The literature offers a number of recommendations on community engagement in the extractives sector. The following are particularly relevant to fragile and conflict-affected contexts:Engage with local communities as partners in preventing and managing conflict, rather than approaching them as a threat or risk.Distribute any benefits from the project (including jobs, development ...» more
Conflict
Peacebuilding and Access to Justice in Sri Lanka
Since the signing of a ceasefire agreement in 2002, many donors have sought to facilitate the peace process through peace conditionalities, i.e. the provision of aid tied to commitment to conflict resolution and peace. Much of the literature stresses, however, that political and diplomatic actors and processes and efforts to address structural causes of conflict are also ...» more
The impact of the financial crisis on conflict and state fragility in sub-saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa was largely insulated from the initial stages of the financial crisis as the majority of the countries in the region are de-linked from the international financial markets. However, with the worsening of the global financial and economic crisis, the region as a whole has now been exposed to the downturn, and growth estimates have been continually lowered from ...» more
Country Strategies on Conflict Prevention
Although theories and strategies on conflict prevention are well-developed, institutionalised practice remains limited, especially at the national level. The literature contains some descriptions of individual projects set up mainly by international NGOs which their sponsors have claimed to be successful, at least at local levels. However, these are not necessarily sponsored by ...» more
Conflict and Sexual and Domestic Violence against Women
The literature on sexual violence in armed conflict indicates that rape and violence against women and girls prior to, during and after conflict seem to be extensive in scope and magnitude throughout the world – with reported incidents in conflicts in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The forms of sexual violence most commonly documented are:sexual ...» more
Aid Interventions on Gender and Conflict
Many experts point out that the impact of aid interventions on gender, especially in post-conflict settings, is rarely measured. Most of the literature on aid programmes that is available often takes a more critical perspective, with a view to suggesting what could have been done better. As a result, there is relatively more information on the strategies which are considered ...» more
The Impact of Conflict on Women’s Voice and Participation
Although conflict can reduce the voice of less powerful groups (including women), there are also opportunities for these groups to contest well-established social structures and divisions, and for new, non-traditional leaders to emerge. Women assume varied roles during armed conflict, as victims, but also as perpetrators, as well as peace activists. There are sub-groups of ...» more
The Impact of Conflict on Women’s Education, Employment and Health Care
The extent to which conflict restricts women’s freedom of movement depends on a number of factors including the stage of conflict, whether the women are displaced, whether they are directly or indirectly affected by the conflict, and the cultural norms of the conflict-affected area. Forced displacement, for example, may in some cases lead to greater mobility, where women assume ...» more
The Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on Conflict and Social Stability
While there seems to be little academic research which addresses the impact of economic crises on conflict, fragility and social stability, it has been widely discussed in the media recently. According to a recent US Senate intelligence briefing, almost a quarter of all countries have already experienced low-level instability, such as changes in government and anti-state ...» more
Identity Politics in Nepal
In 1990, the 30 year-old Panchayat regime was overthrown, a new Constitution written and a multiparty system re-established. Although these reforms did not properly address the exclusion of marginalised groups and ethnic centralisation continued, they did provide the space for such grievances to be mobilised and heard – resulting in the emergence of ‘identity politics’.There ...» more
Service Delivery and Stabilisation
There is very little evidence on the impact of stabilisation service delivery initiatives on producing a peace dividend, or providing the basis for longer-term sustainable reform.Nevertheless, the most commonly cited potential benefits of service delivery in post-conflict environments are that visible delivery enhances state legitimacy, strengthens the social contract and ...» more
State capacity and non-state service provision in fragile and conflict-affected states
How can governments effectively engage with non-state providers (NSPs) of basic services where capacity is weak? This paper examines whether and how fragile and conflict affected states can co-ordinate, finance, and set and apply standards for the provision of basic services by NSPs. It explores ways of incrementally engaging the state, beginning with activities that are least ...» more
Reintegration in Aceh/Post-conflict Environments
The situation in Aceh differs from other conflict environments in that most combatants have remained close to their communities during the conflict, with some never having left their villages. As such, minimal tensions are reported between former combatants and ‘receiving communities’. Reintegration measures have thus focused more on economic reintegration rather than social ...» more
Post-conflict Rehabilitation of Education Services
Education systems can contribute to conflict. In Rwanda, for example, the education system was used as an instrument in fomenting exclusion and hate. In many post-conflict settings, rehabilitation of the education sector requires not re-establishing the system that existed prior to the conflict but rather reforming the whole system. Education rehabilitation goes beyond ...» more
Election-related Conflict
Election-related conflict or violence can occur at any stage of the electoral process – from pre-election registration, candidate nomination and campaigning to election day balloting to post-election results. Although election-related conflict is an under-researched area, there is a small body of literature that addresses its potential causes and methods of prevention and ...» more
Mapping Research Programmes on Conflict and Social Cohesion
This query aimed to map long-term research programmes on the links between conflict, state fragility and social cohesion. However, there appear to be few programmes which link the three together. Most of the current work being undertaken centres either on the link between conflict and state fragility; or between conflict and social cohesion. This query focuses on the latter. ...» more
Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Principe
The two small island countries of Equatorial Guinea (EG) and São Tomé and Principe (STP) have experienced several governance problems over the years, recently compounded by the discovery of oil and the prospect of oil revenues. Fears of the ‘resource curse’ and the potential for conflict have resulted in a series of reforms projects.There is little documentation available on ...» more
Politics of Justice Sector Reform
There are a wealth of case studies available that discuss the impact of politics on justice reform, with less available on how justice reform impacts politics. Most of the resources identified demonstrate how the macro-political environment impacts on the justice sector or explore political dynamics within the sector that affect reform. Less material was found that discusses ...» more
Underdevelopment and Radicalisation in Bangladesh
While some experts cite poverty as a contributing factor to radicalisation, the vast majority of experts and the literature focus more on political underdevelopment and poor governance; rampant violence, criminality and corruption; non-state service provision by Islamist groups, particularly in education with the expansion of madrassas (religious schools); and the lack of ...» more
Under-development and Radicalisation in Pakistan
Most in-depth analysis has found little evidence of a direct link between poverty and terrorism in Pakistan, arguing instead that terrorism should be seen as a response to political conditions and long-standing feelings of indignity, and frustration at lack of opportunity. Other commentators, however, argue that while this may explain the motivations of the Islamist leadership ...» more
