Civil society peacebuilding and development

Can the London conference on Somalia get it right?

Camel traders
Can the London conference on Somalia succeed this time where others have failed? After a year in which large swathes of Somalia have been hit by famine and continued war, and international militarisation has markedly increased, the UK government’s initiative to host an international conference on Somalia on 23 February is welcome. But lessons must be learnt from past mistakes. Ahead of the conference, Mark Bradbury makes the case that support should be given to local Somali-led solutions that promote legitimacy and participation.

The New Deal for aid in conflict-affected contexts: Discovering real ownership

A child being vaccinated in DRC. No low-income conflict-affected country will have achieved a single MDG by 2015. We need to move beyond technical quick fixes. Without peace there is no development. © UN Photo/Marie Frechon
Thirty-eight countries have signed up to a ‘New Deal’ for engagement in fragile states, which includes a commitment to prioritise five peacebuilding and statebuilding goals. Sophie Haspeslagh, our Policy Analyst, has been closely involved in the process leading up to, and at, the Busan High-Level Forum where these commitments were made. Here, she reflects on some of the things she has learned from the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding and offers some thoughts as to where it might go next.

Military action against LRA rebels risks new wave of retaliations, charities warn

Apr 2012

In this joint press release, Conciliation Resources, Oxfam, Cafod and Christian Aid, along with 10 local organisations, stress that renewed military action against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) risks triggering further devastation for local people in DR of Congo, Central African Republic, and South Sudan unless more is done to protect civilians and prevent retaliations by one of Africa’s most brutal rebel groups.

LRA conflict: Who is responsible for the consequences of military action?

There are significant challenges to peace prospects In East and Central Africa. With the African Union and United Nations’ recent joint declaration to launch a regional military strategy against the Lord’s Resistance Army, added to public attention focusing on calls for an escalation of force, we share our local partners' concerns that the response must centre on the protection of civilians. Lessons must be learnt from the past.

People’s perspectives on instability in West Africa: Case study report

Mar 2012
A case study report focusing on the peacebuilding perspectives of people living in the Mano River Union (Libera, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire), Nigeria (Plateau and Niger Delta States) and Casamance (Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia).

Momentum: Dialogue Fiji

Feb 2012

Dialogue Fiji is a movement of NGOs, and individuals committed to peacebuilding.

This regular newsletter provides an overview of their activities in working towards a sustainable democracy in Fiji.

It's good to talk: How listening to local people adds value to conflict analysis

We've been working with peacebuilding partner Saferworld on an 18-month project to bring the opinions of local people in conflict-affected communities to the attention of national and international policymakers. Now, together in Brussels, we're presenting the lessons learnt from all 18 national and regional conflict analyses. Find out more about the project and watch a short film that explains why the voices of people most affected by conflict must be heard when policy and programming decisions are being considered.

People's Peacemaking Perspectives

People living in the midst of conflict often have the greatest insight into its causes. This film is an overview of how the People's Peacebuilding Perspectives (PPP) project brought the opinions of local people to the attention of policymakers, and what's been learned about the participatory process itself. Funded by the European Commission, the PPP project was an 18-month joint initiative between Conciliation Resources and Saferworld.

From conflict analysis to peacebuilding impact: Lessons from the People's Peacemaking Perspectives project

Mar 2012

Funded by the European Commission, the People’s Peacemaking Perspectives (PPP) project was an 18-month joint initiative between Conciliation Resources and Saferworld.

At the culmination of the project a 38-page report and a 4-page executive summary highlighted the key lessons from this in-depth participatory research.

Navigating paths to peace in Liberia and Sierra Leone

Blomah Nelson, Liberia's Minister for Internal Affairs (centre), pictured with Jonathan Cohen and Janet Adama Mohammed of Conciliation Resources
Building peace takes time. What does ending conflict mean in practice? How do good governance, justice and human security strengthen each other? These are pressing issues for any society recovering from violent conflict and just some of the questions addressed in Accord 23: Consolidating Peace in Liberia and Sierra Leone. The findings from this review of peace initiatives have been presented recently to local and international policymakers in West Africa and the USA.

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