UN Photo/Sylvain Liechti
February 2018
A monthly selection of the best new research and resources on local peacebuilding worldwide, as chosen by Peace Insight. This month’s edition features articles on aid localisation, perceptions of UN peacekeeping, and more. Sign up here to receive the newsletter by email each month.
Research the month
Humanitarian aid on the move: aid localisation
"Aid localisation, which, above all, is a question of regulating the relations of power and respect between actors can lead to new ways of thinking about solidarity."
Humanitarian aid on the move: aid localisation, from Groupe URD, brings together experiences from Africa, Asia, and Latin America to explore the idea of aid localisation. The report uses examples from contexts such as DR Congo, Haiti, and Myanmar to show the opportunities and challenges of greater recognition of local capacity.
Putting civilians first: NGO perceptions and expectations of UN peacekeeping
"[T]he UN should look for specific capabilities of peacekeepers to match deployment to the needs of the local context. Community projects should not have as their primary objective to make the presence of peacekeepers more acceptable. In their current format, [Quick Impact Projects] are seen as often wasteful and undercutting NGO initiatives. Instead community engagement projects should be well prepared and long-term with a clear understanding of the local situation."
Putting civilians first, from the Folke Bernadotte Academy, looks at how UN peacekeeping missions are perceived by NGOs in the areas they operate. The report highlights some of the key concerns NGOs have, and what can be done to address them.
Building inclusive peace: gender at the heart of conflict analysis
"If the relationship between gender and conflict in any given context is not analysed, there is a risk that efforts to build long-term peace could be undermined and could reinforce gender discrimination."
Building inclusive peace, from Saferworld, showcases examples of how gender can be integrated into participatory conflict analysis and research and the new perspectives such an approach can uncover. The paper draws on examples from Libya, Yemen, and Myanmar.
Youth aspirations for peace and security
"A central theme is the lack of political space or opportunities for youth to engage in the construction and maintenance of peace. Youth are eager to be involved in supporting peace and development, but generally lack the means or opportunities to do so."
Youth aspirations for peace and security, from Conciliation Resources, shares the views of young people in a number of conflict contexts on how youth are making positive contributions to the communities and addressing the challenges they face.
African Journal of Conflict Resolution: Volume 17 No. 2
The latest edition of the African Journal of Conflict Resolution, includes articles on peacebuilding in South African primary schools, how electoral conflicts are given an "ethnic" dimension in Kenya, and the restoration of peace in a community in Nigeria.
Funding and training opportunities
Online training: Civil resistance struggles
The course, from International Center for Nonviolent Conflict, provides an interactive, in-depth and multidisciplinary perspective on civilian-based movements and campaigns from around the world. Course participants will work independently and collaboratively through weekly modules of readings, forums, videos and small-group interactive projects. 50 participants will be accepted. Deadline: 04 Februrary 2018 Find out more
African Women’s Development Fund
The African Women’s Development Fund is currently seeking applications from eligible African women’s organisations for its main grants programme. The thematic areas covered by the programme are: leadership, participation & peace; body & health rights; economic security & justice. Grants of up to $50,000 are available. Deadline: 07 March 2018. Find out more
UNAOC’s Youth Solidarity Fund
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Youth Solidarity Fund supports youth-led civil society organisations, with a particular focus on the role of young people in promoting peace and in preventing violent extremism. Grants of up to $25,000 are available. Deadline: 16 February 2018. Find out more
UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize
UNESCO is inviting nominations for the 2018 UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence. The $100,000 prize rewards exceptional contributions and leadership in the promotion of tolerance and non-violence. Deadline: 30 April 2018. Find out more
Pitching for Peace
War Stories, Peace Stories, in partnership with the Pulitzer Center, is currently inviting journalists pitch a project focused on an underreported nonviolent response or peace effort in an international conflict area. Three projects will be selected for Pulitzer Center funding. Deadline: 01 March 2018. Find out more
Mind & Life Institute: PEACE Grants Program
The Mind & Life Institute PEACE Grants program supports research on novel interdisciplinary approaches for investigating and nurturing wholesome mental qualities related to Prosociality, Empathy, Altruism, Compassion, and Ethics (PEACE). Two levels of funding are available through this program: up to $25,000 and up to $100,000. Deadline: 7 March 2018. Find out more
From the blog
Two bridges: how to forgive the unforgiveable
What lessons can forgiveness after Colombia's 50-year war have the for USA? Ariel Safdie analyses the current context in the country, and encourages us all to play a part in building bridges and being peacebuilders in a world that appears to be increasingly divided. Read more »
What terminating the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of Salvadorans in the United States means for El Salvador
On 8 January, the United States terminated the Temporary Protected Status for El Salvadorans living in the country, affecting nearly 200,000 people. Hector Barrios assess the economic risks this poses for the country's peace and stability. Read more »
The Congo’s political crisis is stirring deadly violence in Kasai and beyond
International Refugee Rights Initiative (IRRI) published a new report about violence and displacement in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It describes how attacks by a militia were followed by abusive military operations and mass killings by a pro-government militia, causing the death and displacement of hundreds of thousands. Read more »
Join us in mapping U.S. peacebuilding
As we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr., Peace Direct and the Alliance for Peacebuilding are launching a new effort to support local peacebuilding in the US. Read more »
Changing male attitudes in the Middle East and the world: what does it take?
Social expectations about masculinity both shape and are shaped by conflict. A programme being run in Lebanon creates safe spaces where young men can think critically to challenge harmful ideas and redefine masculinity in order to create a more socially just and equal world. Read more »
Building an organic dialogue process in Kashmir
A new round of dialogue and political engagement has been launched in Jammu and Kashmir. Despite some boycotts, a large number of stakeholders are involved. This process is taking place at a time of broader tensions in Kashmir Valley where an increasingly radicalised youth and active terrorism threatens to spiral the situation out of control. In this context, can an organic dialogue take root? Read more »
Monthly Newsletter
A monthly selection of the best new research and resources on local peacebuilding worldwide, as chosen by Insight on Conflict.
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