A monthly selection of the best new research and resources on local peacebuilding worldwide, as chosen by Insight on Conflict. This month’s edition features research on the role of women in violence in South Sudan, and more. To receive the email newsletter each month, please sign-up here or email joel@insightonconflict.org.
Women and armed violence in South Sudan
"Women are not just passive victims in the conflicts of post-war South Sudan. They can also encourage and perpetuate the violence, or alternatively act as catalysts for peace."
Women and armed violence in South Sudan (pdf) from HSBA explores the diverse experiences and roles of women in armed violence in South Sudan.
Tribal governance and stability in Yemen
“As the new government struggles to establish legitimacy and address its most pressing issues, tribal law and traditions will play an important role in restoring a degree of stability”
Tribal governance and stability in Yemen, a Carnegie paper, argues that traditional structures in Yemen have a powerful role in promoting peace and reconciliation.
Non-state security and justice in fragile states: lessons from Sierra Leone
“Donors need to not only engage with non-state providers more frequently, but also recognise that supporting these actors requires different operating procedures”
Non-state security and justice in fragile states is a short paper (4 pages) from ODI draws on lessons for Sierra Leone to come up with four ‘rules of engagement’ for donors. It argues that donor bias towards state-led, formal justice and security systems limits effectiveness. People in fragile states often find formal systems inaccessible, relying instead on non-state justice and security providers.
Conducting track II peace making
“This handbook presents the process of track II intervention as a series of steps: assess the track II environment, develop a strategic plan, design the process, conduct track II activities, and undertake follow-up activities and evaluation.”
The latest in the Peacemaker's Toolkit series from USIP, Conducting Track II peace making provides extensive advice and best practice for practitioners developing and coordinating track II initiatives.
Climate change and conflict: Lessons for conflict resolution from the Southern Sahel of Sudan
“Most NGO interventions which address environment-related conflicts assist communities by strengthening conflict resolution capacity and by creating opportunities for conflict resolution and reconciliation”
Climate change and conflict analyses interventions by local and international NGOs in resource and environmental conflicts in the southern Sahel of Sudan. The report aims to provide lesson to inform interventions elsewhere.
From the blog
Planning for the future
Dr Scilla Elworthy, co-founder of Peace Direct, reports from a recent World Future Council meeting in Egypt. The World Future Council is a group of 50 experienced specialists in Climate and Energy, Sustainable Economies, Future Justice, and Peace and Disarmament. Coming from all five continents, together they form a voice for the rights of future generations. Read more >>>
How to improve relationships between locals and donors
Donor support is often vital to local peacebuilders, and a growing body of literature is revealing specific ways in which the relationship could be enhanced. When Chris Preager compared the views of peacebuilders working on different problems, in different ways, in different regions, he found some of the frustrations at the demands donors place on recipients were notably consistent. Read more >>>
Burundi: challenges for truth and reconciliation
Landry Ninteretse, Insight on Conflict’s Local Correspondent for Burundi, talked to civil society to get their views on transitional justice mechanisms that are supposed to bring effective reconciliation among Burundians after nearly five decades of violence and grave violations of human rights. Read more >>>
Art and tradition for peace in Kashmir
Ashima Kaul, Insight on conflict’s local correspondent for Kashmir, speaks to Balwant Thakur, a man whose passion for theatre and peace saw him take to the remote villages of Kashmir to revive a lost art form. 22 years of militancy have damaged cultural and social traditions and art forms in Kashmir. On such example is ‘Bhand Pather’, a traditional folk theatre Thakur calls “the real face of Kashmir“. Read more >>>
Guardians for the future
Dr Scilla Elworthy, co-founder of Peace Direct, explains the idea of Ombudspersons for Future Generations – guardians who would be appointed at global, national and local levels whose job would be to safeguard environmental and social conditions by speaking up for future generations in all areas of policy-making. Read more >>>
What does climate change have to do with conflict?
Rebecca Sargent looks at how climate change and extreme weather effects peace and security. Climate change creates huge risks for increased conflict, and countering this requires a fundamental shift in the way institutions are organized and the way inter-linkages between organizations are addressed. Read more >>>
How do I deal with a bully, without becoming a thug?
Drawing on stories from her inspirations such as Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi, Peace Direct co-founder Scilla Elworthy gives a TEDx talk in which she shares six methods has identified that we can use to counter violence without having to resort to force ourselves. Read more >>>
