Kroc IPJ 2019-20 Women PeaceMakers Arriving at USD

Each day leading women peacebuilders are shaping societies for the better. They are entrenched in meetings, involved in high stakes negotiations, working behind enemy lines — doing powerful and impactful work we rarely see, but can all learn from.

The Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice’s Women PeaceMakers (WPM) program brings that learning to the forefront. From this year’s pool of more than 120 applications, the team selected four incredible women peacebuilders for a 12-month fellowship, which includes a six-week residency at the University of San Diego’s Kroc School.

The four women for the 2019-20 cohort are: Ruth Buffalo (United States), Mossarat Qadeem (Pakistan), Lilian Riziq (South Sudan) and Rina Kedem (Israel). They arrive in San Diego on Saturday, Oct. 5 and stay through Saturday, November 16.

During their residency they will learn from and with each other, applying their knowledge and experience to tackle critical questions related to peacebuilding. In particular, they will be working with a researcher to gather key learnings and insights on how to build more equitable funding partnerships between local women peacebuilders and peacebuilding funders. These insights are needed to ensure policymakers and practitioners are funding projects that align with the local and real-time peacebuilding needs these women are navigating.

For the first time ever, this year’s PeaceMaker cohort includes a peacebuilder from the United States. As we look to build bridges, end cycles of violence and address issues of polarization within this country, we must learn from and with other international peacebuilders who have been navigating these challenges for decades, says Jennifer Bradshaw, IPJ Women Peace and Security Program Officer.

“It’s exciting to see this year’s cohort of Women PeaceMakers coming from the USA, South Sudan, Pakistan and Israel. The time to build stronger bridges, knowledge exchanges and partnerships between women peacebuilders from all countries is now,” she adds. 

Here is a closer look at each of the 2019-20 Women PeaceMakers: 

Ruth Buffalo is a political healer, community organizer, public health professional and educator, citizen of the Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation, and descendant of the Chiricahua Apache. She was elected into office in 2018 to serve North Dakota as a Representative for District 27 in south Fargo.

Mossarat Qadeem is co-founder of PAIMAN Alumni Trust, a pioneer organization in Preventing/countering violent extremism (P/CVE) in Pakistan. She is an internationally known expert on P/CVE, de-radicalization, women peace and security and has spoken in the UN General Assembly and the Security Council on the subject.

Lilian Riziq is one of the prominent leaders in South Sudan’s women’s movement, a Member of Leadership Team of South Sudan National Dialogue Steering Committee, and served as State Minister of Finance and State Minister of Agriculture in the Former Western Bahr El Gazal State in South Sudan.

Rina Kedem is an environmental peacebuilder, and entrepreneur who develops and directs cooperation projects with Palestinians, Israelis, and Jordanians for the past 16 years. Her work is guided by a wholesome perspective including social-economic and environmental well-being of communities, and tangible, hands-on and long term peacebuilding opportunities.

During their time on the USD campus they will give guest lectures in Kroc School’s peace and justice classes as well as share their peacebuilding story at the annual Women PeaceMakers panel on November 5, 2019. Seating is limited, so RSVP now.