What is Shield Peacemakers?
Shield Peacemakers is a free online platform that teaches people how to prevent violence in their own communities. It can be accessed through Facebook on any phone without needing to download anything and is open to any adult who wants to use it. It is currently being piloted in Papua New Guinea.
Who is a peacemaker?
A peacemaker is someone others listen to. In almost every community affected by armed violence there are already people doing this work such as community leaders, church networks, women’s groups, elders, people whose families and neighbours take their word seriously. What very few of them have ever had is access to training. Peacemakers exists to close that gap.
How it works
Members work through short learning modules covering how disputes escalate, how to open a difficult conversation, and what to do when tension is rising. They put what they learn into practice through Actions, and progress through four Shield levels – Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum – as their contribution grows. The material is practical rather than theoretical, drawn from approaches that have worked in communities facing the same pressures.
Starting in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea is the first country to run the platform. ShieldPNG has been gathering information on armed incidents across the country and the platform’s resources are written specifically for PNG – in English and Tok Pisin.
What comes next
The programme will continue to grow – Youth Peacemakers, a version designed for school students, will bring age-appropriate education on disputes and non-violent responses into classrooms. Alongside it, we will have more resources, education and training, opening a wider learning platform to both peacemakers and responders – the police, prosecutors, officials and community leaders who deal with violence directly. Enrolment will be open to anyone, with modules organised by theme rather than by profession.