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Contemporary global crises have deepened socio-economic inequalities and intensified forms of exclusion, in turn leading to increasing occurrences of intrastate armed conflict. Currently, the  International Crisis Group identities over 70 conflicts and crises globally, and it is accepted that such conflicts have an adverse impact on development. Contemporary conflicts take various forms from Islamist militancy in the Sahel region,  to civil war in Ethiopia, and protracted conflict in DR Congo. While, at times, there may be understandable reasons why armed conflict occurs, for instance armed resistance to military rule in Myanmar, invariably it is civilians who suffer most, especially the poorest and most vulnerable. Humanitarian support is often needed in contexts of forced displacement and  loss of livelihoods, as well as human rights violations, including sexual and gender-based violence. This panel invites papers that focus on the causes of contemporary armed conflicts, the consequences for civilian populations, and the responses by various domestic and international actors to mitigate adverse effects, highlight human rights abuses, and seek conflict resolution. The panel welcomes papers from various disciplinary and multi-disciplinary perspectives. It is particularly interested in research that highlights the voices of people affected by armed conflict and local civilians’ agency in responding to its impacts and in seeking to resolve conflict, notably women’s agency and the initiatives of female-led organisations. It welcomes research findings based on data generated from creative, participatory and arts-based research methods.  The panel seeks to provide a space for discussion and analysis of current armed conflicts, inclusive of attempts at conflict resolution from the bottom-up that address the root causes and promote just and equitable solutions.