Research this month
Inclusivity in peacebuilding
As in many post-conflict contexts, the international community in Somalia and in Timor-Leste has tended to underestimate the importance of starting with local capacities and structures already in place.
Inclusivity in peacebuilding, from the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, presents some preliminary findings from a series of case studies looking at how the international community can support peacebuilding that is genuinely locally owned and led. The paper finds that peacebuilding in Timor-Leste and Somalia is often a top-down process that only gives token attention to local actors.
Vertically integrated peace building and community violence reduction in Haiti
The careful integration of top-down and bottom-up efforts represents an important avenue for strengthening state-society relations, increasingly recognized as a crucial component of any sustainable peacebuilding process.
Vertically integrated peacebuilding and community violence reduction in Haiti, from the Centre for International Governance Innovation, looks at how different levels of peacebuilding activity - from international down to grassroots - can work together to address community violence in Haiti.
Engagement of crisis-affected people in humanitarian action
Questions about the aims and value of engaging with crisis-affected people highlight fundamental questions about the role and value of international involvement in humanitarian responses.
Engagement of crisis-affected people in humanitarian action, from ALNAP, looks at the degree to which crisis-affected people are engaged by international organisations during humanitarian responses. The report finds that, although the need to engage with local people is often discussed, in practice international organisations often fall short. The report looks at some of the reasons why this may be the case, and discusses how more meaningful engagement could be realised.
From the struggle for citizenship to the fragmentation of justice - Yemen from 1990 to 2013
This fragmentation deepens the divides between the rights and quality of legal outcomes that different groups can obtain across the country. This perpetuates the aforementioned sense of grievance and injustice felt by many, and undermines efforts at dialogue and negotiation.
From the struggle for citizenship to the fragmentation of justice, from Clingendael, examines justice in Yemen. The report finds that the inaccessibility of justice for many people in Yemen has left many unresolved disputes, some of which turned violent and played a role in increasing sectarian conflict.
Conflict and the post-2015 development agenda: Perspectives from South Africa
Taken together, this series of papers demonstrates that South Africa’s role is critically important, rendering engagement on the post-2015 agenda imperative if the new development framework is to reflect the needs, concerns, and aspirations of South Africans and the wider African continent
Conflict and the post-2015 development agenda, from Saferworld, is a compilation of papers from leading South African peacebuilding organisations on conflict in the post-2015 framework. The papers look particularly at how the issues affects South Africa and the wider region.
Making vocational training work: a study of vocational training in DDR - Rwanda
A key outcome of DDR vocational training program was the increase in self-confidence and independence among ex-combatants as well as a widening of perspective in terms of their careers and lives. Another notable outcome was the increased rates of self-reliance among vocational training participants.
Making vocational training work, from the World Bank, assesses the outcomes of vocational training provided to ex-combatants under Rwanda's DDR programme. The report focuses on the factors that contributed to successful and sustainable vocational training.
From the blog
Lest we forget – the foundations of peace in Rwanda
By Kubwimana Venuste: Rwanda’s groundbreaking system of justice and reconciliation has allowed the country to move on from the 1994 genocide Read more »
Closed borders, open minds?
By Tugce Ercetin: Despite longstanding political tensions, civil society in the Caucasus is bringing people together to build respect and understanding Read more »
Civil Society views on justice and reconciliation for South Sudan
By Flora McCrone: In South Sudan civil society is demanding transitional justice and an end to impunity. Read more »
The need for innovation in research in conflict analysis and resolution
By Cathryn Meurn: Cathryn Meurn explores some of the difficulties in conducting research in conflict zones Read more »
South Sudan crisis: Garang’s ghost or greed for power?
By Conrad John Masabo: Conrad John Masabo discusses the complex politics of South Sudan. Read more »
Is transitional justice a forgotten issue in Afghanistan?
By Mariam Safi: Is enough being done to address 30 years of war crimes and human rights abuses in Afghanistan? Read more »
Eating for peace
By Buddhika Harshadeva: Sharing food and cooking together is one of the most powerful – and basic – ways of bringing people together. Read more »
