Agents for Change: Civil Society Roles in Preventing War & Building
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OmslagRapport2Def 27-09-2006 16:47 Pagina 1 Agents for Change: Civil Society Roles in Preventing War &BuildingPeace War Agents forChange:CivilSocietyRolesinPreventing Agents for Change: Civil Society Roles in Preventing War & Building Peace The Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict c/o European Centre for Conflict Prevention Laan van Meerdervoort 70 2517 AN Den Haag The Netherlands Tel.: + 31 70 3110970 Fax: + 31 70 3600194 [email protected] www.gppac.net Issue Paper 2 September 2006 Catherine Barnes Agents for Change: Civil Society Roles in Preventing War & Building Peace Issue Paper 2 September 2006 European Centre for Conflict Prevention /International Secretariat of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict. Laan van Meerdervoort 70 2517 AN Den Haag The Netherlands Tel.: +31 70 3110970 Fax: +31 70 3600194 [email protected] www.gppac.net © 2006 European Centre for Conflict Prevention All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way without full attribution. Production: Bureau M&O, Amsterdam Layout: MMS Grafisch Werk, Amsterdam Printed by Haasbeek, Alphen a/d Rijn Cover photo: Peacelinks members performing for their Stop Child Soldiers campaign. Peacelinks, Sierra Leone. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE PAPER 5 MAIN FINDINGS 7 Why should civil society be involved in working with conflict? 7 Agents for change: key functions of civil society peacebuilding 8 Partnerships for peace 13 I. CONFLICT, PEACE AND SECURITY 15 Understanding conflict dynamically 15 Compelling reasons to respond to the changing nature of war and violent conflict 15 People-centered human security: working proactively for just peace 18 II. CIVIL SOCIETY, CONFLICT AND CHANGE 19 What is civil society? 19 Civil society as a factor in war as well as a force for peace 20 Globalization and civil society: evolving trends 21 III. WHY CIVIL SOCIETY INVOLVEMENT IN PREVENTION AND PEACEBUILDING? 25 Multiple channels for CSO engagement in prevention & peacebuilding 26 Cumulative effects: roles and functions of CSOs at different stages in the conflict cycle 27 IV. MAKING PEACE BY PEACEFUL MEANS: CIVIL SOCIETY ROLES AND FUNCTIONS 32 Waging conflict constructively 32 Mobilizing for change: enacting the power of resistance Bearing witness: the power to expose Systemic prevention: campaigns addressing the root causes of conflict Shifting conflict attitudes: the power to re-frame & change perceptions 38 Envisioning a better future: power to identify, analyze & propose 40 Developing a vision for a better future Defining the peace agenda Shaping peace policy Mobilizing constituencies for peace 44 Generating public support and applying pressure for peace International solidarity: mobilizing a global response Power to reduce violence & promote stability 46 Power to alert and to act: early warning and early response Crisis response, de-escalating tensions, creating oasis of stability Civilian monitoring Interpositioning, accompaniment and civilian peacekeeping Agents for Change: Civil Society Roles in Preventing War & Building Peace Making peace: helping to reach agreement 52 Back-channel communications between opponents Unofficial dialogue processes: ‘Track II’ and ‘Track 1 1/2 Mediation / facilitation of peace negotiations Direct participation in peace negotiations Pragmatic peace: community-level peacemaking 63 Community-based mediation and monitoring structures Localized peace agreements Transformation: addressing the causes & consequences of conflict and creating peaceable & just relationships 68 Addressing the structural causes and consequences of conflict Demilitarizing minds, healing psyches and fostering reconciliation Demobilization, Decommissioning and Reintegration Shifting values and cultures; educating for peace 73 V. CHALLENGES FOR CIVIL SOCIETY PEACEBUILDING 77 Strategic effectiveness: challenges for achieving sustainable peace 77 Peacebuilding, power and politics Inclusion and the challenge of equality of process and outcomes Dilemmas of engaging with armed groups and proscribed organizations Scale and linking dynamics: challenge of countering forces of destruction Project-itis’: the challenge of complacency? Need for a holistic approach Enhancing capacities: resources, skills, and ethics 87 Guiding principles and values Funding relationships Knowledge, learning and communications technologies Navigating relationships: challenges of engagement 95 Partnerships: dilemmas of collaborative relationships Networks and strategic alliances Relations with governments and inter-governmental organizations Towards partnerships for peace 100 BIBLIOGRAPHY 103 THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR THE PREVENTION OF ARMED CONFLICT 109 Agents for Change: Civil Society Roles in Preventing War & Building Peace ABOUT THIS ISSUES PAPER This paper is the second in a series of studies into issues undertaken by civil society organizations and it provides in conflict prevention and peacebuilding by civil society an overview of the key challenges facing the wider field of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed of civil society working for peace. Conflict (GPPAC). This paper is based on the experiences and discussions undertaken through the first This paper is written by Dr. Catherine Barnes. Dr. three years of the Global Partnership. It builds on the Barnes is an independent consultant working in support outcomes of regional conferences and action agendas, of peacebuilding initiatives through facilitation, the global conference ‘From Reaction to Prevention: training, and research. She is an advisor to the Global Civil Society Forging Partnerships to Prevent Violent Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict and an Conflict and Build Peace” that took place at the United associate of Conciliation Resources. She holds a Nations headquarters in New York in July 2005 and the doctoral degree in conflict analysis and resolution from Global Action Agenda. Furthermore it also advances on George Mason University and has authored several the publication People Building- Successful stories of publications on peace processes, minority rights, and civil society that was published in July 2005. Lastly, it specific conflict situations around the world. benefits from the insights and practical experiences of the regional initiators of the Global Partnership. The paper has made been made possible by the financial support of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The purpose of the study is to provide an in-depth review of the many roles and functions that can be Agents for Change: Civil Society Roles in Preventing War & Building Peace 5 MAIN FINDINGS This study emerges from the experience and discussions central interest in contributing to its resolution. Living undertaken through the first three years of the Global alongside the armed actors, they have greater need and Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict greater potential to take part in peacebuilding. (GPPAC). The main focus is to survey many of the ways in which civil society organizations (CSOs) respond Civil society as a force for people-centered security constructively to conflict, with the primary purpose of In a time when the world is divided in its approach to raising awareness of this potential. It starts with a brief promoting security, the UN has championed a more description of the wider context of peace and security holistic approach, as embodied in UN Secretary- concerns that GPPAC aims to address. It then gives an General Kofi Annan’s observation that: “The world overview of what is ‘civil society’ and why it is relevant must advance the causes of security, development and in addressing conflict. After presenting a framework of human rights together, otherwise none will succeed. the ways in which CSOs respond to conflict, it then Humanity will not enjoy security without development, provides a more in-depth review of the many roles and it will not enjoy development without security, and it functions that can be undertaken by CSOs, illustrating will not enjoy either without respect for human rights.”1 these points with numerous examples. It concludes by identifying some of the key challenges facing the wider People can be agents of this security, not merely passive field of civil society peacebuilding if it is to maximize recipients. Fulfilling this potential, however, this potential and effectively catalyze a new way of necessitates changing the state’s ‘security monopoly’: responding to conflict that promotes human security in a the view that governments are solely responsible for more just and peaceful world. providing security and this can best be achieved through military capacity and the threat of force. Governments The following summarizes some of the key points that have a primary obligation to provide security. are made in arguing the case why it is important for civil Yet in a globalizing world, preventing violent conflict society to be involved in responding to conflict and a and building sustainable peace requires complex review of the eight functional areas of civil society strategies. These need to address structural causes of peacebuilding described in detail in the paper. conflict, many of which may be inherent in the global system. To do so effectively requires cooperation Why should civil society be involved in working between civil society actors at the local, national, with conflict? regional and global levels and with governments, inter- governmental organizations and, in some cases, The changing nature