In spite of the need, there is a lack of strong national and sub-regional institutions and CSOs that can produce evidence and provide technical support to Ethiopia’s peacebuilding process.  By the same token, except for a few countries in Africa, there is a complete absence of strong local and Sub-regional CSOs and think tanks that can play a convening role to the local weak CSOs and bridge a conversation and coordinated action among the national CSOs, citizen movements and sub-regional institutions. ACT is therefore established to bridge these gaps and install integrated and evidence-based cross-thematic perspectives towards preventing and transforming violent transitions.

In light of the foregoing, ACT’s theory of change is that if the decision-makers and the public are better informed and supported by actions that envisage a short, medium, and long-term impact that relies on pre-emptive and root-causes-based research and policy, they will be better able to curb the path to violent transitions or transform violent transition into a lasting peace. This theory of change is informed by an understanding that violent transitions do not happen out of the blue and do not go away overnight. This understanding, in turn, translates the theory of change into an operational approach that could be referred to as ‘Present to ACT and ACT before, during and after violent transitions’.  Accordingly, ACT envisions itself as a Civil Society Organization that is: 

  • Present in transitional situations:  ACT is present in Ethiopia, and it will strive to be a CSO that is present in African countries to work closely with communities and decision-makers. In communities where it does not have an actual and significant presence, ACT works with local civil society groups to enhance their activities.

  • ACTs before violent transitions occur: It evaluates trend and situation analysis to identify the multidimensional factors that would lead to violent transitions and preemptively engage in activities such as advocacy and capacity building to curb a state’s journey towards violent transitions.

  • ACTs during a period of violent transitions: ACT aims at helping society move towards a peaceful transition and effective implementation of transitional justice measures. It also works on issues such as corruption and a breakdown of the rule of law during a protracted transitional process.

  • ACTs after the transitional period: ACT support transitional societies to ensure that transitional measures and promises are translated into policies and practices that guarantee the non-recurrence of violence and violent transitions.

In spite of the need, there is a lack of strong national and sub-regional institutions and CSOs that can produce evidence and provide technical support to Ethiopia’s peacebuilding process.  By the same token, except for a few countries in Africa, there is a complete absence of strong local and Sub-regional CSOs and think tanks that can play a convening role to the local weak CSOs and bridge a conversation and coordinated action among the national CSOs, citizen movements and sub-regional institutions. ACT is therefore established to bridge these gaps and install integrated and evidence-based cross-thematic perspectives towards preventing and transforming violent transitions.

In light of the foregoing, ACT’s theory of change is that if the decision-makers and the public are better informed and supported by actions that envisage a short, medium, and long-term impact that relies on pre-emptive and root-causes-based research and policy, they will be better able to curb the path to violent transitions or transform violent transition into a lasting peace. This theory of change is informed by an understanding that violent transitions do not happen out of the blue and do not go away overnight. This understanding, in turn, translates the theory of change into an operational approach that could be referred to as ‘Present to ACT and ACT before, during and after violent transitions’.  Accordingly, ACT envisions itself as a Civil Society Organization that is: 

  • Present in transitional situations:  ACT is present in Ethiopia, and it will strive to be a CSO that is present in African countries to work closely with communities and decision-makers. In communities where it does not have an actual and significant presence, ACT works with local civil society groups to enhance their activities.

  • ACTs before violent transitions occur: It evaluates trend and situation analysis to identify the multidimensional factors that would lead to violent transitions and preemptively engage in activities such as advocacy and capacity building to curb a state’s journey towards violent transitions.

  • ACTs during a period of violent transitions: ACT aims at helping society move towards a peaceful transition and effective implementation of transitional justice measures. It also works on issues such as corruption and a breakdown of the rule of law during a protracted transitional process.

  • ACTs after the transitional period: ACT support transitional societies to ensure that transitional measures and promises are translated into policies and practices that guarantee the non-recurrence of violence and violent transitions.