This paper illustrates the meaning of peacebuilding as a comprehensive sustainable process that aims at resolving the conflicts, which spread widely in the post Cold War era within different nations and among them. Peacebuilding as a sustainable process requires the intervention of different actors at the local, national and international levels and requires the cooperation between them to coordinate their roles in the post conflict situation. This paper also discusses specifically the role of NGOs as one of these important actors in the international community and the different actions that carried out by them that help in providing a healthy environment for sustaining peace and development at the same time. However, linking peace with aid by NGOs in most of the cases added more damage in the targeted post conflict countries instead of depleting it. Discussed within are the challenges that have been met by different NGOs at different levels when trying to incorporate peacebuilding into development and while intervening in the field.
Table of Contents
Introduction:-
Background:-
Comprehending peacebuilding:-
NGOs actions for building peace:-
Preparatory interventions:-
1) Identifying and changing approaches to conflict.
2) Identifying and reducing prejudice.
Awareness raising and mobilisation for change:-
3) Lobbying.
4) Campaigning
5) Non-violent direct action
Prevention:-
6) Preventing conflict from escalating into violence
Maintaining a presence:-
7) Unarmed protection
8) Monitoring and observing.
Enabling a settlement:-
9) Confidence building.
10) Facilitating dialogue.
11) Negotiation.
12) Mediation.
13) Arbitration
Contribution of aid agencies in worsening the conflict:-
Resource transfer:-
Different ways for integrating do no harm sensitivity into development work:-
Initiatives on policy level:-
Initiatives on operational level
The challenges for incorporating peacebuilding into development:-
The link between peace and development activities:-
Sustaining peace processes:-
NGOs building peace at different levels and the challenges they face:-
Conclusion:-
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the role of NGOs in peacebuilding within conflict-affected areas, specifically addressing how they can effectively integrate conflict sensitivity into their development work while navigating complex challenges at international, national, and local levels.
- The conceptual framework of peacebuilding versus peacekeeping.
- Strategic options and tools for NGOs working in conflict zones.
- The potential for humanitarian aid to inadvertently exacerbate conflict.
- Methodologies for conflict-sensitive development and policy impact assessment.
- Case studies of NGOs operating in Colombia, Somaliland, and Croatia.
Excerpt from the Book
Comprehending peacebuilding:-
Peacebuilding as a term was firstly revealed by Boutros B. Ghali in his Agenda for Peace when he was the Secretary General of the UN in 1992(Boutros-Ghali, 1992). Peacebuilding stands for the interventions that achieve sustainable development, reform and building the structures and institutions of the nations. It includes building the capacities of NGOs as actors to be able to take part in the process. Peacebuilding engages a wide range of different approaches, processes and stages that are required for having a revolutionary shift toward more stable, non-violent relationships and diplomatic governance manners and structures. It also includes structuring the institutions of legal and human rights and establishes effective systems for fair governance and conflict resolutions.
Its activities have to be built on participation of local people; commitment by all partners at all levels and the coordination among them. Peacebuilding gives more importance to healing the relationships that being affected by violence in different communities, it can be considered a policy concept that aims at improving the outcomes of the practices of deficient development (Morris, 2000).
Lederach (1997) claims that building peace is similar to being committed to building a long- standing house which involves investment in resources, collecting materials, designing the structure, setting a plan for the building process , coordination of resources and labour, setting concrete foundation, building walls and roofs, accomplish the process and plan for regular maintenances (Lederach,1997)
Summary of Chapters
Introduction:- This section defines peacebuilding as a comprehensive, sustainable process and outlines the central role of NGOs, while noting the risks of unintended negative consequences.
Background:- This chapter provides context on the increase of intra-state conflicts post-Cold War and the shift in NGO involvement toward humanitarian and peacebuilding roles.
Comprehending peacebuilding:- This chapter explores definitions of peacebuilding, distinguishing it from peacekeeping and emphasizing the importance of sustainable structural change.
NGOs actions for building peace:- This section details specific intervention categories and operational frameworks used by NGOs to address conflict at various stages.
Contribution of aid agencies in worsening the conflict:- This chapter analyzes how resource transfers, market distortion, and legitimization of warring parties can cause aid to inadvertently fuel conflict.
Different ways for integrating do no harm sensitivity into development work:- This chapter reviews various impact assessment methodologies like the 'Do No Harm' approach and the 'Aid for Peace' framework.
The challenges for incorporating peacebuilding into development:- This section discusses the practical and conceptual difficulties in aligning development goals with peace objectives, specifically focusing on the interdependence, justice, and process-structure gaps.
NGOs building peace at different levels and the challenges they face:- This chapter presents three case studies (Pax Christi in Colombia, LPI in Somaliland, and Center for Peace in Croatia) to illustrate real-world applications and challenges.
Conclusion:- The concluding chapter synthesizes the findings, asserting that peacebuilding is a constructive, long-term learning process that necessitates deep cooperation and refined strategy.
Keywords
Peacebuilding, NGOs, Conflict Sensitivity, Humanitarian Aid, Do No Harm, Sustainable Development, Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping, Structural Change, Civil Society, Reconstruction, Reconciliation, Intra-state Conflict, Aid Agencies, Policy Dialogue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
The work focuses on the intersection of peacebuilding and development, specifically evaluating how NGOs can intervene in conflict zones without causing harm.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the definition of peacebuilding, the impact of aid on local conflict dynamics, conflict-sensitive planning tools, and the operational challenges faced by peacebuilding NGOs.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to understand how peacebuilding can be integrated into development work, the risks of aid dependency, and how to effectively apply 'conflict sensitivity' in the field.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The author employs a qualitative approach, synthesizing existing literature, policy documents, and specific case studies to analyze best practices and failures in NGO-led peacebuilding.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers the evolution of peacebuilding as a concept, tools for intervention, the 'Do No Harm' approach, assessment methodologies, and practical constraints identified in case studies.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms like Peacebuilding, NGOs, Conflict Sensitivity, Humanitarian Aid, and Sustainable Development.
How do 'interdependence' and 'justice' gaps influence peacebuilding?
These gaps represent the difficulties in building relationships across societal divides and the failure to fully achieve social and economic justice despite the end of open violence.
What do the case studies in the final section illustrate?
They provide empirical evidence of NGO interventions in diverse environments (Colombia, Somaliland, Croatia), highlighting that neutrality and community participation are critical but difficult to maintain.
Why is the 'Aid for Peace' framework considered important?
It is important because it provides a structured four-part methodology—analysis, relevance, risk assessment, and impact measurement—to guide NGOs in minimizing conflict-related risks.
- Quote paper
- Nabila EL-Gabalawi (Author), 2008, Peacebuilding in application of the work of NGOs in conflict areas, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/156539
