From July 2 until today, July 4, 2023, police have been raiding the homes of several pro-democracy activists in Djibouti, a highly geostrategic country in the Horn of Africa, where the world’s major powers jostle for influence—each with their respective military bases. At the time of writing, seven activists, including four women, have been arrested and the general secretary of the movement “RADDE” are in custody. The police are still looking for others. The reason for their arrest was the impersonation of military, police and Republican Guard uniforms as part of a recent nonviolent campaign organized by RADDE. […]

Depuis le 2 juillet et jusqu’à ce 4 juillet 2023, la police a perquisitionné plusieurs domiciles de militants pro-démocratie à Djibouti, pays hautement géostratégique de la Corne de l’Afrique où les plus grandes puissances mondiales se disputent l’influence—chacune avec leurs bases militaires respectives. À l’heure où nous écrivons ces lignes, sept militants, dont quatre femmes, ont été arrêtés et le secrétaire général de la RADDE (Rassemblement pour l’Action, la Démocratie et le Développement Ecologique) est en détention. La police est toujours à la recherche d’autres personnes. Le motif de leur arrestation était l’usurpation de l’identité des uniformes des militaires, des policiers, de la garde républicaine dans le cadre d’une récente campagne non violente menée par le RADDE. […]

Un movimiento poderoso por la defensa y protección del agua se ha venido gestando en El Salvador desde hace décadas. Con base en Suchitoto, en el departamento de Cuscatlán, esta lucha no violenta tiene muchos componentes: organización comunitaria de base, grandes manifestaciones, educación popular y producción de música hip hop, todo ello dirigido principalmente por comunidades campesinas y amplia participación de las mujeres. El mensaje de la lucha es que el agua no se vende. […]

A powerful movement for the defense and protection of water has been brewing in El Salvador for decades. Based in Suchitoto, in the department of Cuscatlán, this nonviolent struggle has many components: grassroots community organizing, large demonstrations, popular education, and hip hop music production—all typically led by peasant communities with strong women’s participation. The message of the struggle is that water is not for sale. […]

On May 14, 2023, Thai democracy made history. Two opposition parties—Move Forward and Pheu Thai—gained the most and the second most votes in the national election, defeating all pro-establishment parties, particularly the United Thai Nation Party led by former coup protagonist and Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-ocha. This electoral blow has major implications on a possible democracy pushback against growing autocratization in Thailand and other countries. It also showcases a pathway of collaboration between pro-democracy nonviolent movements and opposition parties. […]

In recent decades, the field of civil resistance has developed significantly. Building from humble beginnings, it now receives national and international attention, and has numerous institutions, trainers, programs, and networks dedicated to it. Obscured by this growth, however, is a troubling trend—the field still has an unacceptable rate of attrition…. the field lacks a clear talent pipeline, and this must be remedied to ensure sustainability and long-term growth. We need structures and processes that enable new people to enter the field; gain knowledge, experience, skills, mentorship, and connections in a relatively systematic way; and then ultimately be able to practice as part of their livelihood. […]

Humanity confronts multiple existential crises, with climate change and rising global authoritarianism both at the top of the list. Democratic governments and NGOs have made some headway in addressing these challenges, but unfortunately they have also proven inadequate or insufficient to handle the scale of adversity we face. Yet opportunity remains. When conventional wisdom fails and standard responses seem broken, people can become open to new ideas and innovation, unified in the face of shared threats, and mobilized to play offense. […]

The more I read and the more I conversed with Somalilander women, the more I came to admire their sense of fraternity—by which I mean the social bond that unites all of us as part of the human family. Fraternity allowed these women to surpass clan differences and the limitations of a traditionally patriarchal Muslim society. As we approach the next presidential Somaliland elections in July (originally scheduled for last November), we are reminded of the delicate nature of transitions to peace and democracy—and the important role of women’s power in consolidating those dynamic processes. […]

Whenever I listen to Quintana’s Cancion Sin Miedo, I feel the urge for change. As pointed out by Marshall Ganz, narratives are the art of creating emotions that translate values into actions. When I began participating in movements in El Salvador, every march and action was accompanied by songs from Torogoces de Morazan, Violeta Parra, Residente, and many others. I noticed that the idea of another world in Latin America has always been accompanied by music and creative languages of resistance that create new meanings, make the invisible visible, and invite us to dream, fight, feel, and change. […]