Research this month
How do I know? Strategic planning, learning and evaluation for peacebuilding
What is needed is more space for learning, beyond the established structures and procedures, and more systematic use of experience and lessons learnt, combined with more adventurous use of alternative methods that take into consideration the complexity and dynamics of the (post-)conflict and peacebuilding situations.
How do I know?, from FriEnt, is a collection of articles by different peacebuilding experts that look at planning, learning and evaluation in peacebuilding. The articles share the experiences of organisations and projects of different scales and from a number of different conflicts including Burundi, Colombia and Kenya.
Dialogue and local response mechanisms to conflict between host communities and Syrian refugees in Lebanon
In terms of peace drivers, local institutions, conflict resolution mechanisms, as well as political parties are seen to be more effective in addressing conflicts in the South than in Tripoli ... That said, no matter how great is the influence of local actors, wider structural conditions remain ripe for the spread of conflict even in the South.
The conflict in Syria has forced over one million people to flee across the border into neighbouring Lebanon. This report, from Saferworld, considers how Lebanese host communities are being affected, and identifies the local drivers of conflict and peace.
Evolving traditional practices: managing small arms in the Horn of Africa and Karamoja cluster
There is a mix of traditional and formal programmatic interventions in pastoralist areas. Traditional arms management mechanisms are indicative of the historical prevalence and normalization of arms among pastoral communities. Yet these traditional mechanisms are weakening, especially as youths reject or disregard communal practices.
Evolving traditional practices, from the Small Arms Survey, examines local small arms management practices in the Horn of Africa and Karamoja cluster. The study shows how the prevalence of small arms is contributing to insecurity among pastoralist communities, and how traditional arms control mechanisms are weakening.
Leveraging mobile to empower communities in Mali: learning from practice
Among the successes, the partners launched a first-ever mobile audience polling hotline with local partner Radio Kledu, enabling the network to get real-time feedback from its listeners. Following the service launch, Radio Kledu received wide range of SMS feedback responses on program topics, which ranged from food security to the effects of the civil unrest on daily life.
Leveraging mobile to empower communities, from Internews, shares the experiences of their project in Mali to empower local community radio to provide interactive civic education ahead of the recent elections. The project equipped radio stations with technology to allow listeners to interact with radio shows via mobile phones, and the report provides several lessons for anyone planning a similar project.
Women's access to justice in Afghanistan
The majority of community forums to which disputes are referred consist entirely of local men.…Women often do not take decision-making roles at a community level because of both social norms and threats against them.
Women's access to justice in Afghanistan, from USIP, looks at how women seek justice in Afghanistan. The report finds that despite some considerable success, given the context of Afghanistan, women's access to justice remains extremely limited. The report concludes with recommendations for how the situation can be further improved.
SLRC baseline survey reports
The first set of papers from Uganda, Nepal and Pakistan are now out and provide an important snapshot of how people living in conflict survive and recover.
This project, from the Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium, aims to discover how people in conflict-affected areas perceive their livelihoods, access to basic services, and local and national government. The first set of reports cover Nepal, Uganda, and Pakistan.
From the blog
Drought, food insecurity and radicalism in Northern Bangladesh
By Ishak Mia: Is there a link between drought, food insecurity and radicalism in Northern Bangladesh? Read more »
Foreign intervention or local peacebuilding in Nigeria?
By Fr. Atta Barkindo: More support is needed for local groups to build peace in Nigeria, not foreign intervention. Read more »
Civil society creates dialogue between Turkey and Armenia
By Mariah Pittman: Turkish and Armenian civil society groups have come together to work towards the normalisation of relations between the two countries. Read more »
Twenty years on, the Rwandan genocide festers across the border
By Dr Denise Bentrovato: How is the Rwandan genocide and its aftermath perceived across the border in DR Congo? Read more »
The case for Responsibility to Protect principle in Nigeria
By Michael Olufemi Sodipo: Can civil society actors in Nigeria ensure the government upholds the Responsibility to Protect resolution? Read more »
Working safely with communities: how to mitigate risks?
By Aditi Gorur: Aditi Gorur highlights the risks facing researches and participations working together in conflict-affected communities. Read more »
Nigeria: beyond the silence of guns and bombs
By Charles Kwuelum: A look into the need for the Nigerian government to have an extensive, coordinated approach to sustainable peace, and how this can be achieved. Read more »
ICTs in conflict early warning – possibilities and challenges
By Charles Martin Shields: How are organisations using communication technology for conflict early warning and prevention? Read more »
Top broadcaster joins search to find the best local peacebuilders
By Insight on Conflict: We are delighted to announce that the BBC broadcaster Bridget Kendall has joined the panel of judges for our global competition, Tomorrow’s PeacebuildersRead more »
Sarajevo, one hundred years later
By Mirjana Kosic: A century later the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand still causes division in Bosnia and Herzegovina.Read more »
Toxic footprint of Syria’s War
By Pieter Both and Wim Zwijnenburg: The long term health and environmental impacts of Syria’s civil war. Read more »
The road to peace in Mali: political roadblocks and other obstacles
By Daniel Ozoukou: Daniel Ozoukou discusses Mali’s political problems and prospects for peace. Read more »
