Conflict deaths are decreasing as a result of fewer civil wars and inter-state wars. However, a quarter of the world’s population still lives in the shadows of different types of organised violence, including armed insurgencies, terrorism and violent extremism, gang-violence and violence associated with organised crime. This suggests that the constituents, landscapes, cycles and dynamics of pervasive violence have changed.
The second Conflict Ideas Forum took place on 28th January on the topic of Organised Violence in Flux – exploring peacebuilding responses to criminal groups and urban violence. The forum is convened by International Alert to discuss recent developments and challenges in peacebuilding theory and practice with key stakeholders, practitioners, donors and academics, in order to frame topics, generate ideas and assist programming.
The forum asked whether peacebuilders need to throw their net wider, to include all kinds of pervasive violence in society within their remit. The Forum also discussed whether peacebuilding organisations should work more deliberately on other types of organised violence, and whether orthodox peacebuilding strategies, tools and approaches are responding effectively to emerging challenges.
While conflict facilitates access to power for criminal groups, these have traditionally been excluded from peacebuilding and development interventions. The dominant response to them has been rooted in security, law enforcement and the rule of law. The forum agreed that there is a need for a joined-up effort involving all responders, working across borders, creating networks, and identifying trends. As part of this, the gap between thinkers and practitioners needs to be bridged.
Hard security approaches need to be complemented – and that can be done by engaging communities and civil society. The idea of a coalition or a non-state platform to pursue innovative answers and strategies emerged as a concrete way forward.
Below is the first in a series of vox pops on this topic. Stay tuned and join the debate!
Dr Gary Slutkin, Founder and Executive Director of Cure Violence
The next Conflict Ideas Forum will take place in April.
