Research this month

Impact evaluation of conflict prevention and peacebuilding interventions

To deliver better results on the ground, it is necessary to improve the understanding of the impacts and effectiveness of development interventions operating in contexts of conflict and fragility.

Impact evaluation in settings of violent conflict is often seen as particularly challenging. Impact evaluation of conflict prevention and peacebuilding interventions, from the World Bank presents examples of effective of evaluation practice in peacebuilding in order to show why such evaluation can be so useful.

Lessons learned on traditional dispute resolution in Afghanistan

The presumed benefits of linking formal and informal justice depended highly on broader political, institutional, and social dynamics within each community. The great variance in these community dynamics challenges the notion that any single theory or model of intervention can be universally applied throughout the country.

Lessons learned on traditional dispute resolution in Afghanistan, from the United States Institute for Peace, assesses the effectiveness of a series of pilot projects which aimed to strengthen the link between formal and informal justice mechanisms in Afghanistan.

Participation of civil society in the Colombian peace process

Colombian society has called for its voice to be heard in the peacebuilding process. This, however, is not an easy task, particularly in a society such as Colombia’s, with its extreme polarisation and wide range of varied social and political expressions that are not always compatible.

There have been many calls for a more active role for civil society in the Colombian peace process. Participation of civil society in the Colombian peace process, from the Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre, looks at the risks and challenges of greater civil society involvement that such presents.

Localising aid

Localising aid is a research project from the Overseas Development Institute examining the concept of "localised aid" - funding local actors directly - and aid effectiveness. The project has produced a number of useful publications on areas such as risk and sustainability.

African Journal on Conflict Resolution, Issue 13

The most recent African Journal on Conflict Resolution, from ACCORD, includes articles on traditional conflict resolution in Ethiopia, reconciliation in Zimbabwe, private sector peacebuilding in DR Congo, and more.

From the blog

Promoting peace through art: Laajverd’s workshops in Pakistan’s schools

By Zahid Shahab Ahmed: How a group of young artists are using art and culture to promote peace in Pakistan’s schools. Read more »

In search of a new activism

By Jay Naidoo: Inspired by Nelson Madela’s 95th birthday, Jay Naidoo calls for a “new activism” – one that gives have a global voice to the grassroots. Read more »

Harnessing the power of social media for conflict prevention

By Tadzie Madzima-Bosha: How can social media can be harnessed for conflict prevention and social change? Read more »

The UN Arms Treaty – A milestone in peacekeeping or flawed and discriminatory?

By Fabio Andres Diaz: The 2013 UN Arms Treaty is seen as a major step in curbing the arms trade. But do we need to take a more critical look at its implications for world conflict? Read more »

A Local First approach to early warning and response

By Bridget Moix: Bridget Moix looks at the locally-led early warning and response systems set up to prevent violence around Kenya’s 2013 elections. Read more »

Shyam Kumari Sah: an emerging female peacebuilder

By Ambika Pokhrel: Shyam Kumari Sah, local peacebuilding organisation, Mukti Nepal, speaks about their work to eradicate female human rights abuses and injustice. Read more »

Peacebuilding: the new generation

By Cathryn Meurn: Cathryn Meurn calls on the next generation of peacebuilders to find the gaps the current peacebuilding practice, and fill them. Read more »

Top 10 actions to make post-2015 “local”

By John Coonrod: Ten priority actions the world community can take to ensure that the Post-2015 agenda adheres to the principles of “Local First.” Read more »