Diana Kirungi is a social worker and researcher and the founding Director of the Great Lakes Union for Inclusive Development (GUIDE), a non-profit organization in Uganda dedicated to promoting peace, governance and development processes that are responsive to the needs of women and girls, persons with disabilities and refugees. With a bachelor’s degree in social and community development, Diana has empowered community paralegals in the Rwenzori region in legal education to defend women’s land rights.
Throughout her career, Diana has led advocacy and community outreach programs in areas such as young migrant rights, child welfare, and women’s leadership. At the helm of GUIDE since 2017, Diana has used documentaries, workshops, and counselling to increase awareness of sexual and reproductive health rights of refugees and improve access to support services for refugee survivors of sexual violence in Bidibidi, Kiryandongo, Nakivale and Rwamwanja refugee settlements. In the wake of the 2014 ethnic conflicts in the Rwenzori region, Diana, working with Community Aid International, created “The Children’s Safe Space” to which 52 children were temporarily evacuated, sheltered, and received peace education for five months.
Since 2022 Diana has been leading a project focused on training women counselors in security risks associated with climate change and training refugee women community groups in climate-informed conflict analysis and peace negotiation skills.