March 2012
International Women's Day – 8 March – marks the contribution that women across the world make to their communities. Nowhere are these efforts more important than in the field of peacebuilding.
March 2012
The Kony 2012 viral campaign has caused a media storm. It’s been successful in bringing the LRA conflict to the attention of an audience who hadn't previously heard of Joseph Kony or the violence that's been terrorising people in East and Central Africa for decades. But we urge that there can be no purely military solution to this problem. There must be a political solution that promotes civilian security. Find out how we’re helping communities cope with the conflict and build peace.
March 2012
Insight
Доведение до сведения лиц, ответственных за выработку международной политики, мнений местного населения в пострадавших от конфликтов регионах является незаменимой мерой в деле разработки адекватной политики и необходимых программ. Для того, чтобы добиться позитивных сдвигов в этом направлении, «Ресурсы примирения» осуществила совместный 18-ти месячный проект с еще одним партнером в области построения мира, организацией Saferworld, и в настоящее время мы вместе представляем вниманию Брюсселя уроки, извлеченные из всех проведенных нами 18-ти национальных и региональныx анализов конфликтов.
March 2012
Recent developments in Colombia suggest that the government and FARC each now recognise that violence is not solved by more violence. In a Spanish article for Razón Pública, Kristian Herbolzheimer, Director of our Colombia and Philippines programmes, suggests that Colombia can learn lessons from its own past – both its successes and mistakes – to identify a new approach that is far more inclusive than peace negotiations. Both sides have taken important steps but the challenge remains to define the roadmap to peace.
March 2012
Insight
We've been working with peacebuilding partner Saferworld on an 18-month project to bring the opinions of local people in conflict-affected communities to the attention of national and international policymakers. Now, together in Brussels, we're presenting the lessons learnt from all 18 national and regional conflict analyses. Find out more about the project and watch a short film that explains why the voices of people most affected by conflict must be heard when policy and programming decisions are being considered.
March 2012
Members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) recently visited Catalonia during a trip organised by Conciliation Resources and the School of Peace of Barcelona. The MILF and the Government of the Philippines are currently negotiating an end to more than four decades of armed conflict in Mindanao. As part of the International Contact Group for this dialogue we have been providing assistance to the ongoing negotiations. Find out more about what lessons the MILF group drew from the situation in Catalonia.
March 2012
In March staff from our Accord programme travelled to Beirut to meet with partners, project advisers and authors as momentum builds towards our upcoming edition on Lebanon. Provisionally titled 'Positive peace? Reconciliation, reform and national self-determination in Lebanon', this publication will review peacebuilding in the country to examine its effectiveness, as well as opportunities and priorities for progress. Find out more about the project so far and the final stages towards publication.
March 2012
We welcome the announcement by Fiji's Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, on 9 March of a process and timeline for the development of a new constitution. We believe Professor Yash Ghai is an excellent candidate as chair of the Constitutional Commission that will conduct national consultations. We support our partners the Citizens' Constitutional Forum in their call for a "conducive environment which encourages freedom of speech and welcomes dialogue".
March 2012
Insight
Le fait de porter les opinions des populations locales dans les communautés touchées par le conflit à l'attention des décideurs internationaux représente une étape essentielle pour garantir la mise en place de politiques et d’interventions adaptées. Les personnes les plus directement touchées par les conflits ou l'instabilité comprennent souvent le mieux les causes de ces conflits et ont les meilleures idées pour les résoudre. Conciliation Resources a travaillé avec son partenaire Saferworld, qui joue également un rôle de pacification, sur un projet de 18 mois, dans le but d’atteindre cet objectif. Aujourd’hui, nous présentons à Bruxelles les enseignements tirés de l'ensemble des 18 analyses de conflits nationaux et régionaux.
February 2012
Building peace takes time but we make commitments to support our partners for the long-term. In countries affected by the Lord's Resistance Army conflict, we've recently taken part in workshops focusing on strategies to deal with land disputes arising out of the violence, and are supporting women in discussions about how to cope with the conflict. We're there for as long as we're needed to provide advice, support and practical resources.
February 2012
Engaging armed groups was on the agenda for students at the London School of Economics recently when Sophie Haspeslagh, Conciliation Resources’ Policy Analyst, shared her knowledge and experience during a seminar. In discussion with Masters students on the Peace and Conflict Studies programme, Sophie highlighted the benefits of choosing to engage all parties in negotiations but also the pitfalls imposed by proscription. How can a peaceful settlement be reached if negotiators are prevented from talking with those who are central to the conflict?
February 2012
Eleven years after the landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women in conflict and peace, the gap between policy and practice remains huge. While government and rebels in the Philippines have women represented on their peace panels, there is a lot more that can be done to have women’s voices and expertise heard at the peace talks and in the post-agreement implementation. Conciliation Resources contributed to a recent peacebuilding forum in Manila which discussed options for a process that could lead to an International Action Plan on women, peace and security in the Philippines.