
This month, rioting and looting gripped England. At a time of uncertainty, it seemed salient (and perhaps inevitable) to ask, if the UK were a fragile state, how would we approach the events of last week, their aftermath and the future?
Building stability overseas
Photo: Peckham, Peace Wall - August 2011, © International Alert

Equitable economic recovery and improved public security are both key requirements for consolidating peace in Nepal. The private sector is deeply affected by insecurity: increasing criminality, forced donations, strikes, shutdowns and labour unrest stifle production and undermine investor confidence. At the same time, irresponsible and sometimes illicit business practice further fuels this cycle of public insecurity, resulting in yet more economic hardship. Breaking this cycle therefore has to be in the interest of responsible business leaders across Nepal.
This short briefing paper highlights key security concerns for the Nepali private sector and explores the role business can play in contributing to and mitigating insecurity.
Implementing the UN action programme for combating the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects
One of the more controversial outcomes of the UN Small Arms conference was the failure of states to explicitly commit to more effective regulation of civilian possession and use of small arms and light weapons (SALW). Despite clear evidence of the opportunities for diversion of SALW from civilian possession to illicit trade and the serious impact of this on human security, opposition from some
Sexual and gender-based violence is one of five key security challenges currently facing Nepal. Left untackled, such violence, plus the increase in armed groups; proliferation of small arms and light weapons; rises in crime and political strikes pose a serious risk to the peace process. This paper provides insight into how to strengthen security and justice responses to the principle risk for women in post-conflict Nepal, sexual and gender-based violence. Three broad recommendations are proposed to international donors, particularly the EU.
This paper provides insight into how to strengthen security and justice responses to sexual and gender-based violence in Nepal, and provides three broad recommendations to international donors.

These ‘snapshot’ briefings are part of a longer-term initiative by International Alert to help address the current gaps in knowledge and understanding between those actors at the district level and those in Kathmandu. Each briefing aims to outline current security and justice needs and challenges in a particular district, and advance constructive recommendations for ways in which national and international actors could address these challenges. The briefings are based on research undertaken as part of Alert’s work for the Initiative for Peacebuilding project.
This snapshot focuses on security and justice needs in Bara, a district in the central Terai in Nepal where the activities of armed groups are contributing to feelings of insecurity.
These ‘snapshot’ briefings are part of a longer-term initiative by International Alert to help address the current gaps in knowledge and understanding between those actors at the district level and those in Kathmandu. Each briefing aims to outline current security and justice needs and challenges in a particular district, and advance constructive recommendations for ways in which national and international actors could address these challenges. The briefings are based on research undertaken as part of Alert’s work for the Initiative for Peacebuilding project.
This snapshot focuses on security and justice needs in Dang, a district in the western Terai in Nepal, where political party youth wings are increasingly blamed for exacerbating insecurity.
This snapshot focuses on security and justice needs in Rukum, a district in the western hill region at the heart of the Maoist conflict in Nepal. It examines the security situation in the district four years after the signing of the peace agreement.
These ‘snapshot’ briefings are part of a longer-term initiative by International Alert to help address the current gaps in knowledge and understanding between those actors at the district level and those in Kathmandu. Each briefing aims to outline current security and justice needs and challenges in a particular district, and advance constructive recommendations for ways in which national and international actors could address these challenges. The briefings are based on research undertaken as part of Alert’s work for the Initiative for Peacebuilding project.
This snapshot focuses on Rukum, a district in the western hill region at the heart of the Maoist conflict. This briefing examines the security situation in the district four years after the signing of the peace agreement.
This briefing paper focuses on Bong County in central Liberia, one of the areas worst affected by conflict in the Mano River Union. It forms part of International Alert’s work to address the current gaps in knowledge and understanding between local actors in the leeward counties and those in Monrovia. Each briefing in this series aims to outline current security and justice needs and challenges in a particular county and advance constructive recommendations for ways in which national and international actors could address these challenges.
This briefing paper focuses on security and justice needs and challenges in Bong County in central Liberia, and constructive recommendations for ways in which national and international actors could address them.
This briefing paper focuses on Grand Gedeh County in southeast Liberia, one of the areas worst affected by conflict in the Mano River Union. It forms part of International Alert’s work to address the current gaps in knowledge and understanding between local actors in the leeward counties and those in Monrovia. Each briefing in this series aims to outline current security and justice needs and challenges in a particular county and advance constructive recommendations for ways in which national and international actors could address these challenges.
This briefing paper focuses on security and justice needs and challenges in Grand Gedeh County in southeast Liberia, and constructive recommendations for ways in which national and international actors could address them.
This briefing paper focuses on Lofa County in northern Liberia, one of the areas worst affected by conflict in the Mano River Union. It forms part of International Alert’s work to address the current gaps in knowledge and understanding between local actors in the leeward counties and those in Monrovia. Each briefing in this series aims to outline current security and justice needs and challenges in a particular county and advance constructive recommendations for ways in which national and international actors could address these challenges.
This briefing paper focuses on security and justice needs and challenges in Lofa County in northern Liberia, and constructive recommendations for ways in which national and international actors could address them.
This briefing paper aims to outline priorities for international community support for the effective and accountable provision of security and justice in Nepal. It aims to highlight the need for utilising a participatory approaches in the promotion of people-centred reform of the security and justice system.
This briefing paper outlines priorities for international community support for the effective and accountable provision of security and justice in Nepal, and highlights the need for participatory approaches in the promotion of people-centered reform in this area.