Inclusive societies are more resilient and less prone to violent conflict, and achieving greater inclusion is a widely accepted peacebuilding goal. What’s less obvious however, is the journey people in less equal and inclusive societies need to take to get there.
Evidence shows that peace processes that are more inclusive have a better chance of success. But what does it mean to be inclusive and how can this be achieved?
There is the opportunity now for progress towards peace in Afghanistan. But to become reality, it needs a new step-by-step approach.
This year, the UN’s International Youth Day is championing safe spaces for youth - places where young people can come together, express themselves, and participate in decision making. In peacebuilding, creating these safe spaces is a vital first step in allowing young people to share their experiences of conflict, and work towards achieving a more peaceful future.
In the years following 9/11, counter-terrorism laws, regulations, sanctions and policies have proliferated, many with the aim of curtailing non-state armed groups’ access to financial support. Several studies have shown how these measures impact the work of NGOs and civil society organisations providing humanitarian assistance or supporting peace efforts in these volatile contexts. One such impact is bank ‘de-risking’.
The Somali Regional State of Ethiopia (SRS – also known as Ogaden region) has a long history of armed conflict - inter-state wars, clan clashes, insurgencies and counter-insurgencies. Since 1994, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has been waging an armed insurgency against the Government of Ethiopia in the region. It’s a conflict that has threatened the stability, security and development prospects of Ethiopia, but is often overlooked – both regionally and internationally. But in the last two months, the SRS is hitting the headlines – and there seems to be some good news.
