The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security

What The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security does

The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security is a Canadian non-governmental organization founded in 2007 by retired Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire, former Force Commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda. Headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and hosted at Dalhousie University, the Institute employs approximately 57 staff across a network of offices spanning Canada (Ottawa partnership with Canadian Armed Forces), Rwanda (African Centre of Excellence), Uruguay (Latin American Centre of Excellence, launched November 2022), the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, and South Sudan. Its mission is to prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict and violence by bridging security and humanitarian perspectives through training, research, policy advocacy, and community engagement.

The Institute's core products include the Handbook for Defence and Security Sector Actors on the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Children by Armed Forces and Armed Groups (now in its fourth edition, available in five languages); the Early Warning to Early Action System, a predictive model testing at 86% accuracy based on four indicators and supported by a 16-institution consortium producing data on Non-State Armed Groups; the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers, a policy framework co-developed and custodied by the Institute; the Allons-Y Journal of Children, Peace and Security; the Children, Peace and Security Podcast; and the Moral Injury Research Program. Capacity-building training programs are delivered in-person through the regional Centres of Excellence to security sector actors including military, police, peacekeepers, intelligence services, and corrections personnel, as well as to civil society organizations and formerly affected youth.

The Institute operates as a non-profit with all training, publications, and resources provided free of charge to security sector actors, governments, and civil society. Revenue is generated exclusively through individual donations (including consumer-facing partnerships such as Peace by Chocolate), government and multilateral grants, and strategic partnerships with universities and international organizations. Its primary go-to-market is event- and relationship-driven, anchored by the annual Knowledge for Prevention Symposium, Red Hand Day commemorations, regional workshops, and policy advocacy events aimed at troop-contributing countries and national defence ministries.

Name

The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security

Legal name

The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security

Website

https://dallaireinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security is a Canadian non-governmental organization that develops training, research, and policy tools to prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, serving security sector actors, national defence ministries, the UN, and civil society across Africa, the Americas, and beyond.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Protection and Peacebuilding Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG), Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response (BPAGAAAG)

Keywords

• Child protection training
• Security sector capacity building
• Peace and security research
• Armed conflict prevention
• Early warning systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Halifax, Nova Scotia

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The Institute raises funds through direct donations from individuals, including a chocolate bar partnership with Peace by Chocolate where $1 per bar supports their work.
2. Government and Institutional Grants: Funding from governments and international organizations to support training programs, research initiatives, and policy advocacy work.
3. Strategic Partnerships: Collaborative partnerships with governments, universities, and international organizations that contribute resources and support to the Institute's mission.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security delivers research-driven training programs, policy frameworks, and an early warning system to prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict. Its core offerings include scenario-based security sector training, the multilingual Defence and Security Sector Handbook, the Vancouver Principles, the Early Warning to Early Action predictive system, regional Centres of Excellence, and advocacy and research publications.

Product overview

The Dallaire Institute offers a portfolio of products and services focused on preventing the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict. Core offerings include: the Handbook for Defence and Security Sector Actors (4th Edition, 2024) available in multiple languages as the foundational training publication; the Early Warning to Early Action System providing predictive analytics on recruitment risk; the Vancouver Principles policy framework; and the Allons-Y journal. The organization operates through regional Centres of Excellence (African Centre of Excellence in Rwanda, Latin American Centre of Excellence in Uruguay) that deliver capacity building programs, community engagement initiatives, and applied research including moral injury studies. Additional offerings include the Children, Peace and Security podcast and specialized publications on maritime piracy. These products and services work together to provide a holistic approach bridging security and humanitarian perspectives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Allons-Y: Annual publication (2016-2023) focused on supporting the implementation of the Vancouver Principles, featuring commentaries and peer-reviewed research and policy articles
• Handbook for Defence and Security Sector Actors on the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Children by Armed Forces and Armed Groups
• Early Warning to Early Action
• Vancouver Principles
• Children, Peace and Security Podcast

Products and services

• Handbook for Defence and Security Sector Actors on the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Children by Armed Forces and Armed Groups (Fourth Edition) A comprehensive training handbook for security-focused organizations engaged in peace operations, including troop-contributing countries, host nation military and police, private security companies, and national prison services.
• Early Warning to Early Action System A predictive analytics and early warning system designed to identify increased risk of recruitment of children as a critical warning of impending and large-scale conflicts, engaging multilateral organizations, security institutions, human rights groups, and child protection agencies.
• Children, Peace and Security Podcast A podcast series featuring interviews with experts, practitioners, and individuals with lived experience discussing the prevention of recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, moral injury, early warning systems, and security sector engagement.
• Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers A policy framework co-developed and custodied by the Dallaire Institute for governments and multilateral partners to integrate child protection into security governance and peacekeeping operations.
• Moral Injury Research Program A research initiative exploring connections between morally injurious events faced by security sector actors and the recruitment and use of children in armed violence, examining psychological impacts and support needs.
• Allons-Y Journal of Children, Peace and Security An annual publication (2016-2023) supporting implementation of the Vancouver Principles, featuring peer-reviewed research and policy articles providing guidance and recommendations.
• Capacity Building Programs Scenario-based training programs for military, police, peacekeepers, security personnel, and community groups on preventing recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, integrating gender-responsive prevention measures into security sector doctrine.
• African Centre of Excellence (ACoE) Regional hub in Kigali, Rwanda for security sector trainings, community engagement programs, advocacy, and applied research on preventing recruitment and use of children in armed violence across Africa.
• Latin American Centre of Excellence (LACoE) Regional hub based in Montevideo, Uruguay for security sector trainings, community engagement programs, advocacy, and applied research on preventing recruitment and use of children in armed violence in Latin America.
• Children Used in Maritime Piracy: A Handbook for Maritime Security Sector Actors Specialized handbook addressing the involvement of children and youth in maritime piratical activities, providing guidance for maritime security sector actors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% accuracy in predicting recruitment risk
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Permanent Mission of Canada to the African UnionmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 May 2026Convened High-Level Executive Brief on Children and Their Centrality to Peace and Security in Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, bringing together African Union, UN agencies, and international partners.
• Government of Uruguay - Ministry of National DefensemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2022Joint hosting of the 4th Annual Knowledge for Prevention Symposium in Montevideo, Uruguay. This partnership launched the Latin American Centre of Excellence (LACoE) and strengthened regional engagement in Latin America.
• 16 Leading Conflict Research Institutions (Joint Initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The Institute leads creation of a joint initiative to produce and share data on Non-State Armed Groups with 16 of the world's leading conflict-focused research institutions, supporting early warning capabilities.
• Peace by ChocolateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative to produce limited-edition Children, Peace and Security chocolate bars. One dollar from each bar sold supports the Institute's global work. The partnership raises awareness and funds while promoting peacebuilding values.
• Dalhousie UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institute is hosted at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The partnership provides academic affiliation, infrastructure support, and integration with university research programs.
• International Peace InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint workshop on Gender, Childhood, and Community Engagement in Peacekeeping held at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center in Ghana, with 32 participants from 8 countries.
• Norwegian People's AidmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing office space in South Sudan, enabling the Institute's operations in the region through co-location arrangement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Rescue Committee: Major humanitarian NGO delivering emergency response and recovery in conflict-affected countries, including programs addressing child protection and security-related risks. Comparable operational footprint but much broader thematic scope.
• UNICEF: UN agency mandated to protect children's rights globally, including in conflict and humanitarian settings. A key institutional counterpart and funder for the Dallaire Institute's work, with overlapping focus on children in armed conflict.
• International Committee of the Red Cross: Global humanitarian organization operating in conflict zones to protect civilians, including children. Comparable in security-sector engagement and humanitarian mandate, but much larger and focused on IHL compliance rather than child-soldier prevention specifically.
• Save the Children: Large global children's rights and humanitarian organization with programs in conflict-affected countries. Overlaps with the Dallaire Institute's child-protection mandate but operates at much larger scale and across many additional thematic areas.

Direct peers

• International Alert: Peacebuilding NGO working with governments and civil society on security policy, gender, and conflict sensitivity. Comparable in operating at the intersection of security-sector engagement and peace/development programming.
• Peace Direct: INGO focused on local peacebuilding actors and community-led prevention of violence. Comparable as a peace-and-security capacity-building organization with a similar training, research, and advocacy portfolio.
• Search for Common Ground: International conflict-transformation organization that works with security actors, governments, and communities to prevent violence and build peace. Highly comparable integrated model of training, research, advocacy, and field programs in fragile states.
• Geneva Call: INGO that engages non-state armed groups on compliance with humanitarian norms including child protection. Highly comparable in bridging security actors and humanitarian/child-protection agendas, and in operating at the security-development nexus.
• Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: Coalition of NGOs that monitors and reports on violations against children in armed conflict and advocates for stronger international responses. Shares the Dallaire Institute's exact thematic focus on child soldier recruitment and policy advocacy.
• War Child Alliance: International NGO focused on protecting and supporting children affected by war, with similar training, advocacy, and community engagement programs. Most directly comparable in mission on children-in-conflict, though with less emphasis on security-sector doctrine.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dallaireinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security