From practice to policy

Our practical experiences of peacebuilding around the world offer important lessons for policymakers. By developing connections between our practical work and global conflict policies, we:

• offer creative, experience-based policy proposals to international policymakers
• support our programme work by connecting specific experiences to broader peacebuilding principles

Our approach connects the regional policy advocacy activities of our geographic programmes with our Accord programme work, which draws lessons from comparative case studies to identify principles to guide policymaking.

In 2006 we decided to take a more strategic approach to policy work to maximize its influence, and enable us to be proactive as well as responsive. We laid the groundwork with internal and external mapping exercises; CR’s policy adviser then presented a strategic framework with proposals for taking forward policy work. We decided to focus on addressing the gap in the UK's response to conflict in 2007 and carry out policy work on local capacities for peace in 2008.

Following research and analysis of UK response to conflict, in June 2007 we published a working paper (pdf 764kb) and accompanying policy brief (pdf 132kb), Bridging the gap: improving UK support for peace processes. The paper contains a set of policy recommendations setting out how the UK can increase and improve support for peace processes, which CR will continue to promote during 2007. This paper and policy brief can also be purchased here.

The Accord thematic projects have also proven useful vehicles for policy development:

• Powers of persuasion: incentives, sanctions and conditionality in peace processes - analyses the role of external actors in peace processes and their use of a range of tools
• Public participation in peacemaking - identifies mechanisms for public participation and highlights potential advantages for political settlements
• Choosing to engage: armed groups and peace processes - explores the case for engagement with armed groups and reveals diverse options

Policy briefings on the conflicts and peace processes in Angola, Colombia and Nagorny Karabakh are also available.

Our comparative learning project also produces materials to inform and influence peacemaking policy. Working in partnership with civic organizations, we create opportunities for peacemakers in Colombia and the Philippines to take part in interactive learning about peace processes in other countries. We publish the insights from this work and share them with policymakers.