Research this month
World Disasters Report 2015
Local actors are often the most effective in conducting humanitarian operations. However, despite their critical role, they struggle to attract the funding and support they need.
The 2015 World Disasters Report, from the Red Cross, calls on the international community to recognise the critical role local capacity plays in responding to disasters. The report highlights the challenges local organisations face in responding to humanitarian disasters, particularly in terms of funding, despite their high levels of effectiveness.
Locally led stabilisation and peacebuilding in Congo: Learning summary
Despite these challenges, CRC achieved a great deal with limited resources in an insecure environment. Overall, social relations and the security situation improved considerably in virtually all the communities in two project zones (ongoing security issues made it difficult to assess the third zone).
Locally led stabilisation and peacebuilding in Congo, from Peace Direct, highlights the main successes, challenges and lessons learnt from a project delivered by Peace Direct's local partner in DR Congo, Centre Résolution Conflits. The project aimed to provide economic and social support to ex-combatants, returnees and women affected by conflict, as part of a holistic approach to DDR that sees sustainable reintegration as the key to lasting success.
Understanding and countering violent extremism in Afghanistan
It is unrealistic to try to develop a single national CVE strategy for Afghanistan. Conditions vary considerably across Afghanistan, and grievances and messages are often context specific. Success requires identifying intermediaries who can reach out to populations vulnerable to extremist recruitment, or to extremist groups amenable to engagement.
Understanding and countering violent extremism in Afghanistan, from USIP, examines why young Afghans are drawn to violent extremism and what can be done to tackle the issue. Drawing on extensive field work, the report describes some of the key factors behind recruitment into extremist groups and offers recommendations to those working to prevent it.
Self-portrait of Mali on the obstacles to peace
There is an acknowledged need to consider new, more participatory, inclusive and change-oriented approaches to ensure the development of solutions that are not only operational, but, more importantly, consensual and sustainable.
Self-portrait of Mali on the obstacles to peace, from the Malian Institute of Action Research for Peace and Interpeace, seeks to uncover the main challenges for sustainable peace in Mali as identified by local people themselves. Through much of 2014 researchers travelled across Mali to ask Malians to share their own perceptions of peace and conflict in an effort to inform future programming.
Obstacles to social cohesion and dynamics of youth violence in urban spaces
At the end of this research on the obstacles to social cohesion and dynamics of youth violence in urban spaces, four main factors emerged from the perspective of the participants ... ... ... They relate to: (i)the limits of the political economy of urban social diversity; (ii) the disintegration of the education system; (iii) the transformation of family structures and the emergence of new models of social success; and (iv) the struggle for control of economic spaces such as bus stations.
Obstacles to social cohesion and dynamics of youth violence in urban spaces, from Indigo and Interpeace, explores the perceptions of young people in Côte d’Ivoire towards the recurring cycles of violence that have affected the country in recent years. The research involved speaking to 750 people from all walks of life, and identifies the key obstacles to social cohesion in the country.
From the blog
20 years of filming conflicts: building trust through documentaries in Georgia
By Tornike Zurabashvili: Tornike Zurabashvili, looks at the work of Studio Re who work on both sides of the conflict to share stories of peace and reconciliation. Read more »
Kyrgyzstan’s election campaign: the struggle for peace
By Inga Sikorskaya: With parliamentary elections due to take place on October 4th in Kyrgyzstan, Inga Sikorskaya describes some of the problems that threaten the chances of a peaceful campaign. Read more »
How to end the conflict in Colombia? Intellectuals and activists gather to discuss
By Alana Poole: Alana Poole reports from an event led by a leading Colombian peacebuilding organisation that brought together a dynamic group of intellectuals and activists. Read more »
Sierra’s Leone’s constitutional crisis: the final verdict
By Abdul Brima: Sierra Leone’s Supreme Court has ruled in support of the sacking of a vice president. The verdict has important implications for peace.Read more »
Living Peace in the DRC: a couple and country in need of healing
By Alexa Hassink and Nadia Shabani: A new short film tells the story of a couple living in the DR Congo, and their recovery from atrocities experienced during the recurrent conflict. Read more »
Violence escalates on India-Pakistan border
By Zafar Iqbal: Increased military activity across the line of control is causing families to flee in India and Pakistan. Zafar Iqbal reports. Read more »
Governing Guinea-Bissau: a return to the politics of the past?
By Tomas Serna: Political unrest in Guinea-Bissau has left many fearing a return to the instability of the past. Tomas Serna discusses recent events. Read more »
Military coup in Burkina Faso: report from the ground
By Boris Somé: Peace Direct’s Local Correspondent for Burkina Faso, Boris Some, reports from the ground on the military coup. Read more »
Security, Religion, and Gender in Nineveh Province, Iraq
By Ala Ali: Ala Ali conducted a conflict analysis of Nineveh province, Iraq. The findings provide important insights into recent developments in the country. Read more »
Terrorists in East Africa: are we yielding to their demands?
By Stephen Oola: Stephen Oola warns that governments in East Africa must not ignore the law or the root causes of terrorism – or risk creating new recruits. Read more »
Ukrainian visions of peace
By Maureen Flaherty: Maureen Flaherty discusses her recent research on local views of independence and the conflict in Ukraine. Read more »
Kyrgyzstan: does ethnicity matter?
By Anastasia Aladysheva: Anastasia Aladysheva asks what is driving violent conflict in Kyrgyzstan – ethnicity or economics? Read more »
A brief history of conflict in Kyrgyzstan
By Inga Sikorskaya: Insight on Conflict’s new Local Correspondent in Kyrgyzstan, Inga Sikorskaya, gives an overview of some of the conflict issues in the Central Asian state. Read more »
Syrians abroad: the challenges faced by Jordan and its refugees
By Adam Leake: Huge numbers of people have fled the Syrian conflict. Adam Leake discusses some of the issues in Jordan, where many of them have arrived. Read more »
Looking back on 2014 Tomorrow’s Peacebuilders Awards: a prize unlocking success
By Isabelle Le Marois: Omule Geoffrey explains how winning the 2014 Tomorrow’s Peacebuilders awards helped his organisation expand its work. Read more »
Making the case for education in emergencies: Syria
By Amber Webb: Amber Webb calls for more support for education for the children displaced by Syria’s civil war. Read more »
Women’s resistance to extremism: a report from a recent forum on women’s security in the MENA region
By Ala Ali: In May 2015, a forum to address women’s security issues in the MENA region was held in Iraq. Ala Ali reflects on the discussions of the forum and its recommendations for strengthening women’s rights in extremist contexts. Read more »
Women, violence and peace in the South Caucasus: a regional perspective
By Sinéad Walsh: Sinéad Walsh looks at development of women’s rights in the South Caucasus and how grassroots organisations are being supported. Read more »
Gaming for peace in Georgia
By Heather Yundt: A new approach to bringing youth together is being tried out around the world, writes Heather Yundt. Read more »
Language policy in Georgia – bringing people together or keeping them apart?
By Sandra Veloy: Sandra Veloy discusses the complex relationship between language, conflict and politics in the South Caucasus. Read more »
