What We Do

Turning Conflict Into Cooperation—Where It Matters Most

Violent conflict is one of the greatest challenges of our time. It tears communities apart, fuels humanitarian crises, and leaves deep wounds that don’t heal on their own.

At Search for Common Ground, we work in some of the world’s most fragile and conflict-affected places to help people move from violence to cooperation. We don’t take sides. We bring people together—across differences—to build practical, lasting solutions to conflict.

For more than 40 years, we’ve partnered with local leaders and communities to address the root causes of violence and help societies move toward peace.

How We Turn Conflict Into Progress

Peace doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built—carefully, locally, and with trust. Here’s how we do it:

We Lead Locally:

Lasting peace can’t be imported. That’s why we work through local leaders, organizations, and communities who understand the conflict—and the culture—best.

Local leadership is also central to our commitment to conflict sensitivity and “Do No Harm.” By grounding our work in local knowledge, we design programs that reduce tensions rather than unintentionally making them worse.

We Build Multipartial Coalitions:

Conflict is rarely just between two sides. We bring together diverse stakeholders—community leaders, youth, women, religious figures, media, and institutions—to find solutions that work for everyone involved.

We Rebuild Trust:

Violence destroys trust. We help communities rebuild it through dialogue, mediation, and collaboration—creating space for people to solve problems together instead of through force.

We Strengthen Social Vital Signs:

Peace depends on everyday systems—media, governance, education, and markets. We strengthen these “social vital signs” so cooperation becomes part of daily life, not just a one-time intervention.

We Elevate Stories That Shift Mindsets:

Through media, storytelling, and community engagement, we amplify voices that challenge stereotypes, reduce fear, and show what cooperation looks like in practice.

Our Impact in Active Conflict Zones

Donors want to know: Does this work?
The answer is yes—and we measure it carefully.

By the Numbers

• Millions of people reached each year through peace-focused media programming

• Thousands of community leaders trained in dialogue, mediation, and conflict prevention

• Independent evaluations showing measurable reductions in hostility and increases in trust and cooperation

What This Looks Like in Practice

Supporting Women Peacebuilders in Pakistan
In deeply divided communities, women peacebuilders reached more than 13,000 people—helping resolve local disputes, reduce tensions, and strengthen community trust.

Advancing Women’s Leadership in Burundi
Women leaders trained by Search increased their participation in local peace processes, leading to improved community dialogue and reduced conflict escalation.

Strengthening Youth and Women’s Participation in South Sudan
Young women gained skills and access to local and national peace processes—building pathways away from violence and toward inclusive decision-making.

Each of these efforts was independently evaluated and adjusted over time to ensure they were effective and conflict-sensitive.

👉 View all evaluations and reports

Our Commitment to Conflict Sensitivity (“Do No Harm”)

Working in conflict zones carries real risks. Every Search program is designed with a clear commitment to avoiding harm and reducing tensions.

We apply conflict sensitivity at every stage:

• Design: Local conflict analysis and risk assessment

• Implementation: Continuous feedback from communities

• Evaluation: Independent assessments to understand what worked—and what didn’t

This disciplined approach ensures our work contributes to peace, not unintended harm.

Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Aid: What’s the Difference?

Humanitarian aid saves lives in moments of crisis—providing food, shelter, and medical care.

Peacebuilding complements this work by addressing why violence happens in the first place.

At Search, we focus on:

• Preventing violence before it escalates

• Rebuilding trust after conflict

• Strengthening the systems that help communities resolve disputes peacefully
  

Together, humanitarian aid and peacebuilding help communities move from crisis to long-term stability.

The World’s Largest Peacebuilding Organization

Search for Common Ground works all around the world in more than 30 countries, partnering with communities facing some of the most complex conflicts in the world.

We believe conflict is inevitable—but violence is not.
With the right support, communities can choose cooperation over division.