New era as women lead peace initiatives and economic empowerment in Mandera

Amid persistent security challenges in Mandera, a group of women have come together to spearhead peacebuilding initiatives.

Nasin Dakane, the CEO of Pastoralist Women Agency for Sustainable Development, said their coming together was a collective call to action.  

This year, a defining moment unfolded for the pastoralist communities of northern Kenya. The Regional Pastoralists Peace Link was awarded the prestigious Carol Bellamy Leadership Award and recognised as a torchbearer in Kenya by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund.

This milestone underscored not only the importance of grassroots-driven peacebuilding but also the undeniable impact of women-led organisations in securing a stable, inclusive future.

The CBLA was first launched by GCERF in 2022, dedicated to women working at the intersection of women’s empowerment and peace.

The CBLA provides funding to its awardees, and supports diverse projects. In particular, the CBLA supports localised solutions to complex needs as regards to women’s empowerment as identified by awardees themselves.

Through a competitive selection process, RPPL entrusted Pawa to implement the CBLA initiative, a transformative programme grounded in the realities of the communities and guided by women’s leadership.

“Ours is a rallying cry for inclusive peace, community-driven solutions, and sustained resilience,” the Pawa CEO said.  

“We empower women to serve as bridge-builders across communities long divided by conflict and extremism by fostering trust, dismantling harmful ideologies, and promoting unity.“she noted.

“Through our economic empowerment and financial literacy training workshops, we have united diverse women-led groups under a common vision of self-reliance and peace.”

Nasin said that financial independence is a cornerstone of long-term stability, adding that Pawa has been at the forefront of equipping women with tools, networks, and training to access markets, develop sustainable enterprises, and lead their households and communities into prosperity.

“Women are not just participants—they are leaders. Pawa amplifies women’s voices within the women, peace, and security framework, championing their rightful role in policymaking and governance at every level."

“As a legal and governance professional and as the CEO of Pawa, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible transformation that occurs when women are given space to lead. The recognition of our work through the CBLA and torchbearer honour is not just an accolade—it is an obligation to continue building, to continue empowering, and to ensure that peace in Mandera is not a dream, but a living, thriving reality,” she said.