The Women’s International Peace Centre (formerly Isis-WICCE) is deeply saddened by the passing of Mrs. Jessica Babihuga-Nkuuhe, whose contribution to the organisation and to peacebuilding across communities will remain part of our collective history.
For a significant part of her career, Jessica worked alongside us at the Peace Centre, serving as Associate Director and Coordinator of the Women’s Situation Room. In these roles, she brought a distinct way of thinking and an unwavering commitment to addressing the violence that continues to destroy communities and deeply affect women and young people.
With Jessica, we spent long nights completing funding proposals, travelled through fragile and conflict-affected countries to promote peace, and carried the shared concern of whether our work would create the change communities urgently needed. She initiated several projects driven by a desire to restore hope and dignity and to place smiles back on the faces of communities living through difficult realities.
Together with colleagues at the Peace Centre, Jessica challenged systems of power, opened conversations on peace and security, and pushed through spaces of leadership to demand recognition and response to the realities women face during conflict and war.
Jessica also trained and mentored agents of change across Africa, Asia, and Europe. Her warmth, encouragement, and belief in communities left a lasting impact on many people she encountered through this work.
Her dedication was never carried alone. During demanding periods of work and field missions, her spouse and family stood firmly beside her. At the Peace Centre, the Babihuga family was a constant presence in stories of support, care, and solidarity. Their unwavering support throughout Jessica’s life and during her illness is something we remain deeply grateful for.
We also extend our gratitude to the Nkuuhe and Babihuga families, and to Urgent Action Fund for the support extended towards Jessica’s health needs.
Jessica’s life and work remain woven into the Peace Centre’s journey, and into the many communities and individuals she walked alongside in pursuit of peace and justice.
