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DESIGNING a PEACEBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE: Taking a Systems Approach to the Prevention of Deadly Conflict

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DESIGNING a PEACEBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE: Taking a Systems Approach to the Prevention of Deadly Conflict NGLS DEVELOPMENT DOSSIER DESIGNING A PEACEBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE: Taking a Systems Approach to the Prevention of Deadly Conflict by Tobi P. Dress, J.D. Development Dossiers are produced by the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service United Nations 2005 The United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) DESIGNING A PEACEBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE: TAKING A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO THE PREVENTION OF DEADLY CONFLICT United Nations New York and Geneva, 2005 The views expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not necessarily represent those of the United Nations Non- Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS), or any other part of the United Nations system. The designations used do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of NGLS or any part of the United Nations system concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. This publication is the twelfth in the series of NGLS Development Dossiers. They are published for non-governmental and civil soci- ety organizations and others interested in the institutions, policies, and activities of the UN system and the issues on the UN’s agenda, including development, human rights, peace and disarmament. Organizations are welcome to use them in their own work and information activities. Please credit NGLS and provide a copy. UNCTAD/NGLS/2005/1 Published in April 2005 by UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Room DC1-1106, United Nations, New York NY 10017, United States Designing a Peacebuilding Infrastructure: Taking a Systems Approach To the Prevention of Deadly Conflict by Tobi P. Dress, J.D. edited by Beth Peoc’h ACKNOWLEDGMENTS With appreciation to the following colleagues for generously offering their time, insights and materials: Mari Fitzduff (Brandeis University), Gay Rosenblum-Kumar (UN/DESA), Fred Clarke (War correspondent and photographer, ICRC), Janet Murdock (Organization of American States), Paul Eavis (Saferworld), Dan Smith (International Alert), Alan Davis (Institute for War and Peace Reporting), Michael Page (International Alert), Kim Brizzolara (Films on Conflict and Resolution, Hamptons International Film Festival), Vandy Kanyako (American Friends Service Committee/Quaker UN Office), Cora Weiss (Samuel Rubin Foundation) and Sarah Silver (Alan B. Slifka Foundation). With thanks also to research assistant extraordinaire Saurabh Naithani (School of International Service, American University), as well as to research assistants Aurora Deuss (UN/DESA) and Emily Thomas (International Alert and University of Sussex). Many thanks to Tony Hill and NGLS for their initiation and support for this project, and to Kouraich Jaouahdou for his assistance with layout, and special admiration and thanks to a remarkable, wise and patient editor, Beth Peoc’h. With appreciation to the Samuel Rubin Foundation and the Alan B. Slifka Foundation for their generous contributions, as well as to the Hamptons International Film Festival for its support. Finally, with deepest gratitude to Stan Dressen, Arlene Germain, Cynthia Cohen and Judy Welles for their support, encouragement and generosity throughout this process. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface viii Foreword xi Introduction xiii Part I: DESIGNING A PEACEBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE Ch. 1 Overview 1 Ch. 2 Deconstructing Prevention 11 a. The Current Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Landscape 11 b. Overview of Interventions and Methodologies 13 c. De-constructing Conventional Understanding 13 PART II: STRUCTURAL PREVENTION: INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING AND CROSS SECTORAL LINKAGES Ch. 3 Capacity Building for Structural Prevention: Strengthening the Capacity of the United Nations and Its Member States 21 a. The Operational Challenge 22 b. Strengthening the Institutional Capacity of Member States 25 c. Creation of National Prevention Policies and Institutions 26 d. Early Warning Systems: Concept and Overview 28 Ch. 4 The Importance of Interdisciplinary Linkages: Conflict Prevention, Development, Governance and Human Rights 33 Ch. 5 National Institutional Capacity and Rule of Law 37 a. Legal and Institutional Reforms in Post-Conflict Countries 38 b. Reconciliation and Rebuilding Justice 41 iv Designing a Peacebuilding Infrastructure c. Truth Commissions 42 d. Reform of Law Enforcement Institutions and the Security Sector 42 Ch. 6 Human Rights, Minority Rights and Identity-based Conflict 47 a. Conflict Prevention and Human Rights: The Need for Intersectoral Cooperation 48 b. Defining Human Rights 49 c. Highlighting Minority Rights 51 d. Prevention of Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing 51 Ch. 7 Macroeconomics of Conflict 59 a. Economic Causes of Conflict 59 b. Economic Impacts of Conflict 63 c. Transfer of Small Arms and Light Weapons 64 d. Corruption, Its Legacies and the Struggle to Contain It 67 e. The Global Compact 71 PART III: CURRENT AND ONGOING INITIATIVES Ch. 8 Civil Society as a Force for Accountability, Early Warning and Peacebuilding 79 a. Civil Society Initiatives and Networks 79 b. The Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) 82 c. Women and Conflict — the Emergence of Leaders from Victims 85 --Special Impacts and “Collateral Damage” 86 --Women as Major Stakeholders in Peace 88 --Women at the Grassroots 90 --Women at the Peace Table 91 d. Vulnerable Populations: Children and Armed Conflict 94 --Making the “Era of Application” a Reality for War-affected Children 95 v Designing a Peacebuilding Infrastructure --State of the World’s Children 2005 98 e. Peacebuilding and a Free Press and Media 99 Ch. 9 United Nations and Intergovernmental Initiatives 115 a. Introduction 115 b. The Brahimi Report 118 c. Secretary-General’s Reports 119 d. In Larger Freedom 120 --Freedom from Fear 121 --Reducing the Prevalence and Risk of War 121 --Freedom to Live in Dignity 123 --Rule of Law 124 --Human Rights 125 --Democracy 125 e. The Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change 120 --The Report 126 --Use of Force 127 -- Proposal for a Peacebuilding Commission 127 --Prevention 128 --Reform of the UN 129 f. A Note on the UN System 129 g. A Technical Cooperation Approach to Conflict Transformation: A Pre-eminent Part of the UN’s Work 130 h. Infusing Awareness and Developing Skills and Capacities 131 i. Regional Initiatives: Regional and Sub-regional Conflict Prevention Mechanisms 132 j. Donor Initiatives 135 PART IV: FRAMING THE FUTURE Ch. 10 The Search for Political Will 137 Ch. 11 Recommendations 145 vi Designing a Peacebuilding Infrastructure a. Proposal for a United Nations Research Institute/Think Tank for Conflict Prevention 145 b. Proposal for an Intersectoral Dialogue on Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding in Conjunction with the Millennium+5 Meetings 149 c. Proposal for Development of an International Network of Sub-regional Dispute Resolution and Dialogue Centres 154 d. National Conflict Surveys/Assessments for Member States 157 e. Support for Early Warning Mechanisms in Africa 157 f. Convening a Meeting of Donors to Develop New Structures, Strategies and Timeframes for Funding Prevention Programmes 158 Ch. 12 Conclusion 161 Annex I: The Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) Regional Meetings 167 Annex II: Overview of Sub-regional Intergovernmental Organizations 177 Section 1: Africa 177 Section 2: Asia 186 Section 3: Latin, Central and South America and the Caribbean 194 Section 4: The European Union 199 Section 5: Security and Cooperation in Europe 202 Annex III: In Larger Freedom 207 Acronyms 219 Bibliography 224 vii AUTHOR’S PREFACE A Note on the Allegory of the Caves In the allegory of the caves by Plato we are shown a solitary man chained to the wall of a concrete cave. Because of the light filter- ing in through cracks in the rock, he sees the figures of other human beings moving along the other cave walls. The man sees only shadows but believes them to be actual people because he lacks more complete information on which to base his belief. Much like the rest of us, he believes he is seeing people in their full forms and experience, when, in fact, he is seeing only a glimmer of them, the parts of them revealed by the particular light of place, time and circumstance. We relate to other people every day of our lives with less than full information and varying degrees of misinformation about them. Therefore, in order to form relationships we make assumptions, and we speak, act and interact based on those assumptions. But our relations are strained by the gaps in our information and by the mistrust and lack of certainty we experience. The end result of our trou- bled attempts to interact with others as individuals, communities, gov- ernments and nations, is the uncomfortable sensation of conflict. We make two types of assumptions whenever we interact with oth- ers. First, we make general assumptions about relating itself. For example, we believe that the words we use convey meanings understood by the other party, and that the other party has the same ideas of good faith and fairness that we have. Secondly, we make assumptions about the Other. As we interact, we viii Designing a Peacebuilding Infrastructure watch, listen and assume, and what we don’t know, we fill in. We do so without information about their histories, needs, fears and expec- tations, just as they are doing with us. Our communications are often based on shaky foundations and are fortified with beliefs that may be real or illusory. We, as individuals, societies and nations, are largely unaware of our lack of information. Yet this very lack of information without awareness, coupled with the assumptions we make, create distortions in perception. It is reasonable to make assumptions and fill in informational gaps in order to communicate. If, however, based on fear, bias or a sense of threat, we fail to perceive or acknowledge our lack of information, we invite contention. Often we nurture our incorrect or exaggerated assumptions and our belief systems based on partial knowledge. Others then feel misunderstood, damaged, humiliated or enraged, and conflict emerges as a signal that several misconceptions have con- verged.
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