Can Cellphones Stop Violence?
After Kenya’s contested presidential election erupted into ethnic violence in 2008, Alice Nderitu created the Uwiano Platform for Peace, a conflict prevention agency that encourages citizens to report warning signs of violence via their mobile phones. “In 2008, people had seen the violence coming,” she says, “but they didn’t know who to tell.” Uwiano focused particularly on teaching women to identify conflict indicators, such as schools, hospitals, or other public spaces closing. Thanks to these efforts, Kenya’s 2013 election was largely peaceful.
Inclusive Security has worked with Alice since 2011, both in Kenya and in neighboring South Sudan. This year, for the second time, she attended our annual colloquium—a transformative week of skills-building and networking for global peace leaders. While in the US, she spoke with The Boston Globe about how she uses cellphones to prevent violence.
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