The project seeks to contribute to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in particular SDG 16, the AU Agenda 2063, and the UN Agenda 2030, by focusing on sub-theme of violence with a view to achieving four interrelated aims as follows:

1. To understand why effective accountable and inclusive institutions have not been built in the conflict affected or post-conflict societies;
2. To understand the dynamics of blockage of peace construction with primary focus on factors, actors, internal and external dynamics, including the reasons for not implementing peace deals by pursuing emancipatory peace as suggested by the UN’s Sustainable Peace Agenda;
3. To examine factors that hinder peace at the local, national and global levels: What these obstacles are, where they come from and how they can be overcome? Hence, the research aims to contrast the local and narratives of the factors that foster direct and structural violence;
4. To establish a post-conflict studies network comprised of universities in the network.