Are you a peacebuilder? Apply to win the Tomorrow’s Peacebuilders awards
Peace Direct, in association with Alliance for Peacebuilding, is launching our fourth Tomorrow's Peacebuilders awards to showcase the best locally led peacebuilding organisations across the world. Three winning organisations will each receive $10,000 prize funding plus other support from Peace Direct.
All applications must be received by 10 October 2016 and can be submitted in English, French or Spanish. Further details and how to enter can be found at: http://www.peacedirect.org/tp
Research this month
Atrocity prevention through dialogue: Challenges in dealing with violent extremist organizations
Despite the growing openness to engaging extremist groups, the conditions for effective atrocity prevention through dialogue are rarely in place.
Atrocity prevention through dialogue, from USIP, explores some of the particular challenges involved in engaging in dialogue with violent extremist organisations, with the goal of atrocity prevention. The paper makes the case that although dialogue has a fundamental role in peacebuilding, the conditions that make dialogue a useful tool in preventing immediate atrocities by violent extremist organisations are rarely in place, and peacebuilders must exercise caution in such engagements.
Rebuilding societies: strategies for resilience and recovery in times of conflict
Truly supporting [local actors] and their ownership of the recovery process presupposes not only that we comply with a “do no harm” policy, but also that we pay more attention to what local actors need and are asking for, what they already do, and the ways in which they have organized themselves.
Rebuilding societies, from USIP and the Atlantic Council, looks at how the international community can help rebuild social cohesion and better cope with the refugee crisis in the MENA region. Among the recommendations in the paper is the call for greater attention to the role, capacity, and ideas of local actors.
Mediation through a media lens
[Journalists] are not there to be useful or detrimental to the peace process. We are there to report what is going on ... Spotlight on those events creates pressure on mediators or politicians to try to do something.
Mediation through a media lens, from the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, is a collection of interviews with six prominent journalists reflecting on the challenges of covering peace processes. The interviews aim to inform mediators about the role of the media in their working environment, with a view to identifying possible synergies in the pursuit of peace.
Monitoring and evaluation of participatory theatre for change
Evaluation helps push PTC programming to the next stage. Strong evaluations provide the community with more information about changes that have happened, even self-reflection through participatory methods.
Monitoring and evaluation of participatory theatre for change, from Search for Common Ground, is a guide to developing monitoring and evaluation systems for Participatory Theatre for Change projects. While the impact of arts-based approaches to peacebuilding can be seen as hard to measure, this publication offers practical guidance and tools for such programmes.
African Journal on Conflict Resolution
The latest issue of the African Journal on Conflict Resolution features articles exploring issues including civil society in DR Congo, reintegration in the Niger Delta, and transitional justice in Kenya.
Humanity on the move: the global refugee crisis
We report on the remarkable work of local organisations, dedicated to ensuring that those who flee conflict do not have to leave their future in the past – and the role of refugees themselves, whose courage has led many to play an active role in shaping their own prospects
Humanity on the move, from Peace Direct, discusses the problems that refugees and internally displaced persons face in five different regions around the world. The collection of articles covers refugee and IDP issues in the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Colombia.
From the blog
A northern knot: untangling local peacebuilding politics in Mali
By Yvan Guichaoua: The conflict in northern Mali has now lasted more than four years. Recently returned from a research trip to the Sahel, Yvan Guichaoua says that until local political processes connect to the bigger picture, peace will remain elusive. Read more »A portrait of war: returning home to Yemen
By Ahmed Hezam Al-Yemeni: Peace Direct’s Local Peacebuilding Expert for Yemen is Ahmed Al-Yemeni. He recently returned home after 12 months abroad. In this harrowing dispatch, he describes the trail of devastation he followed, all the way to his family village. Read more »On the eve of a peace agreement: reflecting on Colombia and Northern Ireland
By Alana Poole: Although ideologically and politically different, Northern Ireland has been influential in the Colombian peace process in a number of ways. As a final peace deal comes closer to reality, Alana Poole reflects on lessons that can be learned from the two conflicts. Read more »Peace in Colombia: it lies in our hands
By Lina María Jaramillo: The 24 August will go down in history as the day when peace talks at Havana were closed, and an agreement between FARC and the Colombian government found. Read more »EurActiv
EU foreign policy risks fuelling displacement and terror
While the EU’s foreign policy recognises the importance of promoting peace and stability beyond its borders, it also emphasises the need to align development aid with strategic priorities. This is indicative of a wider risk, writes Kloe Tricot O’Farrell. Read the full article on EurActiv »
Education in South Africa: can it right the wrongs of the past?
By Teboho Moja: Insight on Conflict is co-publishing a series of articles on Education and Transitional Justice. In the third article, Teboho Moja examines the education system in South Africa. Read more »Educational reform in divided societies: Northern Ireland and Bosnia
By Karen Murphy: Karen Murphy looks at how education can help victims overcome human rights violations around the world. Read more »Educating for peace: helping victims overcome human rights violations
By Cristián Correa: Cristian Correa looks at how education can help victims overcome human rights violations around the world. Read more »Youth peace entrepreneurs in Pakistan
By Zahid Shahab Ahmed: The story of Ali Raza Khan and his organisation YES Network’s pioneering youth peace entrepreneur initiatives in Pakistan. Read more »Kyrgyzstan: peacebuilders and the anti-NGO Bill
By Inga Sikorskaya: Inga Sikorskaya discusses how Kyrgyz civil society mobilised to block a controversial anti-NGO law. Read more »The enduring legacy of paramilitary punishment in Northern Ireland
By Alec Forss: A recent murder in Belfast highlights the continuing reach of paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland. Alec Forss discusses attempts to break the cycle of violence. Read more »Soldiers for peace in DR Congo
By Alexa Hassinkand Nadia Shabani: The relationship between civilians and the military in eastern Congo is a vital one, but soldiers have been accused of impunity for past crimes. One soldier’s story shows how things might be changing, say Nadia Shabani and Alexa Hassink. Read more »UNSCR 1325 in practice: Israeli and Palestinian women speak up
By Sarah Arnd Linder: An initiative is channeling the voices of Palestinian and Israeli/Jewish women to hear how conflict has affected their lives. Read more »Mapping EU's peace projects
The EU's Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP) funds projects working to prevent and respond to actual or emerging crises in 80 countries. In partnership with the IcSP, Peace Direct has developed an online interactive map where you can explore the many projects the IcSP supports across the world. Explore the map »
