Issue

Conflict and Peace Building

Nearly 30 years after the Rwandan genocide, thousands of maimed amputees remind us of the war that took 500,000 lives in 100 days. War leaves marks that cannot be erased—not only in Rwanda, but on every continent.

Reporting from Conflict and Peacebuilding examines the roots of conflict, whether it be religious hatred, sectarian rivalry, a security vacuum, the struggle for natural resources, or the desperation that results from poverty.

Pulitzer Center journalists also cover war’s aftermath: the transitional governments that result in chaos, diplomacy that goes awry, peace talks that never end, and the people who suffer the consequences, young and old. We see the children who go hungry, lose their homes, leave school, become combatants, or join the jihad.

Often the end to conflict leaves turmoil in its wake while the road to peace seems circuitous: In South Sudan, rebel-commanders-turned politicians plunge the country into civil war. In the U.S., troops return home from one war only to be re-deployed to another. But everywhere, in every conflict, there are also voices crying out for peace, determined to heal the divide.

 

Conflict and Peace Building

Lolas: Survivors of Enslavement

200,000 girls and women were sexually enslaved during World War II by the Japanese Imperial Army. Today, about 10 comfort women survive out of the estimated 1,000 Filipinas forced into servitude.

The Psyche of Syria's War Survivors

This project profiles the courageous journey of Syrian teenage social media icon Muhammad Najem and sheds light on the psychological picture of refugees who live or have family under regime bombings.

Was Your Sister Disturbed?

South Sudan's five-year war has impacted people in ways that have not previously been reported.

Life After Jihad

What happens to the children of suicide bombers and those injured in attacks?

Before Ferguson, Beyond Ferguson

Families of color have long been thwarted in finding a quality education. We present the saga of one St. Louis family, how they got educated and managed to gain their purchase on the American Dream.

Meet the Journalist: Sarah A. Topol

What happens to children in Nigeria who were abducted by Boko Haram? Sarah Topol discusses the lives of those who have not escaped and are still controlled by the militant Islamist group.

Running for the Future of Congo

This lesson uses “What Makes the Kids of Congo Run” by Daniel Socha to introduce students to the situation in Eastern Congo, the challenges youth face, and ways to effect change.