Africa

Zones affected by or prone to conflict pose major challenges to companies. If they make the wrong decisions, they risk disruption to their operations, expropriation of assets, currency restrictions, damage to their reputation and potential legal liabilities.

On Tuesday 9th, International Alert in Rwanda launched our report, Healing fractured lives, and the accompanying film (see my previous post) based on the photography of Carol Allen Storey.

On 11th October, International Alert released a new report – Ending the deadlock: Towards a new vision of peace in eastern DRC – which proposes a comprehensive approach to building lasting peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This report demonstrates how the conflicts in the east of Democratic Republic of Congo are embedded in Congolese history and how they relate mainly to the distribution of power and economic resources, influenced by the ethnic identity of the various parties. The conflicts combine local aspects along with the dynamics of regional war, which explains their particular complexity. This report analyses the various programmes aimed at restoring peace in the country, concluding that they have not addressed the root causes of conflict.

Full report

The people of Rwanda have come a long way since the 1994 genocide that took nearly a million lives. Yet the stories captured in our Fractured Lives photo exhibition show that survivors, ex-combatants and ex-prisoners are still struggling to rebuild their lives.

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OUR VOICES – ENGLISH

NOS VOIX, LES ACTIONS – FRANÇAIS

To read more about "Our Voices / Nos Voix, Les Actions", click here.

This report sets out to examine and understand the position of women in the peace economy and politics, and the interaction between their increased economic power and their participation in political and public life in northern Uganda. Women have played a key role in the region’s economic recovery after the war, enabling them to increase their income significantly; however, not at a level which would allow them to achieve economic security, and break free from the cycle of economic survival and merely meeting practical needs.

Full report

Ce rapport examine la participation des femmes dans le processus de paix d’Arusha pour le Burundi, en particulier la manière dont les femmes Burundaises sont parvenues, malgré leur faible représentation à la table des négociations, à faire inclure un certain nombre de dispositions favorables aux droits des femmes et au  principe de l’égalité des sexes dans le texte de l’Accord de paix signé en 2000.

A la conquête de la parole : La participation des femmes dans la transition démocratique au Burundi

Ce rapport analyse l’intégration d’une perspective genre dans le  processus de décentralisation au Rwanda et son impact sur la participation des femmes au niveau de la gouvernance locale et sur le plan national.

Promouvoir l’égalité des sexes dans les processus de décentralisation et dans la gouvernance locale

Ce rapport fait le bilan de la participation des femmes dans le Dialogue Inter-Congolais (DIC) et dans les élections générales de 2006. Le rapport montre que malgré leur faible représentation au Dialogue Inter-Congolais (DIC) à Sun City en Afrique du Sud, les femmes Congolaises sont quand même parvenues à faire inclure des dispositions favorables aux droits des femmes et au  principe de l’égalité des sexes dans l’Accord global et inclusif pour la RDC signé à Pretoria en 2002. Cependant aucune de ces dispositions n’ont été mises en œuvre.

La participation des femmes dans les processus de paix et la prise de décision politique en République Démocratique du Congo

The Great Lakes region has in the last ten to fifteen years seen an increase in women’s representation and involvement in politics and the public sphere, a positive outcome of the region’s peace processes and political transitions.

One of the positive outcomes of recent peace processes in Africa’s Great Lakes region has been the increased involvement of women in the public sphere, primarily thanks to the adoption of quota systems for female representation. Women have had some success in influencing official peace processes in the region, ensuring provisions for women’s rights were made. They have been actively engaged as both voters and candidates in elections, but few are elected.

Full report

Small-scale cross-border trade plays an important role in supporting communities in the Great Lakes region of Africa. This trade provides essential foodstuffs for communities and an income for some 45,000 traders and their families. Yet it faces considerable barriers.

This report looks at the reconciliation and reintegration of genocide survivors, former combatants, ex-prisoners and youth in Rwanda, and what lessons can be learned from the experience.

Full report

South Sudan’s independence in 2011 marked the end of a prolonged period of conflict with its northerly neighbour Sudan. In our new report, we assess the opportunities for building a more positive peace in the new country.