Youth Peace Team Tackles Domestic Violence in South Mosul

"Now I feel great relief and joy after resolving the issue with my father."

In the town of Qayyarah, South Mosul, years of conflict and occupation by armed groups have left deep scars on its residents. While traditional social norms and customs are cherished, some harmful practices—like the normalization of domestic violence—persist. Many cases of domestic abuse go unreported, with survivors, particularly women and children, lacking safe networks to seek help.

As one Community Peace Team (CPT) member from Imam Gharbi Village explains: "It is shameful in our community for others to know about family issues or problems that result in societal violence.”

In response, Youth Peace Teams are stepping up to address domestic violence through nonviolent intervention and multi-track dialogue, challenging harmful norms and promoting sustainable peace in South Mosul.

Ahmed and Ali

Four years ago, a family conflict erupted into domestic violence between Ahmed* and his son Ali*, leaving their relationship in tatters. Ahmed held onto his anger by refusing to give Ali his identification document (ID), an act that had far-reaching consequences.

Without an ID, Ali's children couldn’t enroll in school, his family was denied monthly government food rations, and movement through checkpoints became a significant challenge. Facing such difficulties and obstacles left Ali and his family in a state of frustration, hopelessness, and psychological distress.

"My financial situation is very weak, and I struggle greatly to support my family," shared Ali. "When I look at my children without IDs and deprived of food rations, I feel despair and sorrow. I fear they will lose their education."

Ali’s attempts to reconcile with his father often ended in arguments, worsening the rift. Ahmed remained insistent on punishing him for old family issues and refused to provide the necessary civil documents.

Building Trust Through Dialogue and Community Action

While facilitating a session to the community in Imam Gharbi village, the Youth Peace Team—a team of women and men youth community members trained by NP—decided to offer support in resolving the family dispute.

"When I learned about this problem between Ahmed and Ali, I was encouraged and determined to intervene and help end this violence using the nonviolent methods I learned from NP." -CPT member, Imam Gharbi village, South Mosul

With assistance from NP staff, the community-led teams developed a plan and suggestions for nonviolent intervention methods involving multi-track dialogue between the parties. The first step was to set up several separate individual conversations with Ahmed and Ali. This helped set the stage for a joint meeting between the father and son. 

The Youth Peace Team then convinced Ahmed to engage in reconciliation by reminding him of the negative consequences that had affected Ali's family, notably his children, who were deprived of education and food supplies. The team also involved a well-respected community leader with a strong relationship with Ahmed to encourage him to proceed with the reconciliation process.

The combination of all these efforts led Ahmed to reconcile with Ali. After more than four years, Ahmed agreed to provide the documents to his son, who was finally able to renew his ID, issue IDs for his children, enroll them in school, and obtain a ration card.

"Now I feel great relief and joy after resolving the issue with my father and obtaining the civil documents. My children will go to school freely, and I will receive monthly food supplies. Thanks to the CPT for reporting my case and thanks to the Sheikh and everyone who contributed to solving the problem." -Ali, Son of Ahmed

Interrupting Cycles of Conflict, Sustaining Peace

Ahmed and Ali’s story highlights the intergenerational effects of violence and the potential for community-led efforts to break these cycles. Today, Ali’s children attend school and receive monthly government food assistance thanks to the IDs and ration card, and the family can now move freely at checkpoints. This outcome challenges deeply entrenched societal norms that view domestic violence as a private matter, encouraging a cultural shift toward recognizing and addressing these issues for the well-being of all.

Their story also underscores the transformative power of nonviolent, civilian-led methods to resolve conflicts. Through the training provided by NP, Youth Peace Teams have enhanced necessary skills to address conflicts within their communities nonviolently. By mobilizing community-based groups and facilitating multi-track dialogues, these teams interrupted the cycle of violence and restored relationships, demonstrating the power of nonviolence in creating lasting change.

Moreover, the successful intervention highlights the importance of engaging with duty bearers, such as respected community leaders, to strengthen accountability and support for reconciliation efforts. This approach not only resolved a specific family dispute but also set a precedent for how similar conflicts can be transformed through local leadership, collaboration, and nonviolent action—paving the way for sustainable peace and resilience in the community.

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*Names have been changed for privacy and confidentiality purposes