August 2016

Are you a peacebuilder?

Tomorrow’s Peacebuilders are the global awards for local peacebuilding. Awarded annually, they offer international recognition for grassroots peace activists in conflict-affected countries worldwide. These are inspiring individuals who are building a better tomorrow for their communities, in the world’s most fragile and needy places. Three winning organisations will each receive $10,000 and online promotion of their work.

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Research this month

What works in facilitated dialogue projects

Dialogues should not limit participation to those directly affected by the conflict, but instead also find strategic ways to engage a broad array of stakeholders, for example, hardliners in addition to just moderates, either before or during the dialogue.

What works in facilitated dialogue projects, from USIP, looks back at USIP-funded dialogue projects since 1992 in an effort to uncover what makes an effective dialogue intervention. The paper shares a number of important findings and offers recommendations to both practitioners and funders.

Peace Science Digest

The Peace Science Digest is formulated to enhance awareness of scholarship addressing the key issues of our time by making available an organized, condensed, and comprehensible summary of this important research as a resource for the practical application of the field’s current academic knowledge.

The Peace Science Digest, from the War Prevention Initiative, aims to make academic peace research more accessible. In each edition of the bi-monthly digest a selection of articles from peer-reviewed journals are summarised in a readable format alongside key learnings.

Security integration in Myanmar: past experiences and future visions

To develop a lasting solution to the interlinked political and security complexes that drive armed conflict in Myanmar, all three of the main stakeholder groups – the Tatmadaw, NLD and EAOs – will need to develop a shared vision of security integration. Reconciling the divergent perspectives – or even identifying where there is common ground – will be far from easy, and will likely become a long-term and incremental endeavour.

Security integration in Myanmar, from Saferworld, explores the issues around Security Sector Reform in the context of Myanmar's peace process. The paper looks back at previous experiences of SSR in Myanmar, and asks what can be learnt in order to support an inclusive, evidence-based approach going forward.

"Most of the men want to leave": Armed groups, displacement and the gendered webs of vulnerability in Syria

Armed groups are successful in recruiting members because they are able to offer their members something they cannot find in civilian life, be it economic opportunities, status, protection, a sense of identity and purpose, a social network, comparative freedom or an escape from oppressive family structures.

Most of the men want to leave, from International Alert, examines the influence gender role exceptions on both, participation in violence and vulnerability, in the Syrian civil war. The research provides examples of how men and women are effected in different ways.

The inside story: the impact of insider mediators on modern peacemaking

Insiders can effect positive change in diverse ways, including by building consensus and confidence in a process, bridging differences, advocating, connecting national-level dialogue with the public, ensuring that all societal voices are heard, and acting as early warning mechanisms.

The inside story, from the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, shares the experiences of 7 'insider mediators' - a person playing a mediation role in conflict they have a stake in. Through a series of interviews they share their motivations, challenges, and successes.

Funding opportunities

Tomorrow’s Peacebuilders

Tomorrow’s Peacebuilders are the global awards for local peacebuilding. Awarded annually, they offer international recognition for grassroots peace activists in conflict-affected countries worldwide. These are inspiring individuals who are building a better tomorrow for their communities, in the world’s most fragile and needy places. Three winning organisations will each receive $10,000 and online promotion of their work. Deadline 06 September 2017. Find out more

Grinnell Prize

The Grinnell Prize aims to support and inspire innovative social change makers throughout the world. Winners of the Prize become part of a network of passionate visionaries who are both effecting change themselves and inspiring future generations to do the same. Grants of up to $100,000 will be awarded. The Prize is open to all individuals from all over the world. Deadline: 9 October 2017 Find out more

CISV International Peace Fund

CISV International is seeking applications for its Peace Fund. The aim of CISV is to help their participants develop the skills they need to become informed, responsible and active global citizens and make a difference in their communities and the world. Deadline: 31 October 2017 Find out more

Peace Revolution’s African Youth Amani Fellowship

Peace Revolution is seeking applications for its African Youth Amani Fellowship. The fellowship offers a 2 week intensive training program providing participants with deeper insight in the relationship between inner peace and sustainable world peace and enhancing their ability to create peace within their family, professional and social environment. Deadline: 4 September 2017 Find out more

Niwano Peace Foundation’s Grant Program

The Niwano Peace Foundation is currently seeking applications for its 2017 Grant Program to build a world of peace and coexistence. The Foundation makes grants in order to provide active encouragement for activities undertaken in a religious spirit and conducted in such a way as to invite broad social participation. Grants of up to $9,000 are available. Deadline: 13 August 2017 Find out more

Human Rights Prize of the French Republic

Applications are open for the 2017 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic. The prize recognises and supports the completion of individual or collective projects carried out in the field, in France or abroad, regardless of nationality or borders. Five prize winners will share €70,000. Deadline: 15 October 2017 Find out more