Ruth Ochieng: Women Make Peace

Ruth Ochieng is a Ugandan peace activist, gender justice advocate, and expert in post conflict transformation. She served as the executive director of Isis Women’s International Cross Cultural Exchange (Isis-WICCE, now WIPC), a Kampala-based women’s resource center that moved from Geneva to Uganda in 1993 to address the root causes of gender-based violence and conflict. She and her team documented cases of sexual violence and pioneered holistic survivor centered programs, integrating medical, psychological, and economic support to help women heal and rebuild their lives. Our contributor, Nina Valenbreder, recently interviewed Ruth about her trajectory to a career in peace building initiatives, lessons she has learned about the role of grandmothers in restoring resilience in post-conflict environments, and the legacy she plans to leave behind.