Our work in Latin America

Image: © Barbara Unger

We provide tailor-made and hands-on support, particularly in the fields of dialogue with multiple actors and on different levels, as well as process facilitation and joint learning.

Many Latin American societies are plagued by a mix of lingering post-war violence, new forms of social fragmentation and organised crime, and cycles of protest and repression. At times, actors on the ground – whether governments, civil society, international organisations or regional groupings – are ill-prepared to deal with these complex challenges. By applying our understanding of systemic analysis and our expertise in mediation and dialogue processes, we provide tailor-made and hands-on support to the actors involved, particularly in the fields of dialogue with multiple actors and on different levels, as well as process facilitation and joint learning.

With a clear understanding of our roles as external actors who facilitate and catalyse spaces for conflict transformation, we have been active in Central America and the Andes with a range of different engagements. This has included advising governments on conflict issues, promoting dialogue in highly conflictive contexts, facilitating inter-country exchange on psychosocial resilience, developing capacities in school communities on culture of peace, and enabling a dialogue between indigenous people, small-scale farmers-settlers and local authorities.

Current projects

• From female combatants to filmmakers
  This project uses documentary filmmaking with female ex-combatants in Colombia and Uganda to show the various ways in which women participate in conflicts as well as their post-conflict experiences.

Past projects

• Incremental inclusivity in peace process design
  This project analyses the incremental inclusion of non-state armed groups and societal actors during different stages of a peace process.
• Nexus of peacemaking and constitution building
  The project examines the intersection of peacemaking – with a focus on mediation – and constitution making, and aims to strengthen cooperation between the two fields.
• Peace Counts
  Peace Counts is a unique combination of peace education and peace journalism. It began as an initiative of journalists who travelled to 30+ conflict regions to report about individuals making peace.
• Colombia: Regional peacebuilding in Colombia
  Our work accompanied Colombian actors in developing and implementing conflict transformation and peace efforts on different levels, and shares the lessons learnt in order to improve national policies.
• Mexico: Rural policing in southern Mexico
  This project explores alternative forms of security provision in rural areas of southern Mexico that emerged as responses to criminal violence and the failure of the state to defend its citizens.

Team lead

Barbara Unger
Senior Advisor
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Media contact

Florian Lüdtke
Media and Communications Manager
+49 (0) 177 7052758
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