Publication: Civil Society and Peacebuilding : Potential, Limitations and Critical Factors
Date
2007-02
ISSN
Published
2007-02
Author(s)
World Bank
Abstract
This report develops and discusses a new
analytical framework to understand the functions of civil
society in peace building. In theory and practice, there is
a wide variety of ways to categorize civil society
contributions to development and peacebuilding. Donors tend
to employ actor-oriented perspectives, focusing on
supporting activities of different types of civil society
organizations in a given situation. This report proposes to
move toward a functional perspective, centered on the roles
that different actors can play in conflict situations. The
analysis shows that civil society can make numerous positive
contributions and have unique potential to support
peacebuilding and conflict mitigation. It can do so
independently as actor in its own right, or in relation to
peacebuilding processes and programs led by Governments or
the international community. Despite many successful
initiatives on the ground, however, civil society should not
be considered a panacea. The existence of civil society per
se cannot be equated with the existence of peacebuilding
actors. Similarly, civil society strengthening and support
does not automatically contribute to peacebuilding. While
civil society organizations are frequently actors for peace,
they equally have the potential to become actors of
violence. So far, outcomes and impacts of different civil
society peace interventions have not been sufficiently
evaluated. Civil society and donors need to more
strategically identify the objectives and demonstrate the
relevance of the particular approaches they propose to
engage in different phases of conflict/peacebuilding.
Without greater clarity regarding objectives and intended
impacts, and, without addressing existing institutional
constraints and distortions, activities run the risk of
being well-intentioned, but unlikely to achieve sustainable results.
Citation
“World Bank. 2007. Civil Society and Peacebuilding : Potential, Limitations and Critical Factors. © Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/1515b319-9bcf-5b81-bd29-22e846669baa License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”