Welcome
to the
Creating
Safer Space
research network.

We strengthen civilian capacities for
nonviolent (self-)protection in
conflict-affected areas.

Creating Safer Space is an international research and impact collaboration, which aims to understand and support unarmed civilian protection and self-protection amidst violent conflict. We support research that explores how violence against civilians can be deterred or prevented by civilians without the use or threat of force.

Our aim is to strengthen civilian capacities for protection and to support local efforts to transform conflict nonviolently as a basis for lasting, sustainable peace with social justice. The network is funded by the UKRI AHRC Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Collective Programme (Network Plus).

14 October 2025

Launch of UCP Academy: A new online learning platform on unarmed protection

On the occasion of Geneva Peace Week 2025, Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) officially launched UCP Academy, an...

10 October 2025

Re-launch of the UCP Knowledge Database

The former UCP Research Database is now the UCP Knowledge Database! Developed by Creating Safer Space...

26 September 2025

Youndé practitioners workshop on community-led UCP in Cameroon

The Cameroon team organised a practitioners workshop in Yaoundé on 19 March 2025, entitled ‘Strengthening...

7 September 2025

New Policy Briefs on Violence and Protection in Rakhine State, Myanmar

The project team of “Exploring Community Perceptions and Coping Strategies on Violence in Rakhine State,...

6 September 2025

New journal article “Art That Protects”

Beatriz Arias López and Laura Jiménez Ospina, of the project “Art That Protects“, have published...

10 August 2025

CSS researchers in podcast on “Civilian agency, armed groups and international law”

Several Creating Safer Space project researchers contributed to the series “Civilian agency, armed groups and...

9 August 2025

Shadow to Strength: New documentary, panel discussion, and art clips

In December 2024, the project “Nonviolent Artivism Against Police Brutality in Kenya” held a powerful...

6 August 2025

New documentary mini-series “Shared knowledge on community self-protection in Colombia”

The documentary mini-series “Shared Knowledge on Community Self-Protection” sought to promote knowledge exchange between representatives...

{ Herding Cattle, Kenya. By Davida3 }
who are we