Initiative for Peacebuilding [11] (IfP), a consortium supported by the European Union and led by International Alert, recently launched six synthesis papers which summarise lessons learnt, conclusions and recommendations drawn from evidence-based research conducted in the last year and a half by Alert and its partners.
The six synthesis reports are based both on local workshops and on numerous country and regional studies carried out in Timor-Leste, Afghanistan, Nepal, Indonesia, Pakistan, Ukraine, Albania, Haiti, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Angola, the Middle East, the South Caucasus, West Africa and the Great Lakes Region. The papers reflect the six thematic fields on which IfP focuses: mediation, democratisation and transitional justice, security, gender, regional cooperation on environment, economy and natural resources, and capacity-building and training.
In line with IfP’s aim, these papers aim to develop and harness international knowledge and expertise in the field of conflict prevention and peacebuilding to ensure that all stakeholders, including local and international NGOs, governments, practitioners of all kinds, UN, EU and World Bank officials, academics and the media too can access strong independent analysis in order not only to facilitate better informed and more evidence-based policy decisions, but also to improve the impact of peacebuilding and thus contribute to the increased resilience of societies to manage conflicts.
Through the synthesis papers, IfP reiterates its recommendations, critiques and calls. In particular:
- IfP highlights the need for developing gender [12]-sensitive indicators, monitoring and accountability mechanisms to support the effective implementation of EU-specific policy commitments.
- In the realm of statebuilding [13] and the support of developing democratic governance, IfP suggests how to strengthen both the social contract between societies and states, and social cohesion amongst societal groups.
- The consortium identifies gaps and obstacles to improve the implementation of EU and Member States' security [14]-related programmes and contribute to people's safety and security at the local level in conflict-affected countries.
- IfP extracts common patterns from the case studies analysed in regional cooperation on environment, economy and natural resource management [15], and highlights opportunities for further regional cooperation.
- On capacity-building and training [16], IfP stresses both the progress and the remaining weaknesses in EU Member States' ODA planning and implementation processes, while advocating for an improved peacebuilding impact.
- Moreover, IfP crystallises the key challenges the EU faces in international peace mediation [17] and aims to improve both the understanding and the operationalisation of this field.
IfP draws together the complementary geographic and thematic expertise of 10 civil society organisations (and their networks) with offices across the EU and in conflict-affected countries: International Alert, Adelphi, Clingendael, CMI, ELIAMEP, EPLO, FRIDE, ICTJ, PDCI and Saferworld.