PeaceTech Lab CONVENE. CONNECT. BUILD. INSPIRE. Working at the intersection of technology, media, and data to help reduce violent conflict around the world
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eaceTech Lab brings together engineers, technologists, and data scientists from industry and academia with experts in peacebuilding from the United States Institute of Peace, government agencies, NGOs, and the conflict zones. These experts collaborate to design, develop, and deploy tools for conflict management and peacebuilding. The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) created PeaceTech Lab in 2014 as a separate entity, allowing the Lab to pursue external partnerships with technology
corporations, foundations, and international organizations. It works closely with USIP’s conflict management experts and local partners to execute many of its projects. This work is aimed at creating an industry of entrepreneurs who innovate and build technology products that both save lives and invite private sector investment.
TECHNOLOGY PeaceTech Lab helps develop technology tools that are customized to meet the needs of citizens and organizations working for peace and positive social change in conflict zones around the world.
Peacetech Exchanges The Lab works in collaboration with country experts to organize PeaceTech Exchanges (PTXs), workshops that empower local peacebuilders in conflict zones to utilize low-cost, easy-to-use technology in supporting peacebuilding efforts. These highly interactive conferences bring
Showing Results PEACETECH EXCHANGES Civil society participants from PTX events in Iraq reported that, as a result of these workshops: Participants in a PeaceTech Exchange in Erbil, Iraq in February, 2014.
83%
ARE USING MORE TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
100%
ARE MORE CLOSELY LINKED TO OTHER CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS OR TECHNOLOGISTS
peacebuilders together with local and international technology experts. Over the course of two days, participants work together to define their problems, develop solutions, and create projects that implement technologies learned at the workshop. PeaceTech Lab has organized PTXs in Iraq, Myanmar, Egypt, Pakistan, and India. Topics of focus include preventing gender violence and increasing government transparency.
Roundtable on Technology, Science and Peacebuilding The Roundtable on Technology, Science and Peacebuilding is an alliance of leaders and experts from government
agencies, corporations, NGOs, and academia in pursuit of technology applications that advance the peacebuilding agenda. Originally formed as a partnership between USIP and the National Academy of Engineering, the Roundtable is now facilitated by the PeaceTech Lab. Through a combination of plenary meetings and specialized workshops, the Roundtable addresses major issues and emerging trends in our field. It identifies promising new opportunities to apply media, data, and technology to preventing deadly conflicts; helping to rebuild societies torn by violent crises; and building communities, cultures and institutions that foster inclusivity and peaceful change across societies.
MEDIA PeaceTech Lab helps produce curriculum-based peacebuilding radio, television, and other multimedia content in conflict zones. The Lab also supports the development of a healthy media sector in these regions.
Media Production Salam Shabab in Iraq Salam Shabab (Peace Youth) is the first real-life television program made to promote the empowerment of Iraqi youth. Filmed and produced in Iraq, each of the show’s three seasons followed 54 Iraqi teens from six different provinces as they collaborate to produce their own short films and stage performances. Over time the project has developed an active social media presence across the Middle East, aimed at empowering youth to participate in peacebuilding in their communities through the use of technology.
Sawa Shabab in South Sudan The Sawa Shabab (Together Youth) radio drama series promotes peace and stability by empowering youth to be confident, open-minded and participatory citizens in a diverse society. The locally-produced series follows the daily challenges that different young South Sudanese face as they learn how to become peacebuilders in their communities. Sawa Shabab airs in English, Arabic, Nuer, and Dinka on local stations across the country.
One Village, A Thousand Voices in Afghanistan One Village, A Thousand Voices is a locally-produced radio and call-in show focusing on justice issues affecting Afghan youth. Each story is fictionalized and is meant to entertain and educate with ruleof-law themes drawn from USIP’s training and research experience in Afghanistan.
The show airs weekly across the country in Dari and Pashto, features legal experts on a live call-in show, and has a robust online community where listeners participate in facilitated discussions.
Supporting Peace Media Analyzing Coverage of Violence in the Pakistani Media Traditional and social media coverage of political violence in Pakistan has often been a source of tension in the country. The Lab, in close collaboration with USIP’s Pakistan team, worked with local organizations to analyze this coverage, as well as audience reactions to this media content. We presented our findings to media stakeholders in the country in order to help them find practical solutions to extremism in the media.
Countering Hate Speech in Myanmar The Lab is working with USIP’s Myanmar experts to combat hate speech and the dissemination of false information in traditional and social media in Myanmar through a two-step process. It begins with a PeaceTech Exchange (PTX) in Yangon, where local civil society and technology experts collaborate to develop innovative technology-based solutions. This will be followed with grant to support the most effective locally-led projects.
Preventing Media Incitement in Iraq To mitigate incitement of violence in Iraq, PeaceTech Lab worked with Iraqi media
regulators, media monitoring NGOs, news directors, and reporters from across the broadcast sector. The Lab coordinated the development of self-regulatory tools and the formation of a media monitoring network of Iraqi civil society representatives. The network acts as an independent and reliable source of analysis on the Iraqi media environment.
Showing Results SAWA SHABAB A phone-based survey conducted across South Sudan about the listenership of Sawa Shabab showed that:
55%
HAVE LISTENED TO AN EPISODE OF THE RADIO PROGRAM
99%
INDICATED INTEREST IN HEARING A SECOND SEASON OF THE RADIO PROGRAM
DATA For more information, contact us at info@peacetechlab.org www.peacetechlab.org PeaceTech Lab uses new methods @PeaceTechLab
of data collection, analysis, and visualization to improve the way peacebuilders make decisions and collaborate on projects in the complex, fast-changing environments where they work.
Open Situation Room Exchange (OSRx)
Blogs and Bullets
The Open Situation Room Exchange (OSRx) empowers local peacebuilders with improved collaboration and data-sharing tools. Through the OSRx, we will foster a network of local and international peacebuilders, providing them ways to collect, find, analyze, visualize, and publish actionable data for more effective conflict management and peacebuilding programs.
Coordinating Early Warning Systems in Nigeria
Network Map of the Iranian Blogosphere at the time of the 2009 Election
Despite the numerous conflict early warning systems in Nigeria, they are poorly coordinated and are often ineffective in preventing violence. The Lab has been working with local partners to strengthen these mechanisms by connecting first responders in-coun-
try with a network of data experts and technologists. As part of this initiative, we have hosted consultations and workshops in the capital Abuja and Jos in Plateau State with representatives of civil society organizations, state governments, and universities.
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This initiative uses new data analysis tools to understand the power of online discourse to both promote and prevent conflict. In partnership with George Washington University, we have hosted major conferences both in Washington, DC and Silicon Valley that have brought together a wide range of leading academic and industry experts. These conferences have resulted in three reports that laid out an influential framework for analyzing the impact of new media on politics, with a special focus on North Africa and the Middle East. This initiative has significantly advanced a collaborative effort to develop policy-relevant and academically rigorous approaches to urgent questions about the impact of new media on conflict and peace.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT US AT: info@peacetechlab.org 2301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 Tel: +1 202 457 1700 www.peacetechlab.org Twitter: @PeaceTechLab