Our people — Peace Insight

Peace Insight is managed by Peace Direct staff based in the UK:

Jennifer Venis, Senior Communications Officer

Jennifer is responsible for implementing our cross-organisational communications strategy. She works across teams to facilitate production of key publications and support the development of messages for all our audiences. She is the commissioning editor of the Peace Insight platform, holding core responsibility for content development.

Jennifer has a background in journalism, focusing on human rights and international justice, and was formerly the Multimedia Journalist and Content Editor at the International Bar Association - the members' body for legal professionals worldwide. She has two degrees in creative writing. Contact: jennifer.venis@peacedirect.org

Raaval Bains, Research Officer

Raaval is responsible for supporting Peace Direct’s research work on Decolonising the System. He facilitates online Platform4Dialogue discussions, conducts qualitative data analysis and drafts research reports. His work currently focuses on the “Decolonising Peacebuilding Practice” research project as well as supporting on the “Local Voices for Peace” and USAID funded “Stopping As Success” projects.

Raaval has previously worked on research projects that advocate for the decolonisation of secondary school education in the U.K. Raaval holds an M.A in Social Anthropology with a focus on identity and belonging in ethnic minorities from SOAS, University of London and a B.A in History from the University of Cardiff.

Peace Insight staff work with a team of local contacts from around the world.

Local Correspondents

Local correspondents play a key role in the Peace Insight initiative. They produce editorial content and stories of interest on peacebuilding in their contexts. Their writing, featured in the 'Articles' section of our site, demonstrates the impact of local peacebuilding work, and tells the stories of how local peacebuilders are adapting and responding to recent dynamics around the world.

Ashima Kaul Ashima coordinates the organisation Yakjah in their work in Jammu and Kashmir. An independent journalist by profession, she has an active interest in interfaith dialogue.

Local peacebuilding experts

Local peacebuilding experts are a key part of the Peace Insight initiative. They submit quarterly updates shared on the 'Articles' section of the website, which shed light on peacebuilding work taking place in their contexts. In addition to contributing engaging content and stories on peacebuilding, they provide information and updates on peacebuilding groups featured on the site.

Boubacar Thera is Peace Direct’s Local Peacebuilding Expert in Mali. Boubacar is Programme Officer at the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF). He is the former national coordinator for the West African Network for Peace in Mali (WANEP). In addition, he is a doctoral researcher in public law at Cheikh Anta Diop University (Dakar, Senegal) and the University of Legal and Political Sciences of Bamako (Mali). Prior to this he worked for a variety of NGOs and other organisations, and as an interpreter.

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