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Home»GSDRC Publications»Lessons From Interventions That Address Livelihoods and Cross-border Conflict Systems

Lessons From Interventions That Address Livelihoods and Cross-border Conflict Systems

Literature Review
  • Siân Herbert
August 2022

This rapid literature review brings together lessons from interventions that address the link between livelihood pressures and cross-border conflict systems. There is limited literature on this exact question, thus, this paper draws together findings from: the general livelihoods literature; literature on livelihoods programming in fragile and conflict affected states (FCAS) related to conflict systems; the state- and peacebuilding literatures; literature on borderlands, conflict and development; and literature on demobilisation, disarmament, and reintegration (DDR) interventions, including some livelihoods-related activities. Some livelihood challenges and interventions have clear potential cross-border elements and links to conflict systems (e.g. refugee responses, cross-border pastoralists, violence against women during cross-border trading, transnational serious and organised crime, etc.). Where possible, this literature review focuses on lessons regarding these types of interventions, and specifically on the cross-border elements.

This paper is organised as follows: Section 1 provides a summary of the findings and explains the method taken; Section 2 provides definitions for the paper, and traces the varied connections we can make between livelihoods and conflict systems; Section 3 explains how livelihood interventions have evolved to the current day; Section 4 explains the main types of livelihood interventions; Section 5 provides illustrative lessons from a number of intervention types, including interventions related to: displacement; cross-border pastoralists; informal cross-border trade (ICBT); microfinance; alternative livelihoods, migration; serious and organised crime; and vocational training and skills; and Section 6 provides cross-cutting lessons.

Suggested citation

Herbert, S. (2022). Lessons from interventions that address livelihoods and cross-border conflict systems. Evidence Synthesis. Birmingham, UK: GSDRC, University of Birmingham.

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