Take five: “Ending violence begins with building peace”

For nearly three decades, Nguyễn Vân Anh has worked on preventing and responding to gender-based violence in Viet Nam through counselling, shelters, hotlines and community programmes, as the founder and director of the Center for Research and Applied Science on Gender, Family, Women and Adolescents (CSAGA). Through her engagement with the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, she found a new way of understanding that work, as building peace in everyday life.

What struck you most when you first engaged with the WPS agenda?

I didn’t immediately see how WPS connected our work at CSAGA. We focus on gender-based violence, domestic violence and sexual harassment – immediate and personal issues affecting women’s lives.

But as I engaged more deeply, I found a meaningful connection. It helped me see that at the end of the day, what survivors seek isn’t simply justice on paper – they seek safety, calm, dignity and peace in their daily lives.

How has that perspective changed the way CSAGA approaches its work?

WPS challenged us to think beyond responding to suffering. Today, our mission is about inspiring a life of peace and happiness – a life free from violence and discrimination.

That is a very different starting point. One begins with pain; the other begins with happiness.

We want people to see that every woman and girl deserves a peaceful, joyful and dignified life – not simply recovery after harm, but the chance to live fully and safely from the start.

What does this peace-centred approach mean in practice?

It means recognizing that ending violence is not only about punishment – it is also about transformation. We need empathy – to understand what wounds people carry, what beliefs shaped them, and how patriarchy, harmful social norms or poor education may have influenced them.

It also requires negotiation – in how conflict is handled, how boundaries are respected and even how people part ways – because the period before and after divorce or a breakup can be one of the most dangerous. How people communicate in those moments can determine whether conflict escalates into violence.

For us, peace means moving away from hatred and revenge, and towards healing, understanding, respect and transformation.

What is the greatest challenge in advancing this approach?

The greatest challenge is that empathy is often misunderstood as leniency, or excusing their actions. That is not our intention. Accountability matters. But accountability and empathy can co-exist.

We can uphold the law while also asking: How do we stop violence from repeating? How do we address the root causes? Those who use violence may also be victims – of harmful systems, of history and of the environments that shaped them.

That can be difficult for society to accept, because punishment feels immediate, while transformation is slower and harder. But lasting peace requires deeper change.

How is CSAGA helping make that change possible?

Through our hotlines and support centres, we help survivors access support, find safety and start rebuilding peace in their lives.

We work with young people to help them recognize controlling behaviours, understand healthy boundaries, build respectful relationships and separate safely when relationships end.

We also engage men – including those who’ve used violence – through programmes such as the “Good Husband, Good Father” club, creating spaces for reflection, dialogue and learning around gender equality, family relationships, healthier ways of living together and economic well-being.

Women are also active contributors to peace. I’ve seen survivors of domestic violence go on to become leaders in their communities, inspiring others to live without fear and protect their dignity.