Civil Society, Conflict Transformation, and Peace Building: A Christian Aid Ireland Learning Paper
Abstract
This paper identifies some of the lessons learned and basic principles for Christian Aid country programmes to contribute to conflict transformation. The paper sets some guiding principles for country programmes including: the importance of power and conflict analysis; the need for on-going reflection and adaptation in order to ensure civil society programmes are conflict sensitive; the importance of developing protection strategies; the need to assess constantly how civil society is representing the most marginalised; where possible transforming conflict through their interventions; a focus on creating resilient livelihoods can address some of the unequal power dynamics in a conflict setting; having an understanding of the role and impact of violence and conflict on men and women and their role in building solutions to this, in particular it is critical not to assume stereotypical understanding of gender relations of the different roles of women and men; programmes should consider the critical role of youth in conflict transformation, particularly where young people are most affected by conflict and violence, and where they may also be the perpetrators.
Citation
Witt, F.; Balfe, K. Civil Society, Conflict Transformation, and Peace Building: A Christian Aid Ireland Learning Paper. Political Settlements Research Programme (PSRP), Edinburgh, UK (2016) 38 pp.
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