Civilian peace workers and conflict prevention

INTRODUCTION

Recently the notion of conflict prevention has spread from diplomatic and military efforts to also concern living together in a given society
and therefore requires the participation of the people primarily concerned: the population subjected to potentially violent conflicts. We are living in an era of increasing migration flows due to armed conflicts, natural disasters related to the environment and climate change and  structural deprivation engendered by a globalised system that favours a small number to the detriment of everyone else.

Solutions for this spiral of violence and suffering cannot be found in advocating a grotesque form of isolationism, erecting fortresses for the privileged, denying the problems and preaching the good word of opening to all without managing the consequences… It is therefore essential to fnd together new approaches to conflict prevention.

In this publication, we propose frst of all some articles defning the concept and opening up our vision to global considerations: Te Swedish organisation SIDA explains succinctly the fundaments of conflict prevention and its links with the new agendas of the international bodies. Catherine Barnes of the European centre for conflict prevention expands on the questions around the role of civil society in prevention, stabilisation and peace building.

Tania Paffenholz and Christoph Spurk summarise a study carried out by the World Bank on civil society, citizen commitment and peace
work. Te United States Institute for Peace (USIP) presents, in a brief and schematic way, a strategic framework for preventing violent conflicts.

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By Christiane Kayser and Flaubert Djateng