What We Do
Our Approach

Empowering Everyone as Agents of Peace
Breaking the Cycle of Violence

Accept International is a Japan-based international NGO dedicated to breaking the cycle of violence in conflict-affected countries around the world. We work with people directly affected by armed conflict and terrorism, including those who have been involved in non-state armed groups, empowering them to become Agents of Peace.

Through innovative approaches to conflict resolution and international advocacy, we are building new pathways to sustainable peace to the world.

In a divided world, we face countless challenges arising from armed conflicts and terrorism, resulting in devastating loss of life, forced displacement, and widespread human rights violations against vulnerable communities. These crises are perpetuated by cycles of violence, often fueled by approaches rooted in retaliation and the continuation of conflict. Unless this cycle of violence is broken, achieving lasting peace will remain impossible.

Our work focuses on those most affected by armed conflict, including individuals seeking to disengage from non-state armed groups, vulnerable children, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and others experiencing social exclusion in humanitarian crises. We believe that sustainable peace requires innovative, human rights-based approaches that enable individuals to break free from cycles of violence and empower them to become Agents of Peace.

In conflict-affected contexts, we support the voluntary disengagement of individuals from non-state armed groups, including so-called violent extremist organisations, and provide comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration programmes through psychosocial support, education, and vocational training. Together with participants from our programmes, we also deliver humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected communities and support reconciliation efforts that foster long-term social cohesion.

Beyond our field programmes, we work to advance international norms and policies that promote disengagement from violence and recognise Youth in Armed Conflic, including Youth Associated with Non-State Armed Groups (YANSAG) as potential Agents of Peace. We believe that their lived experiences and meaningful empowerment are essential to achieving sustainable peace.

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Where We Operate

We take action in contexts where armed conflict and violent extremism pose the greatest challenges, particularly in areas often overlooked by the international community. Our countries of operation include Somalia, Yemen, Kenya, Indonesia, Colombia, and Palestine.

In addition to our field programmes in conflict-affected countries, we conduct global advocacy, policy engagement, and research from New York, Geneva, and Oxford. Through these efforts, we work to advance international norms that protect the rights of YANSAG and promote their meaningful empowerment as Agents of Peace.

Beyond our core programme countries, we also work closely with conflict-affected communities and local partners in South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Mali, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Lebanon, Iraq, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Philippines, Haiti, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Northern Ireland.

Selected Initiatives for Individuals Engaged in Armed Conflicts

In addition to our work in Somalia and Yemen, we implement programmes in conflict-affected countries including Kenya, Indonesia, and Colombia. Our work supports people seeking to disengage from non-state armed groups, individuals in detention, and others affected by armed conflict.

  • Defection Promotion

    Working closely with local authorities, security actors, and communities, we facilitate the voluntary disengagement of individuals from non-state armed groups by providing trusted information, creating safe pathways for disengagement, and conducting community outreach in frontline areas.

  • Care Counseling

    We support individuals in rebuilding their identities and creating new goals by listening to the challenges they face and working together with them to explore peaceful ways to address those challenges.

  • Vocational Training

    We provide vocational training in locally in-demand job skills and support participants in applying these skills in practice, helping them build sustainable livelihoods.

  • Religious and Ideological Reflection

    Rather than directly rejecting the beliefs and narratives they have been exposed to, we seek to gradually broaden their understanding and foster critical thinking and openness to diverse perspectives through dialogue on themes such as reconciliation with society, forgiveness, peace, and non-violence.

Accept International’s RPA Model

Our approach to working with conflict-affected individuals is based on our independently developed RPA Model.

Rather than seeking to unilaterally change or correct individuals, the model is built on our core philosophy of engaging with each person as a fellow human being, understanding their individual experiences, and empowering them to become Agents of Peace.

  • The RPA Model gained international recognition when it was selected as an innovative solution to global challenges at the 2020 Paris Peace Forum. Attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, the UN Secretary-General, and numerous heads of state, the prestigious forum showcased pioneering approaches to addressing global challenges. Notably, the RPA Model was the first initiative from Japan to be selected for the programme.

Examples of Initiatives for Palestine

As a response to the deteriorating situation in Palestine since October 2023, we have started working in the area as a specialized organization for conflict resolution and peacebuilding. See below for more details on these efforts.

  • Dialogue Meeting for a New Peace

    In order to help heal divisions in Palestine and forge a new path to peace, we work with young leaders from major political parties, organizations, and civil society to build a renewed peace process.

  • Emergency Humanitarian Assistance in the Gaza Strip

    In coordination with the United Nations, other NGOs, and young leaders, we are delivering emergency humanitarian assistance in Gaza’s refugee camps—including sanitation improvements, food distribution, and water supply—to help protect lives at immediate risk.

Examples of Our Engagement with Local and Global Communities

We also undertake a range of initiatives to support conflict-affected communities and contribute to the broader international community.

  • Reconciliation Sessions with Local Communities

    To promote mutual understanding between local communities and former inmates, we hold monthly reconciliation sessions with community leaders and individuals who have completed their sentences. During these sessions, former inmates share the complex circumstances that shaped their pathways to joining armed groups, as well as their experiences in detention, while engaging in dialogue with community members as fellow members of society. Through these exchanges, we help foster the foundations for reconciliation and social reintegration.

  • Emergency Assistance for Victims and Survivors of Armed Conflicts

    We provide essential emergency assistance, including water, food, and medicine, tailored to the specific needs of communities affected by armed conflict and humanitarian crises. By engaging former combatants in these relief efforts, we also support the rebuilding of trust and foster reconciliation between them and local communities.

  • Advocacy for Establishing International Norms

    Recognizing that Youth Associated with Non-State Armed Groups (YANSAG) are both vulnerable individuals and potential Agents of Peace, we advocate globally for the recognition of their rights and the promotion of their meaningful empowerment.

    While Children Associated with Armed Forces and Armed Groups (CAAFAG) benefit from specific protections under international child protection frameworks, many young people who were recruited or used as children and reached adulthood while remaining associated with these groups continue to be largely overlooked by the international community. This critical gap risks perpetuating cycles of violence.

    By 2031, we aim to contribute to the establishment of international norms that safeguard their rights, recognize their unique potential as Agents of Peace, and promote their empowerment to achieving sustainable peace for young people affected by armed conflict.

  • Former Member of Al-Shabaab

    Nor Ali Hassan

    At the age of 17, after his younger brother was killed by government forces, Nor Ali joined Al-Shabaab seeking revenge. He served as a combatant for two years before being arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison. While incarcerated, he participated in our rehabilitation program, became a model prisoner, and earned a reduction in his sentence, leading to his release in 2023. Today, he works with our organization to help break the cycle of violence in his community.

  • Former Member of the Houthis

    Yaser Hassan

    Yuan was forcibly recruited by the Houthis at the age of 15 during the conflict that began in 2014. After receiving weapons training and being deployed to the frontlines, he decided to flee. He eventually reunited with his father in a safer area where many former Houthi combatants had surrendered. This reunion, and the new perspective on life it gave him, motivated him to pursue a peaceful future. Today, he uses his skills in solar panel installation to help communities affected by chronic power shortages.

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