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Rift Valley Institute

Making local knowledge work

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Electoral Processes

Electoral processes

Aims This programme comprises a series of studies of electoral processes and politics in Eastern and Central Africa. It aims to provide those involved in elections—electoral officials, civil society organisations, election monitors, donor agencies and others working in the…
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Harlem-based Somali novelist Abdi Latif Ega, author of 'Guban'. Picture by Kate Stanworth

Hargeysa Cultural Centre

Background In 2008, the Redsea Cultural Foundation and Kayd, Somali diaspora organisations in Italy and the UK, joined ranks to establish the Hargeysa International Book Fair. Now in its fourteenth year, the Fair has grown to become one of…
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Political settlements research programme

Background  How do so-called fragile states exercise and maintain political power? What actors and institutions are involved in this process? How do they distribute the spoils of power amongst the elite and the population at large? These questions lie…
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Usalama Project

Usalama Project

The RVI Usalama Project The eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has been mired in violence for two decades and continues to be plagued by rampant insecurity. Yet, the drivers of this insecurity remain poorly understood. The Usalama Project…
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Strengthening the leadership and influence of women in politics in Kenya

Women in politics in Kenya

When Kenyans voted in favour of a new constitution in the 2010 referendum, they endorsed many considerable changes to the country’s political, legal and institutional landscape. This included the introduction of a quota system intended to limit the domination…
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The Impact of War on Somali Men

The Impact of War on Somali Men

The Rift Valley Institute’s Impact of War on Somali Men (IWM) study is a project which fills a critical knowledge gap on the impact of war and state collapse on Somali men and manhood. It provides important insights for…
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Rift Valley Forum

Rift Valley Forum

Aims of the Project The Rift Valley Forum for Research, Policy and Local Knowledge, previously the Nairobi Forum, was established in 2012 to provide a new space for critical discussion of political, economic and social issues in Eastern and…
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Contested Borderlands

Contested Borderlands

Aims of the Project The Contested Borderlands reports are authoritative studies of borders and border communities in Eastern and Central Africa, informed by historical archive work and anthropological field research. The series brings local knowledge and academic rigour to…
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Juba Lecture Series

Juba Lecture Series

The Project Since 2010, the RVI has organized an annual series of public lectures at the University of Juba. These lectures are designed to promote public discussion of emerging political and cultural issues in South Sudan. The lectures are co-hosted…
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  • Recent Publications

    EWNET Writes: Writing Workshop Session I

    December 18, 2025

    The Ethiopian Women Researchers Network (EWNET) inaugural writing workshop series aims to not only provide women researchers with uninterrupted time for their scholarly projects, but also build a supportive academic community. The first session, entitled ‘EWNET Writes: Writing Workshop Session

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    Aid and Conflict Sensitivity in Contemporary Ethiopia

    November 17, 2025

    This study assesses conflict sensitivity practices among humanitarian, development and peacebuilding (HDP) actors in Ethiopia. It seeks to raise awareness and foster a deeper understanding of the evolving aid landscape in the country while analysing the challenges that affect conflict-sensitive

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