Conflict & Governance
-
Photo: Miguel Samper for Mercy Corps
War tears at every fiber of society, but conflict doesn't have to be violent to harm communities. Mercy Corps works to help families rebuild after the destruction of war and engages citizens to find mutually beneficial solutions for change.
Especially in post-conflict settings, we facilitate collaboration between government officials and the people they serve, leading to more accountable and productive leadership. Addressing the root causes of conflict today can help avoid tomorrow's wars and other crises.
All stories about Conflict & Governance
-
Liberia: From war survivor to community leader March 17, 2010
Ellen Joe is 36 and divorced, with two daughters and two sons. She’s the chairwoman of the Gbarpaywhea Community Development Committee, which oversees the village peace, education, agriculture and health working groups.
-
Iraq: A palpable sense of accomplishment in Baghdad March 9, 2010
On Sunday morning, election day in Iraq, I was awakened by a text message from a colleague telling me to get to a safe spot. Turns out I had slept through the first of dozens of bombs that would occur on election day in Iraq.
-
Afghanistan: Going to Lashkar Gah February 23, 2010
It is six o' clock of the morning of January 5. It is still dark and cold. The vehicle waiting outside of my house is honking its horn. The horn means I have to be ready to go to airport and fly to Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan.
-
West Bank and Gaza: Mercy Corps continues humanitarian assistance in Gaza February 10, 2010
Failing Gaza: No rebuilding, no recovery, no more excuses is the title of the latest report on Gaza, one year after Operation Cast Lead, the three-month military conflict between Israel and Hamas.
-
Iraq: Giving their blood for peace January 7, 2010
I have been thinking a lot about hope and fear the past few weeks. It is hard to avoid at this time of year. Christmas and New Year’s are holidays of hope.
-
Afghanistan: How about 30,000 teachers to Afghanistan? December 3, 2009
Yesterday I spoke to Oregon Public Broadcasting's Emily Harris about the humanitarian perspective on President Obama's decision to send more troops to Afghanistan.
-
West Bank and Gaza: Tunnels, walls and stones November 19, 2009
I must admit, I found it a bit disappointing that I'd passed so easily through the infamous Ben Gurion International Airport passport control. After I picked up my bag I didn't really know what to do with myself — the flight had arrived early, and I wasn't being held up for questioning.
-
Lebanon: A Palestinian camp — not what you might expect October 28, 2009
I love to camp. I associate it with mountain meadows, alpine flowers, a warm fire, a cold beer. And the occasional bear. So when I heard I would be going to a Palestinian camp in Lebanon, I had a really hard time wrapping my brain around it.
-
West Bank and Gaza: A mother in search of peace October 23, 2009
It's big news around the Portland headquarters this week that one of our most senior field workers, Isdud Al-Najjar, is in town. That's because her home is in the Gaza Strip, where the odds of getting out are about the same as winning Powerball.
-
Iraq: Celebrating peace in Khanaqin October 20, 2009
In Khanaqin, Iraq, Mercy Corps and the local branch of the National Olympic Committee organized a wonderful festival for the International Day of Peace. The day involved children reading a poem and releasing white doves before a football match in Azadi Stadium.