As COVID-19 cases continue to climb in many regions worldwide, some fragile countries face ongoing conflict at the same time.
Civil society organizations and networks in conflict countries such as Afghanistan and Yemen are getting creative with their advocacy efforts, finding new ways to appeal directly to warring parties and press for peace.
“Where programs have been able to continue and where social-distancing measures are in place, peace building is harder to do. There is a lot of interest in finding out what alternatives work where you cannot gather people together. Are there opportunities online?” said Lisa Inks, senior peace and conflict adviser at Mercy Corps. “What digital platforms exist for connecting people, and what cannot be replaced by meeting in person?”