SIDE BY SIDE Innovations to Protect and Lead 2017 Annual Report Board of Directors and Senior Staff A NOTE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (2017)

Mukesh Kapila Alessandro Rossi Dear Friends, Board Chair, France Board Member, Belgium Fatuma Ibrahim Sophie Pagnetti-Takorian Protecting civilians requires music. In camps for people Vice Board Chair, Kenya Director of Finance and innovation. Old methods of using fleeing violence in , you Operations Virginie Blumet weapons to protect civilians are ensured 24 hour safety with night Board Treasurer, Switzerland Mel Duncan not adequate for the millions of patrols. In South Sudan, women Director of Advocacy Tiffany Tool and Outreach people displaced and lives lost marched for hours to confront Board Secretary, USA due to ongoing conflict. generals about rape being used as Marna Anderson Louisa Chan Boegli Director of Development a weapon of war. And, in North Board Member, Switzerland Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP)’s Dakota and Myanmar, you made Aseervatham Florington Rolf Carriere Head of Mission, South Sudan innovative approaches work it possible to introduce Board Member, Netherlands because they are developed side Unarmed Civilian Protection Huibert Oldenhuis Meenakshi Gopinath Head of Mission, Myanmar by side with local communities. (UCP) into community building. Board Member, India Thank you for making these Tanya Walmsley Rachel Julian Head of Mission, Middle East Your support provides the innovations possible. Board Member, UK flexibility for NP to adapt to each Delsy Ronnie Fracois Marchand Head of Mission, Philippines conflict innovating solutions as Board Member, France unique as each place where we Thiago Wolfer Tiffany Easthom Anna Matveeva Head of Mission, Lebanon work. In Syria, you empowered Executive Director, Nonviolent Peaceforce Board Member, UK youth to replace gunfire with NP’s work is sustainable because communities dealing with conflict build their capacity to solve their own problems: local citizens become the agents of peacemaking. 112 speaking engagements, Several diplomats have started questioning the privileging of military 2 UN related documents that recognize UCP responses after seeing the effectiveness 1 briefing on unarmed approaches of our civilian protectors. As I left a meeting at the United peacekeepers to speak at the UN, hearing “we’re already doing Nations (UN), a representative we advance nonviolent that” in reference to unarmed ADVOCACY of a large humanitarian approaches for protecting civilian protection. So we’ve organization followed me. civilians. Sadly, the word come a long way. In December, A New Look at Conflict Unarmed civilian protection had “” is seldom uttered the Security Council held a by Mel Duncan, Director of Advocacy and Outreach been included in a UN Security at the UN. When it is, it is often two-hour briefing on unarmed Council resolution for the first followed with more talk of approaches for the protection time in history. “I want you to military strength. of civilians. Our staff described know the impact of your the methods they use to protect There are now ambassadors advocacy,” she said as she But we’ve made progress. civilians and gave examples of “on the [United Nations] pointed her finger in my face, Unarmed civilian protection is how it worked. The final speaker “There are now ambassadors on seeping into reports, policies was a representative of the Security Council who are the Security Council who are and resolutions. In 2017, the UN Department of Peacekeeping. suggesting that they send suggesting that they send Department of He stated, “I don’t disagree with unarmed peacekeepers rather Peacekeeping’s policies on the anything that’s been said.” And unarmed peacekeepers rather than armed!” This was an protection of children and the he ended with examples of how than armed! accusation, not appreciation. role of UN police both included the Department of Peacekeeping unarmed civilian protection. already does unarmed civilian NP plays an innovative role at More and more we are invited protection. That’s progress and a the UN. Each time we bring NP to brief or consult. Now we are result of your support! ” A Women’s Peacekeeping Team meeting in South Sudan where the displaced gathered for screening and NP provided protective presence just behind the front lines, reaching civilians fleeing IRAQ transport to camps. NP also found the fighting first and facilitating access to lifesaving aid. Urban Protection Response unaccompanied children and people with special needs who became separated from Your support assisted vulnerable internally their families as they fled the fighting on their displaced persons who had spent three years streets and in their homes. NP reunited 11 of living under ISIS control. These men, women these separated children or people with special and children were malnourished, dehydrated needs with their families. This was all done and in need of immediate medical attention. while providing protective presence in West They had fled from violent, war-torn Mosul. Mosul. Men and boys were at particularly high risk for detention from the Iraqi authorities. The women were at an elevated risk for sexual exploitation and gender-based violence. NP’s protective presence ensured these civilians quickly received food, water, and medical care; mitigated several instances of arbitrary detention; and deterred violence against women.

In the final months of the Mosul offensive, NP worked behind the front lines. Staff served in areas where the injured victims were being Internally displaced persons waiting to cross the Tigris River. Photo by Kainoa Little treated and at emergency assembly points West Mosul, Iraq NORTH DAKOTA Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL)

Two unlikely people showed up to create dialogue and a safe space to advance peace during the DAPL conflict: one from Brazil and the other from Colombia. Bringing their experiences as peacekeepers in South Sudan and , they led members of the Bismarck and Mandan communities through training and conversation on providing protection and pursuing reconciliation. “This was my fondest hope— The training gave community members that a group of faith leaders and faith leaders tools to use in the event of violence and provided the support they would come together and find needed to discuss the conflict that had ways to be in even stronger come to a head. Your support brought together concerned people who can now solidarity with each other.” collaborate on further action. — Faith Group Training participant Standing Rock, ND. Photo by Lars Plougmann, Flickr Inspired by what they learned from NP, the youth became involved in improving the SYRIA safety of their communities. Funeral Marching Bands

Gun shots used to be heard at martyrs’ funerals instead. Initially regularly in Salamia, Syria as a the youth were met with resistance. traditional way of celebrating. Shots But after looking to NP for guidance were fired at weddings, anniversaries and talking to several controlling and war martyrs’ funerals. The families in the community, they were gunfire led to civilian deaths and able to convince them one by one to affected those who were traumatized agree to replacing the gunfire with a and suffering from PTSD. After marching band. participating in NP’s training in Lebanon, a group of Syrian youth Thanks in part to previous decided to take an innovative relationship building, the band was approach to reduce trauma and able to play and both the army and gunfire in their community. families gave orders to not shoot. Now other locations have been As an alternative to gun shots, a inspired to develop similar ideas to marching band would honor the dead reduce gunfire. Syrian youth band in the streets of Salamia 140 students involved, 50 influential families engaged Working as a team of nationals and internationals to get people to safety in Marawi

In May 2017, militants swarmed in Lanao were on the frontlines they both speak the local clock to get people to safety, rush tremendous amount of gratitude PHILIPPINES the city of Marawi in the of a large humanitarian crisis. language. the injured to medical care, and to NP donors for their support. 1,561 People Rescued Philippines in attempt to take the assist other organizations with Because of your support, lives city. Hundreds of thousands of Two weeks into the conflict, Members of our field staff and the distribution of relief kits. were saved. No matter how “It’s like I’m looking at Syria and civilians were displaced and civilians were evacuated. NP their families were among those remote and inaccessible an area, Aleppo,” one Filipino native said dozens killed. Many people chose two of its native protection displaced. Yet they The fighting in Marawi lasted Xarifa says, NP goes where it is about the scenes of destruction fled their homes without food, officers, Salic and Nohman, as immediately responded to five months. Only a few parts of needed. he saw of his hometown Marawi. provisions or medical supplies. volunteer rescuers. With such a protect other besieged and the city were not bombed. “I was raised here. It’s Suddenly, NP protection officers small window of time and such displaced civilians. Team Xarifa, one of our Filipino unrecognizable.” a big job, it was important that members worked around the national NP staff, feels a Left photos by Fellipe Abreu SOUTH SUDAN dangerous to start off as a big group. Thus, Empowering Women a few women began the trek and as they walked, groups of women found out what Rape and sexual assault are common they were doing and joined the march. They weapons of war. In South Sudan, the numbered 150 by the time they reached the atrocity against women has been military camp. They said to the general, “We particularly brutal. And women have are tired! Tired of our children being killed! had enough. They are speaking out and Tired of being raped!” The general listened organizing. and then told them his men would not engage in such activities. After the You’ve had a part in giving women in meeting he arranged transportation and South Sudan a voice. In the past five gave them a bull as a token of respect. years, you’ve helped train 1,900 women who’ve formed 44 Women’s Peacekeeping Who knows if the general was sincere. Only Teams. They are leading the way to bring time will tell but for now we know there has peace to their communities and an end to been an impact. And across the country, we rape and gender-based violence. are seeing many more women organizing across ethnic lines and advocating for their In just one example, a group of Women own safety and for an end to the war. These Peacekeeping Team members walked for actions are remarkable in such a male- three hours to meet with the general of dominated society where gender-based an armed group. They knew it would be violence is rampant. 526 women formed 15 new women’s peacekeeping teams MYANMAR violence and engage all actors is spread via our trained monitors who come Trainings are our foundation for educating communities on how to preserve their independence. Hope for Communities from the different cities and regions In just the first few months of 2017, across Myanmar. They are able to share our trained monitors helped local the information they’ve learned with stakeholders negotiate a temporary village and religious leaders in their ceasefire, evacuate and accompany communities as well as with families 424 civilians to safe locations, and and friends who come to them for established a system to improve the advice. response to future incidents by One monitor told us, “After sharing recognizing early warning signals. again and again, I got trust from During coaching workshops, monitors villagers and they started to see a attributed their interventions to the peaceful future. One day there was a trainings provided by NP. As one of the village preparing to evacuate and I was township coordinators said, it was able to share about civilian because of the skills and confidence protection from the National Ceasefire built from the training that the Agreement and they were so relieved. I monitors could intervene and respond was so happy and got tears in my eyes to cases of violence in their when the village chairman said that communities. this village was not worried like other These trainings are valuable—the villages because there was a lot of 1,133 trained in ceasefire monitoring, 27% women, 36 trainings strategies and tactics to reduce sharing before.” Our newest location, assessed in 2017

As the refugee crisis unfolds and Over the last two months of protection and emergency prone areas. With your help, communication strategies, BANGLADESH overwhelming humanitarian 2017, our team built preparedness. we will continue in this effort, preparing and prepositioning Program Assessment needs emerge, the small NP relationships with, and provided as there are upwards of 100,000 life-saving necessities, and team has been working with technical protection assistance Our staff has been assisting the inhabitants of the megasite organizing safe movement plans In response to the Rohingya local partners to identify ways to to, local non-governmental International Organization for currently residing in these in hopes of preventing family crisis, NP conducted an improve the safety of organizations, Rohingya-based Migration with safe relocations, critical areas. separation when communities assessment in the final months of people living in the camps and to networks inside the megasite, both for new arrivals from are forced to move for their own 2017 and has had a team on the prepare for the potential and international Myanmar and for families We are also supporting a safety. ground in Cox’s Bazar, flooding and mudslides of the non-governmental organizations currently located in highly Rohingya-based network in Bangladesh this year. coming rainy season. responsible for site management, dangerous, flood and landslide- building and executing clear We’re starting to work in an area with more than 700,000 people FINANCIALS Breakdown of staff 268 165 in South Sudan 36% Income from individuals, family foundations and faith are international staff UN Agencies live and work 50 in Philippines groups, is the cornerstone of Nonviolent (5%) within 64% Peaceforce’s approach to income generation and we Funding conflict-affected 9 in Myanmar are nationals total staff communities leverage these generous gifts by securing government 279 4 in Lebanon of the host countries Individuals, $12,162,000 December 31, 2017 and institutional grants. The significant amount of family foundations, 40 in Iraq government funding raised each year testifies to the faith groups (14%) 11 work in advocacy quality of our work and the impact that we have on Government and the ground protecting civilians living in situations of Grants (81%) administrative 5 in European offices violent conflict. support European Global Support (7%) 6 in US office 57% 43% United States Global Support The 2017 financial statements for NP show an and Advocacy(6%) operating loss for the second year in a row. The 2017 THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT loss is less than last year’s due to significant Myanmar (5%) Your donation helps protect civilians and transform the world’s response to conflict. improvement in managing expenditures. The Iraq (7%) Expenses Finance Committee of the Board of Directors has $12,282,000 The financial information covers a 12-month period (January 2017 - December 2017) for all activities developed a Recovery Plan that will ensure our implemented by Nonviolent Peaceforce. The yearly financial statements of NP legal entities are subject to audit. short-term and long-term financial health. We take Middle East Audited financial statements are available at www. nonviolentpeaceforce.org/about/funding (6%) our financial situation very seriously and are South Sudan Together, you provide safety, dignity and stability to people living in violent conflict. available to answer any questions from our supporters. Philippines (57%) (12%) Go online to www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org/annualreports to view the list of the supporters of our mission. US Office Transforming the world’s response to conflict 2610 University Avenue West, Suite 550 We protect civilians in violent conflicts through unarmed strategies. St. Paul, MN 55114 We build peace side by side with local communities. We advocate USA for the wider adoption of these approaches to safeguard human Tel: +1.612.871.0005 lives and dignity. We envision a worldwide culture of peace in [email protected] which conflicts within and between communities and countries are managed through nonviolent means. NP European Office 13 chemin du Levant, Bat. A. www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org 01210 Ferney Voltaire (Greater Geneva Area) France Tel: +33 (0)9 674 619 48 [email protected] Cover photo by Fellipe Abreu