AYV News, October 14, 2025
From October 7 to 11, 2025, Talking Drum Studio Sierra Leone, in collaboration with the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC) and with support from Irish Aid, spearheaded celebrations for the International Day of Peace across five districts in Sierra Leone: Tonkolili, Karene, Kambia, Port Loko, and Moyamba.
These significant events engaged approximately 350 participants, underscoring the critical role of community stakeholders, particularly women, in fostering lasting peace.
The initiatives provided a vital platform for identifying and addressing emerging threats to peace within these communities. Women were central to these discussions, articulating key concerns from their localities, which prompted concrete commitments from authorities to take action.
In Tonkolili district, specifically within Mayorpo chiefdom, discussions brought to light two primary threats to peace. The first concerned tensions surrounding community acceptance of the newly elected Paramount Chief. The second involved a longstanding land dispute between the Gbla and Conteh families. In response to these critical issues raised during the engagements, the Chiefdom Speaker made a significant commitment to include women in the peacebuilding committee, recognising their invaluable perspective and contribution to conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts.
This move is expected to empower women further in local governance and peace processes, aligning with broader national and international efforts to enhance women’s participation in peacebuilding initiatives.
A poignant result of this engagements emerged from the Karene district, specifically in Sanda Tendaren chiefdom. Here, an unresolved conflict between the Rokula and Robureh communities, which originated following the 2023 elections and led to displacement and deep divisions, was brought to the forefront.
Through facilitated open dialogue sessions, both communities demonstrated a remarkable commitment to healing, agreeing to forgive past grievances and actively work towards restoring their fractured ties. As tangible steps towards reconciliation, they resolved to implement a rotational hosting of Friday Juma prayers, commencing on October 10, 2025, and to organise a peace football match.
Further solidifying these efforts, the Regent Chief announced that the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr celebration would be held in Rokula, a tradition that predated the conflict, symbolizing a return to normalcy and unity.
In Kambia, the engagement was facilitated by Ambassador Patterson from ICPNC. Participants celebrated the achievements of women community solidarity groups and other community members who had successfully resolved conflicts identified during the 2024 Peace Day celebrations. This year, women’s groups highlighted new emerging threats to peace, including land disputes in the Gbeleh Dixon community and clashes between cattle herders and farmers in Tonko Limba chiefdom. Authorities present at the events pledged to further engage all parties involved to find lasting solutions to these issues. Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and women’s groups committed to monitoring the agreed action points to ensure accountability and sustained peace.
A significant focus of the observances was the impact of mining on communities in Lunsar, Port Loko district. During discussions, women from affected communities voiced serious concerns regarding dynamite blasting operations. They reported that these activities have led to cracks in their homes and significant ground vibrations, which in turn are disrupting their livelihoods. In response to these pressing concerns, mining authorities and local stakeholders have committed to concrete actions. These commitments include the provision of relief supplies to affected communities, commencing October 13, 2025.
Furthermore, they pledged to support the clearing and construction of drainage systems to mitigate further damage caused by mining-related activities.
The successful observance of the International Day of Peace across these five districts serves as a powerful testament to the transformative potential of inclusive peacebuilding. By intentionally centering women’s voices and experiences, Talking Drum Studio Sierra Leone, ICPNC, and Irish Aid have demonstrated a profound understanding that true peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but the active presence of justice, equality, and community participation, with women at its very heart.
The active participation and leadership of women in identifying and addressing peace threats are not merely commendable; they are absolutely essential for the long-term stability and development of Sierra Leone. The commitments secured from authorities demonstrate that when women’s voices are heard and valued, concrete steps towards peace become achievable.
It is imperative that these initiatives are not isolated events but rather catalysts for sustained engagement and investment in women’s peacebuilding efforts. We must ACT NOW to institutionalize these platforms, provide ongoing support and resources, and ensure that women are consistently at the decision-making tables where peace is forged.
The future of peace in Sierra Leone, and indeed globally, hinges on our collective commitment to empowering women as indispensable architects of a more secure and harmonious society.
