Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has lived with conflict for decades. Armed groups, displacement and cycles of violence have made daily life deeply challenging for communities across the region. In Beni, local network Beni Peace Forum (BPF) brings together organisations working across human rights, development and peacebuilding, with a focus on identifying and responding to tensions before they escalate.

Their early warning, early response (EWER) system works because it is rooted in local knowledge. BPF's members know their communities. That knowledge is shared with provincial and local authorities, giving decision makers the facts they need to act early.

Since its introduction, community confidence in the alert system has grown with a 40% rise in community reports. Numerous incidents that could have turned violent have been prevented. Behind those numbers are real situations that didn't escalate, families that weren't caught in the middle, communities that stayed safe.

BPF has also been honest about where its own work needs to improve. Women's participation in member organisations had fallen short. BPF organised a workshop to identify potential barriers to participation and address this directly. The same proactiveness extended to other marginalised groups, including people with disabilities. Having identified these gaps, BPF is now putting improvements into practice.

In a region where outside interventions have repeatedly fallen short, BPF shows what local peacebuilders can achieve when they are trusted and resourced to lead: not through force, but through knowledge, relationships and sustained presence in the communities they serve.