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).

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...

1 August 2025

New brochure and videos on participatory action research (PAR) in Colombia

The team of the project “Community strategies for Unarmed Civilian Protection in South-West Colombia: local...

30 July 2025

New project report on civilian protection in Uasin Gishu, Kenya

Team members Clinton Gwako and Selline Korir of the project Strengthening Local Capacities for Unarmed...

28 July 2025

New article on protective artistic networks in Medellin, Colombia

Team members of the project Art that Protects, phase 2: Networks as strategies for self-protection...

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