Peace, Stability, and Transition.

01 Stabilization and Transition Assistance

We support peaceful transitions in anticipation of and following major political events by addressing drivers of conflict and promoting government transparency and accountability. In this way, we rebuild the trust between state and society that is often fractured in the aftermath of conflict. With local authorities, community leaders, and civil society organizations, we work to…

02 Conflict Prevention

We work with governments, civil society, local authorities, traditional leaders, and community actors across the globe to address and prevent conflict and violence. Using education, workforce development, and civic and political engagement, we empower vulnerable communities to play a key role in preventing community violence. In Burkina Faso, we train young leaders in conflict prevention,…

03 Peacebuilding and Reconciliation

We work with communities to address underlying tensions, resolve conflicts, and increase resilience to future violence with collaborative approaches to peacebuilding and reconciliation. Employing creative methods of building peace between war-torn communities, we tailor our approaches to local contexts and use technology to enhance and amplify outcomes. Our programs address feelings of marginalization and exclusion…

04 Countering Violent Extremism

We employ evidence-based approaches to counter violent extremism, working with governments and civil society to address local drivers of ideologically motivated violence. We design our approaches to establish peaceful avenues for dissent as well as empower youth and marginalized groups across the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Our programs equip at-risk groups with…

05 Recovery and Reconstruction

In advance of and immediately following destabilizing events, such as natural disasters and armed conflict, we work with communities to recover and rebuild infrastructure, increase resiliency, and reduce future vulnerability. Working in fragile and conflict-affected environments requires a multifaceted approach and improved government capacity to provide essential services. Our disaster assistance programs provide services like…

06 Vulnerable Groups

Ensuring the inclusion of vulnerable groups, such as women, youth, and minorities, cuts across all of our initiatives. We address feelings of marginalization and exclusion that can contribute to further unrest or disrupt peace and reconciliation processes. We also recognize the need for trauma-informed programming: We strive to address the impact of violence and the…

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Shared Lessons: Countering Extremism and Preventing Gang Violence

Elisabeth Dallas, director of Chemonics' Peace, Stability, and Transition Practice interviews Todd Diamond, director of Conflict, Security, and Stability program at Chemonics, about shared lessons from our work in countering extremism.

Youth in Conflict-Affected Areas

The USAID Human Rights Activity increases the capacity of governments and local organizations to promote human rights and protect vulnerable populations. Chief of Party Kelly Brooks shares insights on youth development in Colombia.

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Specialists
Resources

Sarah Ahmed

Senior Vice President, U.S. Government Business Line Support Division

Bilal Al Ayoubi

Task Order Director, Lebanon Community Support Program

Ahmed Al Khameri

Project Management Manager, United Kingdom Division

Manisha Aryal

Senior Advisor, Digital Development

Bridget Burke

Director, West and Central Africa and Haiti Regional Business Unit

Amy Denkenberger

Chief Information Officer

Trauma-Informed Approaches to Development Checklist

In Search of Common Ground: Applying Shared Lessons from Countering Violent Extremism and Preventing Gang Violence

High-Impact Practices: How to Design Social and Behavior Change Communications for Countering Violent Extremism

Our Work in Peace, Stability, and Transition

Final Report: Côte d’Ivoire Transition Initiative 2

Projects
Impact Stories
News and Blog

Women sell fruit and vegetables at a market in Sikasso, Mali.

Promoting Dialogue to Build Peace in Mali

Achieving stability in Mali will require the peace process to include all groups that wield power and influence.

Securing Stability in Burkina Faso

Support to local communities in Burkina Faso can mitigate the escalation of regional conflict.

Preventing Conflict at its Roots in Lebanon

Tensions in Lebanon are mounting over resources and livelihoods. Service delivery and financial resources can prevent escalation.

Closing Economic and Community Divides in Pankisi

Connecting the people of Georgia’s Pankisi Valley to one another and to neighboring regions will build social cohesion, create economic opportunity, and make the region more resistant to tension.

Enhancing Stability in Somalia

Somalia’s state assemblies must work in tandem with local and international actors to strengthen government capacity and promote a more peaceful, stable Somalia.

Promoting a Moderate, Inclusive, and Stable Syria

Amid the conflict in Syria, local efforts to build a peaceful and inclusive future and resist extremism need support.

Restoring Essential Services in Syria

Electricity, schools, roads, and other essential services are out of reach for many of Syria’s conflict-affected communities, magnifying the instability of their recovery efforts.

Building Peace in Libya

It is important to build stability and resiliency through civic engagement and community dialogue in Libya.

Promoting National Cohesion in Ukraine

Amid a sociopolitical crisis, Ukraine and its conflict-affected eastern region needed to advance its transition to a prosperous and democratic state.

Increasing Confidence in Ukraine’s Democratic Transition

With Ukraine’s historic democratic transition underway, vulnerable communities in eastern Ukraine need greater confidence in the government, its people, and the country’s European future.

Elevating Security Sector Reform

The global development community and U.S. government need the right tools, innovations, and proven technical approaches to improve security through security sector reform programs.

Addressing Drivers of Violent Extremism

The Sadaqa project, meaning friendship, supports the Mauritanian Ministry of Islamic Affairs’ efforts to thwart extremist recruitment.

Strengthening Interethnic Cooperation in Kosovo

Kosovo Serbs and other minority populations must be further integrated into the country’s institutions and society to help the country become more stable.

Promoting Peace and Communal Cohesion in Côte d’Ivoire

After a decade of political and economic crisis culminating in the 2010-2011 post-electoral conflict, Côte d’Ivoire is charting a new course toward economic recovery and political stability.

Strengthening Human Rights in Colombia

To keep the peace following its 52-year armed conflict, Colombia must protect vulnerable populations’ human rights and prevent human rights violations from recurring.

Building the Economy and Promoting Peace in Colombia

More than five decades of conflict and negligible government influence in rural Colombia have forced its people to grapple with poverty, violence, and a weak economy.

Using Evidence-Based Analysis for a Food-Secure World

An early warning system that provides timely data and evidence-based analysis helps the international community identify and respond to populations that lack access to safe and nutritious food.

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Youth Voices for Peace

In Colombia, hundreds of youth are reclaiming peace by promoting a culture of human rights in communities recovering from conflict.

Solving Land Disputes in Côte d’Ivoire

A conflict resolution workshop in western Côte d’Ivoire has helped the villages of Dah and Béoué settle longstanding issues concerning borders and land ownership.

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Congolese men dressed in blue stand holding a sign asking for peace

3 Questions with Jaclyn Grace on Engaging Elites to Resolve Conflict

Chemonics’ recently published toolkit offers peacebuilders a practical guide to applying “Elite Bargains and Political Deals” (EBPD) theory to their activities. Through her work delivering stabilization programming in Mali, Jaclyn Grace co-authored the toolkit. She explains how EBPD theory helps development practitioners see localized conflicts in a new light. 1. What is Elite Bargains and Political Deals…

What Does a Systems Approach to Conflict Prevention Look Like?

Today’s conflicts are long, intractable, and more complicated than ever. The last decade saw a marked rise in state-based armed conflict for the first time since the end of the Cold War, all involving non-state actors. Radicalization, organized crime, climate change — and now pandemics — bring new challenges to convoluted conflict systems. Yet, the…

News: Chemonics Publishes ‘Elite Bargains and Political Deals Toolkit’ to Bolster Peace and Stabilization Programs

The practical guide provides a means to analyze power dynamics in local conflicts. The approaches and activities contained support organizations to develop conflict mitigation, resolution, and prevention techniques that reflect the underlying political and cultural factors that drive conflict. The free, open-access toolkit provides organizations with a step-by-step guide on how to plan and run…

A woman with a basket on her head walks down a road in Sanaa, Yemen.

Creating a Sustainable Peace Deal in Yemen: A Discussion with Ahmed Al Khameri

Six years into the Yemen conflict, the war shows no sign of abating. The situation is dire: 80% of Yemen’s population of 30 million requires some form of humanitarian assistance; nearly half the population is in acute need. With violence spilling across Yemen’s borders and threatening maritime security in the Red Sea’s strategically important Bab el-Mandab Strait, regional…

Trauma-Informed Approaches to Development

When many people think of the concept of trauma, they imagine a specific and singular event that causes overwhelming stress for the person affected. In reality, trauma can be understood as an experience, a series of events, or set of circumstances that can have lasting and adverse effects on individual and community physical, social, and…

3 Questions with Mohammad Youssef: COVID-19, Technology, and Innovation

COVID-19 has forced the development community to pivot programming and innovate to bridge the physical divide that social distancing has imposed. Mohammad Youssef is the director of programs for the U.S. State Department-funded Injaz education project in Syria. In this blog, Mohammad reflects on new COVID-induced challenges, and how his background in IT has helped him…

Talk of Peace Sparks Hope and Fear in Afghanistan

The history of conflict in Afghanistan is as old as I am. I was born in Nangarhar, Afghanistan in 1978. As a young man, I lived under the Taliban regime. Now, with renewed peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban underway, I am trying to imagine life without war in my home country.…

News: Chemonics Welcomes New Peace, Stability, and Transition Practice Director

Chemonics is pleased to announce Sahar Tabaja as its new Peace, Stability, and Transition Practice (PST) director. Ms. Tabaja is an accomplished stabilization expert with more than 10 years of experience in governance, conflict prevention, and managing capacity building programs in conflict-affected and fragile environments. Prior to this role, Ms. Tabaja served as a stabilization…

3 Questions on Designing an Emergency Intervention in Lebanon During COVID-19 with Bilal Al Ayoubi

On August 4, 2020, some 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored for years at the Port of Beirut exploded, emitting a mushroom cloud of pink and yellow smoke. People felt the material impact up to 100 miles away. The death toll on the second day of the explosion exceeded 100 residents, and…

Best of the Blog 2019

Check out our countdown of the 10 most popular blog posts from 2019! 10. To Respond to the Venezuelan Migration Crisis, Let’s Also Tap the Private Sector By Ariana Szepesi-Colmenares As Venezuelan migrants navigate challenges in host countries, the private sector must play an active role in maximizing their economic opportunities. 9. Development Works Here…

Let’s Get Creative: Localized Data Collection for Stronger Project Outcomes

In discussing and measuring project success, the international development community is increasingly turning to “data-driven deliverables” that collect solid, demonstrable data to show project results and to build, design, and implement successful development programs. Yet the development industry, by nature, works in places where high-quality, reliable, and consistent data is hard to collect. Local environments,…

Building Bridges Between Financial Institutions and Rural Communities in Post-Conflict Regions

This article originally appeared on the SEEP Network’s blog. In a large city, it probably would take you less than five minutes to find an ATM. In a small town, however, finding an ATM can be much more challenging. Imagine that you live in a small town torn by decades of armed conflict, and like…

An Argument for Inclusive Stabilization

Photo courtesy of USAID Colombia Human Rights Activity. This post originally appeared on Devex. When everyone is struggling to recover from violent conflict, singling out one community for assistance among many ethnic and religious identities can actually make matters worse. Yet, to heal the inter-community rifts that set the stage for conflict, targeted outreach to…

Using Civic Justice to Disrupt Cycles of Violence: Lessons Learned from Mexico

Last month in Morelia, Michoacán in Mexico, a woman returned to her vehicle to find she was being ticketed by a police officer for parking in a no parking zone. She became verbally aggressive towards the officer, pushed him, and accused him of distributing tickets only to collect bribes. Three years ago, Morelia authorities would…

3 Questions with Todd Diamond on Countering Violent Extremism and Preventing Gang Violence

This post was adapted from an interview between Elisabeth Dallas, Chemonics’ Peace, Stability and Transition Practice director, and Todd Diamond, a conflict, stability, and security director in Chemonics’ U.K. Division. For the full interview, watch the video below. How are violent extremism and gang violence — and the development community’s approaches to them — similar?…

To Respond to the Venezuelan Migration Crisis, Let’s Also Tap the Private Sector

Globally, new momentum is building for the private sector’s participation in alleviating migration crises worldwide and supporting migrants’ and refugees’ integration. From investing in migrant-owned businesses to engaging a migrant workforce or securing resources for optimal basic service delivery for migrants and host communities, private sector engagement offers unique avenues for helping to solve migration…

What the Global Fragility Act Could Mean for Development Investments

This post originally appeared on Devex. The Global Fragility Act requires the U.S. government, in collaboration with civil society, to develop a 10-year strategy to enhance stability and to reduce violence and fragility globally. The GFA — recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and up for a full vote by the Senate —…

People standing in front of mural of child's face

Stop, Look, and Listen! Preventing Recruitment of Youth into Illicit Activities in Southern Colombia

This post originally appeared on Harvard’s Center for International Development’s Building State Capability program’s blog. The authors successfully completed the 15-week Practice of Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation online course. This is their story. As development practitioners, we tend to rush in with solutions to deal with complex problems. We impose so-called best practices without digging…

How to Design Social and Behavior Change Communications for Countering Violent Extremism: A Multi-Sectoral Approach

This post originally appeared in the Council of International Development Companies’ (CIDC) Thought Leadership Compendium. Violent extremism’s threat to democracy and citizens’ security is growing and changing faster than domestic and international constituencies’ ability to contain it. Countering violent extremism (CVE) experts are urgently searching for effective means to prevent more people from embracing violent…

Determining the ‘How’ with Stabilization

The number of civilian deaths due to violent conflict more than tripled since 2007 — according to the World Bank and the United Nations’ Pathways for Peace study — and an estimated 65.6 million people have been displaced from their homes, largely due to conflict. The study also notes that the cost of responding to…

Increasing Resiliency in the Face of Disaster: Four Best Practices

As Category 4 Hurricane Florence barreled toward the Southeast of the United States last week, preliminary damage estimates indicated 758,000 homes across three states could be impacted. Reconstruction costs were estimated at $170.2 billion. Despite the dire forecast and its associated challenges, however, the United States is one of the countries most prepared to respond…

Making it Stick: Key Considerations for Operationalizing the Stabilization Assistance Review

Weak political and social institutions, persistent poverty, high population growth rates, and even recurrent climate shocks can drive vulnerable countries into chronic instability. Preventing vulnerable countries from backsliding into conflict requires a strategic, multi-layered, and flexible response. This includes the delivery of humanitarian assistance, but also programming that can immediately stabilize countries and build the foundation…

A group of four girls in Pakistan reading children's books in a school

Education as a Key to Solving Conflicts

Those of us who work in peacebuilding pull out every tool in our toolbox to solve conflicts — we talk about infrastructure, jobs, agriculture, governance, and youth programs. But youth programs tend to focus on out-of-school individuals aged 18-35 years old, not school-aged children. And rarely do people talk about supporting children — nor education…

News: Joining the Conversation on Stability

What is stability? A single definition of “stability” could go a long way in aligning the international community’s priorities around addressing fragility and the risk of instability. On June 26 to 27, the Stabilization Symposium brings together world leaders, development practitioners, private sector representatives, and policymakers to look at applying a single definition of stability…

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