"Achieving peace and development requires strong community connections and local capacities," shares Nuwan Uddika Liyanage, UN Volunteer Human Rights Officer with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). To take this further, he initiated a project called, 'Beyond Bullets and Ballots: Standing Against Sexualized Election Violence' that addresses challenges faced by vulnerable communities during local elections. Let's hear from Nuwan Uddika.
I am based with UNMISS in the Malakal Field Office and responsible for implementing the Beyond Bullets and Ballots project. I believe that when we give the relevant knowledge and tools to communities, we promote a self-reliant society. Building strong community ties is the most important building block here and of course, complementing that with policies that are community friendly.
The project is a step in the right direction. It brings together the local government officials, electoral officers, police, military personnel, and members of civil society.
Thirty-five government officials were part of recent training workshops that were designed to prevent and respond to sexual violence. A key component of the training was real life skills centering on probable scenarios of violence during elections. The training evaluated the responses of participants and helped UNMISS come up with solutions.
To build peace, confidence and trust are the most important steps. Achieving durable peace means that women should be meaningfully engaged at every level. The voices of young people also need to be included in all dialogue and reconciliation efforts.
Women are mostly not given the opportunity in most peacebuilding processes, however, they can have a strong influence in communities. Imagine if they were better placed.
According to a Global Study on the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, when women are included in conflict resolution, peacebuilding, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction, it increases the probability of peace agreements significantly. The Study further reinforced what we learn as the ground reality—that women’s equal participation in peace and security efforts is vital to sustainable peace.
Through my role as a UN Volunteer, I interact with a diverse group of people, including electoral officers, police and military personnel, members of the civil society, UNMISS colleagues, and local community leaders. I feel each group has unique insights and expertise on peaceful solutions.
Another segment of society that's equally important is the group of tribal elders and religious leaders who have traditionally been intermediaries between warring parties.
Community members at an interactive group exercise as part of the Beyond Bullets and Ballots Standing Against Sexualized Election Violence project. @UNMISS, 2024.
The project also posed challenges, including on design and implementation, due to its novel scenario-based approach. Some of the other challenges were coordinating various stakeholders and managing resources in a high-inflation economy. I looked at all this as my learning and how to be more flexible and adapt to evolving circumstances.
Volunteering with the United Nations in Malakal has profoundly impacted both my life and those I serve. My project's outreach has safeguarded democratic processes and protected vulnerable community members—this will be a significant milestone of my time as a UN Volunteer with UNMISS.
As we mark, International Day of Peace, I am a witness that positive changes are possible. And the long and unwinding path is often part of the journey.
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South Sudan is expected to enter an election period soon (although the elections have now been postponed). Whenever the elections take place, making sure that they are held in a safe environment is the priority under the United Nations pillars of peace, development and human rights. One significant initiative towards this end is Nuwan Uddika's project, 'Beyond Bullets and Ballots: Standing Against Sexualized Election Violence' originally created to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict on 19 June 2024. Its primary goal—to address sexual violence during elections.