowack, D., von Schiller, A. & Ziaja, S. (2021). Social Cohesion: A New Definition and a Proposal for its Measurement in Africa (No. 31/2021). Discussion Paper.
Mlambo-Ngcuka, P. (2020). Violence Against Women and Girls: The Shadow Pandemic. UN Women. https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2020/4/statement-ed-phumzile-violence-against-women-during-pandemic.
Modi, L. P., Opongo, E., & Drew Smith, R. (2019). South Sudan’s Costly Conflict and the Urgent Role of Religious Leaders. The Review of Faith & International Affairs, 17(2), 37–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/15570274.2019.1608660
Nyadera I. N., Islam M. N. & Shihundu, F. (2023). Rebel Fragmentation and Protracted Conflicts: Lessons from SPLM/A in South Sudan. Journal of Asian and African Studies (20230214). https://doi.org/10.1177/00219096231154815.
Omondi, D. (2021). Regional Forum on Extractives in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa. FCCLAHA. http://fecclaha.org/regional-forum-on-extractives-in-the-great-lakes-and-horn-of-africa/.
Opongo, E. O., & Murithi, T. (Eds.). (2022). Elections, Violence and Transitional Justice in Africa. Routledge.
Opongo, E. O., Muthui, C. W., & Ondeng, F. (2021). Levels of Change in Women Participation in the Peacebuilding Process in Africa. HIPSIR Research Series, 4(01), 72.
Pew Research Centre. (2015). Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections 2010–2050. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2015/04/02/religious-projections-2010-2050/.
Puella, P., & Lorgerie, P., (2022). Shun Ethnic Rivalry and Corruption, Pope Tells African Youth. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/young-people-gather-big-meeting-with-pope-dr-congo-2023-02-02/.
Raleigh, C. (2016). Pragmatic and Promiscuous: Explaining the Rise of Competitive Political Militias Across Africa. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 60(2), 283–310.
Tar, U. A., & Onwurah, C. P. (Eds.). (2021). The Palgrave Handbook of Small Arms and Conflicts in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan.
Titeca, K. (2011). Access to Resources and Predictability in Armed Rebellion: The FAPC’s Short-lived “Monaco” in Eastern Congo. Africa Spectrum, 46(2), 43–70.
Uganda Joint Christian Council. (n.d.). Mission. https://ujcc.co.ug/.
UN Security Council Resolution. (2000). UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women and peace and security (2000). United Nations Women. https://www.unwomen.org/en/docs/2000/10/un-security-council-resolution-1325.
Union, A. (2015). Agenda 2063 Report of the Commission on the African Union Agenda 2063: The Africa we want in 2063. https://www.un.org/en/africa/osaa/pdf/au/agenda2063.pdf.
Union, A. (2018). Strengthening African Women’s Participation in Conflict Prevention, Mediation Processes and Peace Stabilisation Efforts: Operationalisation of FemWise-Africa. https://www.peaceau.org/uploads/final-concept-note-femwise-sept-15-short-version-clean-4-flyer.pdf.
Union, A. (2020). Orientation Concept Note on the AU Theme of the Year 2020: Silencing the Guns-Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development.
United Nations. (2022a). Ethiopia: Peace Agreement between Government and Tigray ‘a Critical First Step’: Guterres. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/11/1130137.
United Nations (2022b). Somalia: UN Welcomes End of Fairly Contested Presidential Election, Calls for Unity. https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/05/1118292.
United Nations Development Programme. (2020). No Safer Place Than Home?: The Increase in Domestic and Gender-based Violence During COVID-19 lockdowns in LAC. https://www.latinamerica.undp.org/content/rblac/en/home/presscenter/director-s-graph-for-thought/no-safer-place-than-home%2D%2D-the-increase-in-domestic-and-gender lid.
United Nations High Commission for Refugees. (2022a). Figures at a Glance. https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html.
United Nations High Commission for Refugees. (2022b). UNHCR Gravely Concerned by Death Toll of Displaced in DR Congo’s East. https://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2022/7/62da4d724/unhcr-gravely-concerned-death-toll-displaced-dr-congos-east.html.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250. (2015). UNSCR 2250 | Introduction. Youth For Peace. https://www.youth4peace.info/UNSCR2250/Introduction.
United Nations Statistics Division. (n.d.). SDG Indicators: Metadata Depository. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/?Text=&Goal=16&Target=.
United Nations Women. (2020). DRC Takes a Step Towards Zero Tolerance Against Gender-Based Violence. https://africa.unwomen.org/en/news-and-events/stories/2020/09/.
United Religions Initiative. (n.d.-a). All Congo Inter-Faith Platform. https://www.uri.org/who-we-are/cooperation-circle/all-congo-interfaith-platform.
United Religions Initiative. (n.d.-b). The Inter-Faith Peacebuilding Initiative. https://www.uri.org/who-we-are/cooperation-circle/interfaith-peace-building-initiative.
United Religions Initiative. (n.d.-c). Inter-Religious Council for Peace. https://www.uri.org/who-we-are/cooperation-circle/inter-religious-council-peace-tanzania.
United Religions Initiative. (n.d.-d). Inter-Religious Council of Burundi. https://www.uri.org/who-we-are/cooperation-circle/inter-religious-council-burundi
US Department of State. (2022). 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Republic of the Congo. https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-report-on-international-religious-freedom/republic-of-the-congo/.
Welty, e. (2014). Faith-based Peacebuilding and Development: An Analysis of the Mennonite Central Committee in Uganda and Kenya. Journal of Peacebuilding & Development, 9(2), 65–70.
World Health Organization. (2021). Violence Against Women. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women.
Yayboke, E., & Abdullah, H. F. (2020). Elevating Women Peacebuilders Amidst Covid-19. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep25662.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Opongo, E. (2023). Interfaith Networks, Peacebuilding and Development in Africa: Analysis of the Contribution of the Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches to Peacebuilding. In: Kilonzo, S.M., Chitando, E., Tarusarira, J. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Religion, Peacebuilding, and Development in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36829-5_30
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36829-5_30
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-36828-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-36829-5
eBook Packages: Religion and PhilosophyPhilosophy and Religion (R0)