7 reasons to be positive about peace in 2020
"The New Year has begun with our world in turmoil.” Just days into 2020, UN Secretary General António Guterres called for restraint, dialogue and international cooperation as tensions rise around the world. He warned of the terrible human suffering caused by war, and spoke of our common duty to avoid it. But despite the turbulent start to the new year, there are reasons to be positive about peace in 2020. There are brave, passionate and creative people working around the world and joining forces to prevent conflict and build more peaceful societies. By working collectively, we can all move towards a more peaceful future.
Spotlight on gender
2020 is set to be an important year for gender equality. It marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing platform for action – a breakthrough declaration to end gender inequality, which lays out concrete steps for countries to bring about change. 2020 also marks 20 years since the UN Security Council resolution 1325, which champions women’s involvement in peace and security. This provides a focus for governments and other organisations to assess how well they are doing, and an impetus to take further action. Look out for anniversary events in October this year. Read more about our approach to gender and inclusion.
Global Fragility Act
Last month saw the historic adoption by the United States Congress of the Global Fragility Act. It’s the first ever US government strategy to prevent global violence and instability around the world. The landmark act makes conflict prevention a priority for US foreign policy and will see the creation of a 10-year Global Fragility Strategy. Find out more.
Fresh thinking on peace talks
This year, though our new Accord publication, we’re bringing together peace practitioners, analysts, members of conflicting parties and communities affected by violence, to share their experiences and ideas of how to navigate the early stages of a peace process and get peace talks off the ground. Look out for the full Accord in April and read our early outcomes from this work.
Uniting peacebuilders
+Peace is a global coalition of peacebuilding organisations, including Conciliation Resources, which works together to mobilise people, governments and the private sector to tackle global violence and division. Together, we’ve already successfully campaigned to get peacebuilding in the dictionary, and launched a Global Week of Action. The new ‘Peace in our cities’ campaign aims to halve urban violence by 2030. Find out more.
A global alliance of women mediators
2019 saw the launch of a new Global Alliance of Regional Women Mediator Networks, during the opening week of the UN General Assembly in New York. The alliance is comprised of regional women mediator networks, including Women Mediators across the Commonwealth. In 2020, together they’ll be advocating for women’s meaningful participation in peace processes, and supporting other women mediators worldwide. Read more.
Making progress on youth peacebuilding
There’s been increasing recognition that getting young people involved in peacebuilding and conflict prevention is vital for ensuring that peace lasts. In May 2020, the UN Secretary General will report on the progress made by UN member states, regional organisations, civil society and youth-led organisations, on increasing youth inclusion in peacebuilding. Read our report ‘Youth aspirations for peace and security’ which fed into the UN Progess Study on Youth, Peace and Security.
Peace on the rise?
According to the 2019 Global Peace Index, global peacefulness improved for the first time in five years last year, but the world continues to be less peaceful than a decade ago. The average country score improved by -0.09 per cent, with 86 countries improving and 76 recording deteriorations. It's a small increase, but trends like this can encourage and galvanise peacebuilders to continue efforts to create a more peaceful world. Explore the Global Peace Index.
More like this
What is peacebuilding?
Peacebuilding seeks to address the underlying causes of conflict, helping people to resolve their differences peacefully and lay the foundations to prevent future violence.
Promote peace
Anyone can become a peace champion! Find out how you can spread the word and tell people why peacebuilding works.
How we make a difference
With our courageous partners, and the vital support of our donors, we are helping people living with conflict to reduce and prevent violence in their communities. And we are guiding countries that have suffered decades of war, on to the path to peace.