Mona Omer Hassan

Peace-building - Sudan (Horn of Africa)

Tribal and ethnic conflicts, extensive poverty and disease, the proliferation of small arms…these are just some of the challenges facing Mona Omer in her work with the Sudanese Society for Children and Development. Attempts to build peace have not been easy due to a pervasive “culture of violence and war.”

Yet Mona believes that “a culture of peace” is not only a possibility, but also a supreme necessity for her war-torn nation. To achieve this, Mona stresses the importance of human rights education. Her approach emphasises community development through raising awareness of current human rights abuses and promoting mutual respect among individuals, above all the “respect for life.” With this foundation, a value system is built, which in turn affects attitudes, behaviour and way of life.

OIYP2004 brought Mona into contact with people who work with ethnic minorities and in particular with young people. She believes that these are two major areas where human rights education must develop if the cycle of violence is to be broken.