June 6, 2005

Por Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict

People Building Peace:

A global action agenda for the prevention of armed conflict

(3rd Version – for approval by ISG, 6 June 2005)

1.   ‘Highlights’

Note: text for inside front cover

Promote human security and address the root causes of conflict

• Prevention and sustainable peacebuilding are necessary to achieve the Millennium Development Goals; fulfilling these goals can, in turn, address some of the root causes of conflict and promote human security.
  
  
• Implement demilitarization, disarmament and resettlement processes to reduce tensions and the likelihood of inter-state armed conflicts.
  
  
• Provide sustained support for coherent and locally tailored post-war reconstruction.
  
  
• Generate cultures of peace from the grassroots up by mainstreaming peace education, cultivating conflict resolution life skills and promoting reconciliation

Make prevention the fundamental goal of collective security arrangements

• Develop and implement an internationally agreed program of action for prevention and peacebuilding, starting with high-level consultations with GPPAC regional networks to explore challenges and ways of implementing regional action agendas.
  
  
• Integrate early warning and early response systems to maximize local knowledge and build on local capacities, complemented by effective engagement of national, regional and international actors.
  
  
• Provide more resources, more effectively administered, for prevention and peacebuilding through coherent framework strategies and modalities that combine reliability of supply and funding for flexible rapid response initiatives. 

Prevention and peacebuilding requires integrated architecture of effective institutional capacities and partnerships

• Strengthen CSO capacities for prevention and peacebuilding through local, national, regional and global networks that improve accountability and effectiveness through communication, coordination and mutual assistance.
  
  
• Enhance leadership of prevention and peacebuilding efforts at the UN through a peacebuilding commission and peacebuilding support office that engages effectively with civil society, mobilize resources and enable coherent and sustained peacebuilding through information-sharing, planning and monitoring.
  
  
• Increase the capacities of regional organizations to operationalize prevention and peacebuilding in cooperation with the UN, governments and CSOs.

2.   Guiding principles and values

3.   Introduction

This Global Action Agenda is an outcome of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), a world-wide civil society-led process to generate a new international consensus on peacebuilding and the prevention of violent conflict.  We draw our authority—and the legitimacy of this agenda—from the thousands of people around the world who have come together over the past three years to participate in creating this agenda. We represent the vast and growing array of civil society organizations (CSOs) working, in innumerable ways, to promote peace and prevent conflict.

This Global Action Agenda outlines key priorities for change to achieve a shift to prevention based on promoting human security. It addresses some of the main challenges for responding to conflict that is at risk of – or has already descended into – organized violence, as well as for addressing the consequences of war and building cultures of peace. It proposes measures to address some of the main structural causes of conflict by promoting greater human security. It suggests strategies for better focusing policies and structuring resources to achieve these aims. It concludes by highlighting key reforms and tasks that can be implemented by CSOs, the UN, regional organizations and governments to strengthen their institutional capacities to address the issues identified in this Global Action Agenda.

Promoting peace and security in the 21^st century requires a fundamental shift in how we respond to the challenge of violent conflict. Our priority must be to prevent it from occurring and thereby avoid the massive human, environmental, and economic cost of war. The emphasis should be on promoting human security, justice and people-centered development.

It is intolerable that millions of civilians die from violent conflict at a time when the international community has the knowledge and resources for preventing it. It is unacceptable that so many of our children and young people have to grow up in a climate of fear of violence and insecurity. Yet the response of the global community is often inadequate, too late and costly.

We believe that there is a better way. We call for a fundamental change in dealing with conflict: a shift from reaction to prevention. We believe that this shift is not only possible but that it is many times cheaper than not responding to violence once it has escalated.[1]  Ultimately, prevention saves lives and is both more effective and less expensive than reaction.

The goal of prevention is a world where people and governments elect nonviolent means to achieve greater justice, sustainable development and human security. We are not attempting to prevent all conflict. We believe in the importance of channeling conflict through peaceful processes capable of delivering constructive change. Nonviolent conflict can be a positive force to foster these changes.  Our concern is to minimize violent conflict and its human, economic and environmental impact. We want to prevent warfare within states, between states, regional conflicts, and violence organized on a global scale. We want to prevent the gender-based violence that contributes to and is intensified by these situations. We oppose all organized violence that targets civilian non-combatants.

We are committed to promoting the security of people: their physical safety; their socio-economic well-being; respect for their dignity and political and cultural identity as individuals and as members of communities; gender equality; and the protection and promotion of all human rights – including women’s rights - and fundamental freedoms in the home, in the community, in their country and in the wider world.

We believe that the sustainable security of states can only be based on the security of people. This vision of human security can lead to a shift from a security paradigm based on the balance of power and military alliances to one based on mutual interdependence and cooperation. We affirm the UN Secretary-General’s observation that: "The world must advance the causes of security, development and human rights together, otherwise none will succeed. Humanity will not enjoy security without development, it will not enjoy development without security, and it will not enjoy either without respect for human rights."[2]

Governments and inter-governmental organizations (IGOs) need to mainstream prevention and constructive conflict management as the fundamental goals of their security institutions and instruments. Historically, the emphasis has been on building military capacities. The emphasis now needs to be on strengthening the policy framework, institutional capacity and resources for prevention and sustainable peacebuilding. This must include efforts to address the root causes and enabling factors that give rise to conflict (structural prevention), as well as responding rapidly and effectively when tensions begin to escalate to prevent the emergence, spread or recurrence of violent conflict (operational prevention).

The key to fostering sustainable peace and security over the longer term is to generate a "culture of prevention" and "culture of peace" from the bottom-up as well as from the top-down. Governments have a primary responsibility to protect citizens and prevent violence.  Yet experience has taught us that the complexity, scale and diversity of violent conflict means that no single entity, on its own, can hope to adequately address the challenge of ensuring sustainable peace. We believe that prevention and peacebuilding requires effective engagement and partnerships among civil society organizations (CSOs), governments, the UN, and regional organizations at local, national, regional and international levels.

4.   Civil society roles in prevention and peacebuilding

The nature of violent conflict has changed. Wars taking place within states are victimizing civilians on an unprecedented scale. These conflicts have placed CSOs in a unique position to assume different roles in conflict prevention, de-escalation, resolution rehabilitation, and reconciliation. Men and women all over the world have responded to this challenge with creativity and dedication.

CSOs have a broad range of roles from relief and development, to local conflict resolution, to advocacy and civic engagement, to nonviolent accompaniment. They have strong capacities to support the rehabilitation, healing and reconciliation needs of survivors of conflict. Examples of successful civil society involvement in conflict prevention and peacebuilding activities can be found in People Building Peace II: Successful Stories of Civil Society, produced as part of the GPPAC process.

In general, the independence of CSOs gives them the freedom to act swiftly and flexibly, including when official actors are immobilized. CSOs typically rely on their expertise, integrity, and / or moral authority to pursue non-coercive and creative strategies to persuade people to engage in peaceful processes based on dialogue and deliberation. They can be effective in creating safe spaces where people from all parts of society can come together and work in meaningful ways toward a better future. CSOs can improve communication and relationships by fostering interaction across conflict divides through informal exchanges, dialogue, joint projects and citizen diplomacy. CSOs initiate forums for ongoing engagement, including through non-official Track II dialogue processes, to channel disputes through peaceful processes. They encourage and support negotiation between hostile parties to prevent escalation to violence and link these to inclusive longer-term processes for addressing underlying challenges. By mobilizing ‘people power’, CSOs can put pressure on decision-makers to reach a peaceful settlement that addresses public needs.

CSOs can bear witness to violations in powerful ways that undermine the authority and legitimacy of abusers. Acting in solidarity, civil peace services can provide a protective presence and accompaniment to those who may be most vulnerable to violence and help to support their peacebuilding efforts. They can analyze the drivers of conflict based on an intimate understanding of what is occurring on the ground and recommend policies and actions to address conflictual issues and prevent violence.

Many CSO actors are close to the conflicts they seek to address. This proximity enables insights that state actors may not have. In some situations, CSOs are more acceptable to armed and opposition groups than representatives of governments and IGOs, allowing them to play a distinct role. Civil society activities can build trust and strengthen social networks, generating "social capital" that can foster peace and development.

Women play fundamental roles in prevention and peacebuilding: from activism to address underlying causes and the struggle against injustice; to initiatives aimed at preventing violence and mitigating the consequences of war through relief, rehabilitation and reconciliation; to engaging in political processes to develop solutions to conflict; to transforming the wider system of relationships that perpetrate conflict, exclusion and inequality; to challenging the systemic factors that generate a continuum of violence from the home to the battlefield.

We recognize the importance of ensuring the accountability and effectiveness of CSOs and will work to strengthen it amongst groups working on prevention and peacebuilding. Coherent CSO standards and protocols must be developed collaboratively between CSOs, stakeholders and donors through international fora and counterpart networks at the regional and national levels.

We propose to work with governments, the UN and regional organizations towards mainstreaming the involvement of CSOs within each institutional setting for promoting security and responding to conflict. This should include formal mechanisms that involve CSOs, especially those from the global South, in deliberative and consultative processes and in implementing strategies to promote peace and security. We want governments to recognize the independence of CSOs, which are not instruments to carry out agendas set by others but can make valuable contributions to overall responses.

5.   Making the shift to prevention: priorities for change

5.1.          Systems, strategies & partnerships for working with conflict effectively

International interventions should be designed to strengthen or complement societal capacities for working with conflict. The state-based international system is often poorly equipped to engage effectively with people involved in localized armed violence and self-sustaining conflict dynamics at the community level. We recognize the significance of community-based peace initiatives to create "pragmatic peace" enabling peaceful coexistence. Outsiders can encourage a supportive environment and provide needed resources, while being careful not to overwhelm or displace home-grown initiatives.

Inter-governmental and other international actors can play a key role in facilitating and creating space for constructive dialogue and productive engagement between governments and civil society representatives. Their mandates and operational practices should give priority to enabling this dialogue and, consequently, missions should develop the necessary skills and capacities to do so effectively. Governments and IGOs can help to strengthen civil society capacities by providing both practical support and recognition of the legitimacy of CSOs, within a rights-based framework. The participation rights of CSOs in national, regional and international fora must be systematically integrated into prevention activities. These rights should be based on well-defined concepts and frameworks for partnering. Particular efforts are needed to ensure the inclusion of women, minority and youth CSOs.

5.1.1.    Responsibility to protect

Governments should embrace the emerging norm of a "responsibility to protect" and adopt an integrated approach—including the responsibilities to prevent, react and rebuild—with the responsibility to prevent as the first and foremost responsibility. Protection should be pursued in accordance with international law and in a consistent manner, as articulated by the ICISS Commission and by criteria advocated in the Secretary-General’s In Larger Freedom report.

5.1.2.    Mobilizing early response

Better integrated early warning and early response systems are needed to ensure an effective and timely response to conflict.These should be based on systematic collaboration between the UN (including its human rights and development institutions), regional organizations and CSOs at headquarters and in the field. They can share information and engage in joint analysis to identify options and opportunities, integrate CSOs in monitoring systems and ensure support needed to implement strategies. Integrated mechanisms are especially important in countries and regions at greatest risk. Comprehensive local systems that draw on the unique knowledge and capacities of local groups can be complemented by regional and international actors.

Action points:

a)     Further develop an integrated global CSO network that can cooperate to analyze early warning signs, formulate appropriate responses and cooperate to mobilize the political will necessary for timely and effective action.

b)     Strengthen the capacity of local, national and regional CSOs—as well as the capacities of relevant media agencies—to identify and analyze the causes and dynamics of emerging conflicts through training and ongoing support. This should include knowledge of gender-based indicators and gender-sensitive response strategies.

c)     Facilitate public discussion of conflict issues and dynamics in conflict-affected areas to generate ideas for how to address the situation and to mobilize creative and constructive responses.

d)     The UN should establish regular and transparent interfaces (‘contact points’) between UN Resident Coordinators / Special Representatives of the Secretary-General and relevant local, regional and international actors to exchange information and develop complementary strategies, including through regular consultative fora with CSOs. Where appropriate, develop formal arrangements for multi-actor data collection, analysis and strategy development.

5.1.3.    Preventive diplomacy

Greater priority is needed for non-military, non-coercive and cooperative forms of early-stage preventive action, includingdialogue and reaching agreements to address sources of conflict. Preventive diplomacy aims to ease tensions before they escalate into a crisis or to act swiftly to contain crises and resolve underlying causes. Preventive diplomacy may be carried out by the United Nations, regional or sub-regional organizations, as well as by governments and CSOs.  Each may have distinctive characteristics that give them comparative advantages and capacities to be accepted in this role by the parties to the conflict.

Action points:

a)     Develop mechanisms, possibly facilitated by the UN, to mobilize multi-dimensional, early-stage preventive diplomacy utilizing the unique strengths and legitimacy of potential official or non-governmental third-party mediators acceptable to the parties in conflict. Promote coherence within multi-track approaches through formal or informal information exchange and strategy development, with particular attention to harmonizing the bi-lateral strategies of governments.

b)     Ensure that preventive diplomacy efforts effectively engage parties at different levels of the conflict, including at the more localized level, as well as national and regional levels. Recognize and fully utilize the capacities of CSOs, including women’s organizations, to work with localized conflicts in particular and ensure they are linked to overall responses.

c)     Develop databases of experts who can be deployed to advise parties on methods for addressing key substantive issues in conflict situations.

d)     Ensure there are sufficient financial resources that can be quickly tapped to implement confidence-building measures and other initiatives needed to effectively conduct preventive diplomacy initiatives.

5.1.4.    Cross-border and regional conflicts

In a rapidly globalizing world, armed violence is not contained by state borders. Instruments designed for responding to emerging conflicts within states need to be complemented by global policies and practices for structural prevention. Furthermore, stronger mechanisms are needed to address the cross-border and regional dimensions of factors that cause conflicts—such as the aspirations of ethno-national groups separated across state borders and the challenges of mass migration and refugee flows—as well asthe factors that enable them to become deadly, such as the trafficking of arms, people and commodities and cross-border military movements.

Action points:

a)     Develop integrated strategies to address systematically the factors generating cross-border and regional conflicts.

b)     Depending on the existing multilateral arrangements in the region, strategies can be developed through the auspices of a regional organization, the UN, or as a joint instrument. Where no such organizations exist, the UN can convene relevant actors. Consistent with the subsidiarity principle, the UN should fill in gaps in a complementary manner. There should be effective engagement with national and regional CSOs in information sharing, joint analysis and strategy development. Where existing regional organizations are more closed, the UN can open space for CSO involvement.

c)     Encourage UN Country Teams in neighboring countries, together with regional organizations and regional CSO networks, to work together at the operational level to develop joint initiatives addressing the local dimensions of conflict-generating issues in close cooperation with communities living along borders.

d)     Address existing gaps in funding and administrative arrangements, as mostdonors do not provide budget lines for regional or cross-border initiatives and few agencies have institutional mechanisms to implement them.

5.1.5.    Multifunctional peace operations

To respond effectively to crisis situations, UN, regional organizations, member states, and local and international CSOs should collaborate to jointly analyze needs, formulate objectives and the strategies to achieve them and develop appropriate operational structures for effective cooperation.

Action points:

a)     Develop clear, coherent and integrated mandates and leadership of all peacebuilding, peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts within a country, whether such efforts are led by the UN or by regional organizations. Establish clear channels of communication and cooperation among national, regional and international organizations working for peace, possibly through the development of regularized multi-track forums.

b)     Pre-deployment assessment missions should systematically consult with a range of local actors—including those close to the potential or actual armed parties—with the UN Country Team and with specialized CSOs to ensure that the mandate and concept of operation are appropriate to address needs and that the overall strategy builds on local resources and initiatives. 

c)     Mandates should prioritize the protection of civilian populations and vulnerable groups, including peace workers. A comprehensive system may include the strategic deployment armed peacekeeping forces, international civilian peace services, human rights monitoring missions, integrated rule-of-law teams and support for local community peace monitors. 

d)     Incorporate gender equality and sensitivity into all peace operations. Include gender specialists amongst mission staff and prioritize strategies and programs to address the specific needs of women and girls. The UN, regional organizations, and NGOs should take action to achieve gender balance in the personnel deployed at all decision-making levels.

e)     Fully utilize the potential of civilian peacebuilding missions and the potential of community-based peace monitors and mediators. Designate specific field-level personnel to engage with community peacebuilding programs and liaise and cooperate with local and international civil peace activists, linking them with other mission personnel as relevant.

f)      Create interlocking systems of peacekeeping capacities so the UN can partner with relevant regional organizations and civil peace services to increase rapid response capacity and protective accompaniment for vulnerable groups. The UN should work with existing civil peace services in order to develop shared rosters of specialists, taking into account the importance of cultural and gender diversity as a key resource of such teams. Governments should provide political and financial support for CSOs that place multinational, trained unarmed civilian peacekeepers.

g)     Enhance the overall international system for deploying effective multifunctional peace operations through ongoing joint training, scenario planning and evaluation.

5.1.6.    Public participation in peace processes

The peoples of conflict-affected communities are the main stakeholders of peace. They should be involved in peace negotiations to develop comprehensive agreements to address conflict generating issues. Peace agreements should promote human security by addressing issues of good governance and equitable development within a participatory framework.

Action points:

a)     International actors can use their leverage to encourage or sponsor processes that are socially and politically inclusive and that increase the transparency and accountability of the negotiating parties. They should also provide assistance to monitor implementation of formal and informal agreements and support relevant implementation mechanisms.

b)     Facilitate processes and forums that involve different elements of the society to identify and debate key issues that should be addressed in the peace agreements and implementing measures. International mediators and special envoys should participate in or be informed of relevant initiatives and the substantive ideas generated.

c)     Strengthen the capacity of local CSO representatives to engage effectively in peace talks and to learn from peace processes elsewhere, including negotiation skills and policy formulation as well as about the substantive issues addressed in the talks.

d)     Ensure that women are represented equally at the decision-making level in formal peace negotiations, as well as in the range of informal peace initiatives.

5.1.7.    Post-war reconstruction and peacebuilding

Half of all countries emerging from conflict fall back into violence within five years. Sustained support for countries emerging from conflict is an investment in long-term prevention by funding longer-term solutions to conflicts and support peacebuilding, economic recovery, rule of law and civil society development.

Action points:

a)     Civil society, governments and IGOs should work with local communities toward comprehensive disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and rehabilitation (DDRR) efforts.These programs should be tailored to meet the specific needs of women and men, girls and boys in specific communities and social groups. These programs must be well-planned, adequately funded and sufficiently integrated into the broader reconstruction and rehabilitation process. 

b)     Promote integrated strategies to meet the humanitarian needs of all displaced people—including both refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs)—and their host communities. Stimulate and support processes to constructively address conflict dynamics and to prepare refugees and internally displaced people to engage with other communities on their return. Provide protective accompaniment for those returning to their homes in disputed areas, utilizing civil peace services as appropriate.

c)     Youth should be offered educational opportunities in the post-war period to make up for their lost right to education. Support income-generating projects and employment schemes, especially in conflict-affected communities.

d)     Develop integrated policies and strategies to encourage business investment in conflict-affected countries, by both the domestic private sector and transnational corporations, ensuring consistent adherence with ‘best practice’ guidelines and international norms.

e)     Support a UN-based integrated rule of law coordinating capacity to assess, plan and deploy international police, judges, human rights and legal experts during the transition period to assure basic civilian protection. They can assist in training and reforming rule of law institutions, including through long-term mentoring mechanisms. Provide additional resources for human rights experts to advise reconstruction and rehabilitation programs to ensure they meet the highest standards of international norms.

5.1.8.    Transitional justice and reconciliation

Justice and social reconciliation are essential for prevention and peacebuilding. There are numerous dilemmas in how best to address the legacies of a painful past. The wishes of local people, especially those who were directly affected, must be central in determining the most appropriate modalities. We recognize the right of every person to choose when and if she/he will reconcile.

Action points:

a)     Foster public dialogue and discussion to develop appropriate responses. Strengthen channels of communication between the range of actors involved to develop joint policies and strategies to ensure that the demands of justice and peace do not compete.

b)     Strengthen the capacity of national justice systems for war crime trials and cooperate fully with the international judicial system. As appropriate, develop other modalities—such as national and regional reconciliation commissions—to deal with the past.

c)     Provide funding for reparations and programs for healing and psycho-social rehabilitation.

d)     Undertake research and documentation projects to make an independent record of what happened, including through truth commissions or other mechanisms. Ensure free access to documentation about the past and undertake initiatives for tracing missing persons and mass graves.

e)     Foster historic reconciliation through initiatives aimed at creating a balanced and insightful understanding of the past. Joint commissions of historians can develop a common framework of factually-based accounts of disputed histories and contentious issues so as to provide information and analysis for educational material and public debates. Develop education curricula and textbooks that are sensitive to these histories. Where appropriate, educators and historians should collaborate on the development of common regional textbooks and materials.

5.1.9.    Cultures of peace and nonviolence

Efforts to generate a sustainable culture of peace must be rooted deeply in the population. Peace education can help to change personal ways of thinking and behavior and to transform cultures of violence by cultivating appropriate conflict resolution life skills. By generating understanding of the causes of conflict, it can help foster trust and reconciliation, promote respect for cultural diversity and support democratic cultures and processes.

Action points:

a)     Fully implement UN General Assembly Resolution GA/RES/53/243 and the Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace through adequate policies, funding and cooperation.

b)     Utilize and resource CSO capacities, tools and curricula to mainstream peace education within multiple institutional and societal settings, including schools, universities, families, communities, media, CSOs, public bodies and religious communities.

c)     Implement necessary reforms to the formal educational system—including curricula, textbooks and teacher training—drawing on the experience of CSOs and technical support and resources from the international community. 

d)     Develop media strategies as a part of CSO efforts to promote prevention and peacebuilding. Link journalists to peacebuilding stories and to spokespeople from a range of backgrounds who can effectively convey perspectives and innovative efforts. Monitor the media to assess its conflict sensitivity and work with media organizations on projects and capacity-building initiatives. CSOs can also involve media actors directly in prevention and peacebuilding activities.

5.1.10.National capacities for peaceful conflict management

Sustainable prevention requires effective systems, processes and institutions for managing disputes, addressing grievances and responding to conflict. Democratic governance and participatory decision-making processes strengthen the foundations for these capacities.

Action points:

a)     Develop dispute management capacities, based on democratic values, within all state institutions. These can be complemented by procedures to address specific cases and grievances through greater access to justice and systems for culturally-sensitive alternative dispute resolution, including adjudication, mediation services and ombudspersons and elders’ councils.

b)     Utilize such instruments as commissions of inquiry, national reconciliation commissions and platforms for national dialogue to develop recommendations for ways of responding to major conflicts and other serious incidents.

c)     Provide technical assistance and funding for these systems and draw upon the knowledge, skills and comparative experience of CSOs to make these systems as effective as possible.

d)     Learn from the experiences of indigenous knowledge systems for strengthening community organization and peacebuilding. Develop local and national systems for conflict management that draw upon or complement these systems, in ways that are consistent with the highest standards of human rights and human dignity.

5.2.          Promoting Human Security: addressing the root causes of conflict

5.2.1.    Equitable and sustainable development

Poverty eradication is essential to achieve human security and dignity. Many conflicts are deeply rooted in social, economic and cultural disparities, especially in the context of unequal access to economic and social power and resources. Violent conflict impedes development prospects. According to the Millennium Project report, of the 34 countries furthest from achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), 22 are emerging from conflict. Prevention and sustainable peacebuilding are therefore necessary to achieve the MDGs. Fulfilling the MDGs can, in turn, address some of the root causes of conflict and promote human security. To achieve this, all governments must recommit themselves to the goals of eradicating poverty and sustainable development, including by addressing the feminization of poverty. We support the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign for trade justice, debt relief and more aid directed at meeting peoples’ needs. Development policies that fail to take into account the specific needs and structural marginalization of some sectors of society may increase the risk of structural violence and armed conflict.

Action points:

a)     Address the structural factors that cause poverty, including through debt relief and more equitable trade, while increasing the quantity and quality of aid, with all donor countries achieving the UN 0.7 per cent gross national product target.

b)     Foster prevention through MDG-based poverty reduction strategies, with a particular focus on the needs of marginalized groups, migrants and IDPs and compensatory investment in disadvantaged regions that might otherwise be left out of the benefits of economic growth. Ensure that operational programs enable more equitable and sustainable access to benefits and that they ‘do no harm’. Address the specific development needs of women and girls.

c)     Mainstream conflict sensitive approaches into country assistance strategies and all international policy frameworks, including Common Country Assessments, UN Development Assistance Frameworks and Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers.

d)     Ensure the effective participation in the policymaking process of those who will be affected by development policies, including women, youth and minorities.

e)     Mobilize resources, commit funds, and engage civil society to control and eradicate diseases that threaten human security, such as HIV/AIDS.

5.2.2.    Natural resources and prevention

Global demand for scarce commodities (such as oil, diamonds, timber, minerals) that are concentrated in potential conflict zones can become a driving force for armed conflict. Strategies need to address both direct linkages—when the quest to control resources is the primary goal of conflicting parties and their sale provides funds for armies or rebel groups—as well as indirect links, where the management of natural resources causes economic and political instability that could fuel conflict. Furthermore, the short- and long-term consequences of environmental degradation and climate change caused by the unsustainable use of these resources must be addressed as part of overall strategies for prevention and to promote durable human security.

Action points:

a)     Gear development strategies towards diversification in order to reduce dependency on natural resources. Development agencies and IFIs should rigorously assess the potential for conflict arising out of environmental degradation and resource competition and make prevention a key criterion in decision-making and project development.

b)     Manage natural resources efficiently and sustainably to benefit populations, especially those affected by conflict. Establish international norms and assistance to increase the transparency and accountability of revenue systems. Support mechanisms to manage disputes over resources.

c)     Develop certification systems for commodities that contribute to violent conflict and establish regional and global mechanisms to track illicit cross-border activities related to the exploitation of these commodities. Develop and utilize ‘smart’ sanctions against those who exploit and exacerbate war for their own profit. These can be accompanied by public ‘naming and shaming’, with CSOs stimulating consumer action against violators as appropriate.

5.2.3.    Promote and protect human rights.

Respect for human rights—including the rights to life, to peace, to development, to freedom of association, of speech and of belief, equality and non-discrimination for all, and the promotion and protection of the rights of women, of children, and of all minorities and indigenous peoples—is essential for building sustainable peace. International laws and standards apply to all and should be consistently complied with by all. Governments should ratify all relevant treaties, fulfill their commitments and devote greater attention and resources to promote the practical implementation of all rights.

Action points:

a)     CSOs can engage in policy dialogue with governments and facilitate public discussion on appropriate methods and measures to implement international standards, especially where these standards are controversial and / or not well understood.They can make ‘shadow reports’ for international monitoring bodies on implementation, with recommendations to address shortcomings.

b)     Provide international assistance to strengthen domestic mechanisms to implement international standards and to promote rule of law generally, including by increasing the operational capacities of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

c)     Raise community-level awareness of human rights, including the human rights of women, children and persons belonging to minorities and indigenous populations. Engage with members of security forces, including the police and military, to encourage their respect for human rights by appealing to their professionalism, honor and legal liability.

d)     Strengthen the UN human rights system with additional resources and political support. Make the principal multilateral forum more effective, building on the continued active participation of NGOs and independent monitoring procedures. Ensure there are regular scheduled reviews of the human rights accomplishments, shortcomings and capacity-building needs of all countries in respect of all human rights based on an impartial, transparent and objective assessment.

5.2.4.    Effective participation and equality

A failure to ensure effective political participation is often one of the root causes of conflict. Those who feel excluded may try to defend their interests through other means, sometimes through violence. Strategies to promote effective participation must be rooted in efforts to end discrimination and actively promote equality.

Action points:

a)     Intensify efforts to comprehensively implement the Beijing Platform of Action to achieve gender equality and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. Establish mechanisms at the national level to monitor and support implementation of these standards. Governments, international organizations and NGOs should ensure equal representation of women and men at all levels and in all institutions.

b)     Ensure the effective participation of minorities and indigenous peoples in decisions that affect them. Governments, IGOs and other bodies should take proactive steps to ensure their access to consultations and decision-making processes at the local, national and global levels. The principle of free, prior and informed consent should be at the center of decision-making processes involving minorities’ and indigenous peoples’ lands, territories and natural resources and their economic, social and cultural development.

c)     Foster empowerment of excluded groups and direct attention to legitimate grievances through nonviolent social action. Facilitate public discussion and policy dialogue to clarify perceptions and needs and to develop agreements on ways to address them.

5.2.5.    State effectiveness and democratic governance

Lack of legitimacy and inadequate state capacity to deliver security and basic services can contribute to conflict. CSOs should work with all levels of government to strengthen institutional capacity and practices for good governance as a key facet of conflict prevention and long-term peacebuilding activities.  Free and fair elections, accountability, transparency, informed citizen participation, respect for diversity, the impartial application of law, management of tensions through constructive dialogue, and the provision of basic goods and services in an equitable manner are essential elements of sustainable peace.

Action points:

a)     Investigate national electoral processes to develop strategies for enhancing the overall democratic processes. Encourage full participation through civic education campaigns and freedom to form or join political parties. Help prevent the potential for elections-related organized violence through comprehensive monitoring during the entire campaign period, including by deploying international civilian monitors to provide protective presence for vulnerable actors.

b)     Promote public awareness and expectations of rule of law and monitor compliance through the combined efforts of the judicial system, CSOs and international bodies.

c)     Enhance public security by reforming the security sector to increase effectiveness. Involve CSOs in security sector governance to facilitate transparency and accountability, inject a wider diversity of perspectives into policy-making process, and prompt greater responsiveness of security institutions to societal needs. CSOs can scrutinize criminal justice policy to promote respect for human rights and safeguard civil liberties.

d)     Engage CSOs in legislative processes through procedures to elicit views and ideas on important and sensitive issues that may cause, exacerbate or lead to a resurgence of violent conflict. Provide capacity-building support for CSOs to engage proactively with national policymaking processes and to work with parliamentarians to develop and monitor relevant legislation.

5.2.6.    Demilitarization, disarmament and arms control

Member states should fulfill their commitment under Article 26 of the UN Charter to the least diversion of the world’s resources to weapons and military capacities. Resources should be devoted to development and programs to promote sustainable peace. Taking concrete steps toward disarmament and demilitarization has added value as a confidence-building measure and reduces the likelihood of armed conflict, especially between states.

Action points:

a)     Governments should negotiate and agree a comprehensive arms trade treaty for conventional weapons, fully implement the program of action on small arms and light weapons, and make significant progress toward eliminating nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.

b)     CSOs can work with governments and IGOs on practical disarmament, including through community-based programs aimed at reducing the number of weapons among the civilian population, especially in violence-prone societies, and promote disarmament education.  CSOs can help identify and address the links between the illicit weapons trade and the illegal exploitation of natural and other resources and drugs trafficking.

c)     CSOs should monitor defense budget allocations / military expenditure and purchase of weapons, with the objective of fostering a shift to priorities that promote human security. CSOs can monitor corporations engaged in arms production and weapons developments and discourage their role in political decision-making. 

d)     CSOs can also scrutinize defense policy and engage in policy dialogue with governments to encourage adherence to international law. They can encouragegovernments, national parliaments and regional organizations to increase state participation in international treaties and disarmament regimes.

e)     Governments should, in law and practice, enable the exercise of conscientious objection to military service by citizens of their countries, consistent with UN recommendations.

5.3.          Programs and funding for prevention and peacebuilding

5.3.1.    Program of action for prevention and peacebuilding

A comprehensive international program of action, utilizing the capacities of all relevant actors, is needed to mainstream prevention as the fundamental goal of security institutions and international policy and practice.

Action points:

a)     Hold a series of regional consultations around GPPAC regional action agendas involving senior officials from the UN, regional organizations, governments and the CSO networks to explore challenges and ways of implementing these agendas.

b)     Develop and implement an internationally agreed program of action for prevention and peacebuilding that draws on this Global Action Agenda.

c)     Member States, in consultation with relevant CSOs and others, should consider developing a complementary set of Millennium Peace and Security Goals to fulfil their Millennium Declaration commitments to peace, security and disarmament and to human rights, democracy and governance in ways that enhance fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goals. An appropriate set of rights-based and gender-sensitive goals can build on the framework of norms and standards previously agreed by governments and focus attention and resources on their fulfilment, with emphasis on local ownership of their implementation.

5.3.2.    Funding prevention and peacebuilding

Prioritizing prevention and peacebuilding requires more resources, more effectively administered. Overall funding modalities should combine reliability of supply and funding streams that can be quickly administered for flexible rapid response initiatives. Coherent framework strategies are required to achieve long-term conflict transformation and guide the effective allocation of resources to meet that goal.

Action points:

a)     Multilateral and bilateral donors, working together with conflict prevention experts and CSOs, should develop a plan to increase the overall financing for structural and early stage operational prevention, including by redirecting allocations from security budgets for cooperative and non-coercive strategies and programs.

b)     Identify and address gaps in current funding arrangements, such as for cross-border and regional initiatives in most parts of the world.

c)     Consistent with the Secretary-General’s recommendation, donors should establish a $250 million standing fund for peacebuilding that can be used to finance the recurrent expenditures of a nascent government, as well as critical agency programs in the areas of rehabilitation and reintegration. Local stakeholders should be fully involved in the development and implementation of assistance strategies.

d)     When donor governments organize for conflict prevention and peacebuilding within or across relevant government agencies they should involve CSOs in situation analysis, planning and implementation. They may need to provide adequate funding to support CSO’s roles in these processes.

e)     CSOs and donors should jointly examine the medium- to longer-term consequences of the modalities of funding relationships. Review how strategic priorities are defined (e.g., whose priorities and why) and how the initiatives to fulfill them are selected. Foster more integrated and sustainable strategies to avoid fragmentation and overly ‘projectized’ and ‘donor-led’ approaches to working with conflict. Develop conflict-sensitive guidelines to increase transparency about the source of funds, funding priorities and beneficiaries to counteract political opposition to foreign-funded CSOs and activities.

f)      NGOs working with conflict should consider developing independent funding streams for their activities, including from private donors. They can create membership organizations, with independent funding and other support from members. Eliciting support from the general public could parallel the emergence of greater public awareness of the value of conflict prevention and support for CSO roles in promoting it.

6.   Recommendations to build capacities for prevention

6.1.          Recommendations for civil society networks

Building on the experience of GPPAC and other related networks, we aim to strengthen CSO capacities for prevention and peacebuilding through global, regional and national networks. We need to create more effective mechanisms and possibly institutions to improve communication, coordination and mutual assistance. These should enable transversal links between local, national, regional and global levels. We aim to strengthen our own capacities to develop shared and complementary strategies amongst groups working in the same geographic area and amongst groups working on similar thematic areas in prevention and peacebuilding. We recognize the special potential and significance of networks linking key civil society actors—such as women, youth, and faith-based organizations, among others—who can further develop their specific capacities and concerns by working together. We aim to foster interfaces between these types of networks and the networks and coalitions formed to address specific conflict situations and / or specific thematic issues.

a)     Strengthen local capacities for peace and culturally appropriate strategies for working with conflict through autonomous and self-directed local, national and sub-regional networks that provide practitioners with a platform to exchange experiences and concerns and to articulate common frameworks and strategies.

b)     CreateCSO-initiated regional conflict prevention centers or platforms to monitor potential conflict and respond in timely and innovative ways throughpreventive diplomacy and initiatives to address cross-border factors that cause and exacerbate conflict.

c)     Strengthen links between IGOs and CSO prevention and peacebuilding networks, including through formal consultation mechanisms. This will also allow greater integration of southern perspectives in international fora.

d)     Platforms of CSOs dedicated to prevention and peacebuilding should establish links with other sectors, such as faith-based structures, human rights organizations, business associations, unions, and universities. Active steps should be taken to cooperate with networks focused on related matters, such as human rights, development and environmental issues.

e)     Direct greater resources and attention to increase gender sensitivity and women’s equality in prevention and peacebuilding initiatives. Increase the understanding of gender perspectives within organizational structures and develop strategies for implementing gender-sensitive approaches.

f)      Build on youth capacities for prevention and peacebuilding byproviding increased and sustained support for youth training and youth initiatives, including through networking to shareexperiences and develop responses to conflict.In consultation with youth, governments and international organizations and agencies should develop youth policies with minimum standards to ensure the inclusion of youth in their activities and to address their needs.

6.2.          Recommendations for the United Nations

6.2.1.    Member States’ leadership of prevention efforts

Strengthen the capacities of the UN’s deliberative organs for leadership of prevention and peacebuilding and their effective engagement with civil society on peace and security matters.

a)     The General Assembly’s substantive agenda should give prominence to developing and agreeing a program of action for prevention. It should establish mechanisms to engage fully and systematically with civil society.

b)     The Security Council should implement the recommendations of the Cardoso Panel to strengthen the Council’s engagement with civil society. It should deepen and improve the planning and effectiveness of the Arria formula meetings by lengthening lead times and covering travel costs to increase the participation of actors from the field. UN country staff should assist in identifying civil society interlocutors. The Security Council’s field missions should meet regularly with appropriate local civil society leaders and international NGOs. The Security Council should continue thematic seminars on prevention and peacebuilding issues that include presentations by CSOs. The Security Council should convene independent commissions of inquiry after Council-mandated operations.

c)     Strengthen the Economic and Social Council’s leading role in development and economic cooperation, linking the normative and operational work of the UN. It should give prominence to promoting structural prevention and human security, as outlined in this Global Action Agenda, as well as post-war peacebuilding. ECOSOC can engage more proactively with international financial institution on prevention-oriented policies and practices. It should cooperate closely with civil society in developing both thematic and situation-specific responses.

d)     We support the creation of a UN peacebuilding commission and believe its effectiveness will be enhanced though cooperation with CSOs with peacebuilding expertise. It should address both key thematic issues, such as the management of natural resources and promoting rule of law, as well as country- and region-specific situations. The UN Peacebuilding Commission should engage actively with CSOs from the countries concerned and develop partnership agreements where relevant. The Commission should proactively encourage Member States and others to request its advice and assistance at any stage, including the pre-crisis stage, so as to prevent the escalation to violent conflict. The proposed peacebuilding support office should have highly qualified staff with extensive practical experience in working with conflict, including facilitating dialogue and mediation. It should include a dedicated rule-of-law assistance unit and develop methods to offer assistance to countries potentially vulnerable to armed conflict. 

6.2.2.    Strengthening the UN Secretariat’s capacities for prevention

Better mainstream and integrate strategies for long-term / ‘deep’ structural prevention into the work of all UN departments, agencies, and programs and strengthen mechanisms to integrate strategies across the system. Efforts to strengthen structural prevention need to be combined with reinforced mechanisms to lead responses to emerging crises.

a)     Measures to promote the peaceful settlement of disputes under Chapter VI of UN Charter should be strengthened, with greater emphasis on preventive diplomacy as specified in Article 34. This should include situations involving non-state actors. Parties should be proactively encouraged to seek conciliation, arbitration or adjudication on key issues.

b)     The UN Secretary-General’s good offices role and capacities for preventive mediation and early stage dispute resolution should be strengthened by providing additional resources. Staff experienced in conflict analysis and resolution can offer assistance by: (a) conducting analysis and developing proposals; and (b) mediating / facilitating dialogue at early stages of prevention, including through the use of shuttle diplomacy and other formal and informal meetings with leaders of government and opposition factions / militant groups.

c)     Support innovative initiatives like the Joint UN Development Programme / Department of Political Affairs Programme on Building National Capacity for Conflict Prevention to provide timely assistance in at-risk situations.

d)     Efforts and resources are needed to implement Action Plan for the Prevention of Genocide. In particular, the new Special Advisor for the Prevention of Genocide should be supported with the necessary staffing and resources to be effective in fulfilling this important role.

6.2.3.    UN Country Teams

Strengthen UN in-country capacities for prevention and peacebuilding through engagement with civil society. Member States and the Secretary-General should collectively affirm the importance and expectation of UN engagement with the diverse elements of civil society within a country as a part of its ongoing work in human development and preventing armed conflict and fostering sustainable peace. UN officials should prioritize maintaining the space needed for CSO activities and work to promote their safety.

a)     Create a focal point for prevention and peacebuilding within the UN Country Team to channel effective information flows and to be a catalyst to help coordinate appropriate responses, possibly by building on the role of UNDP peace and development advisors. S/he should foster a framework for engagement with local civil society and serve as a link between governments, regional organizations, and local and international CSOs working on prevention and peacebuilding.

b)     The Resident Coordinator / SRSG can establish advisory councils. Such bodies—comprised of women and men from different social groups and possibly representatives of government, local authorities and regional organizations—could work toward the development of joint strategies to promote social cohesion and human security and help to ensure that the overall strategy adopted by international actors is sensitive to local needs. Ideally, these councils would model multi-stakeholder dialogue-based approaches for working with tensions. In larger countries, councils could be established in different regions, especially conflict zones, to more effectively engage people outside the capital. In countries at-risk of escalating conflict, these councils should funnel early warning information, analysis and ideas, as well as strategies emerging from local processes, into national deliberations. Where relevant, such councils could serve as part of the architecture to promote implementation of the terms of peace agreements through independent monitoring and mediation, as well as providing advice on peacebuilding strategies.

6.2.4.    Resources for prevention and peacebuilding

The UN should initiate fundraising for prevention and peacebuilding activities modeled on similar systems for humanitarian response. This includes the development of joint appeals to donors for support of integrated conflict prevention / management programs of CSOs and IGOs. The UN should better link with international financial institutions, who should establish standing funds for prevention and peacebuilding, coordinated with the UN. Consolidated Appeals (CAP’s) should include in their structure a thematic sector for initiatives promoting ‘social cohesion’ and peacebuilding’. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs should be encouraged to use flexible modalities, such as regional CAPS so as to be proactive in responding to emerging situations.CSOs from conflict-affected communities should actively participate in developing funding priorities and plans: CAPs, Post-Conflict Needs Assessments and Transitional Frameworks.

6.3.          Summary of recommendations for governments

Governments and CSOs can work together with IGOs to develop effective systems for civilian conflict management, while ensuring that governments live up to their responsibilities and CSOs maintain their independence. They can cooperate to promote human security through coordinated action, critical dialogue and ongoing monitoring. CSOs should be involved at all stages of the development, design, and implementation of prevention policies and programs.

·        Adopt human security as a guiding principle in the government’s domestic and foreign policy and practice. Develop an integrated 'whole of government' approach, possibly by establishing an inter-agency focal point that incorporates consultative mechanisms with CSOs and IGOs. As members of IGOs, governments should support the emerging norm of ‘responsibility to protect’ within a wider framework of collective security that places prevention at the center. They should participate in developing and agreeing a comprehensive international program of action to promote prevention and peacebuilding.

·        Strengthen operational prevention by cooperating with IGOs and CSOs to make more effective early warning and early response systems. Governments should support and participate in strengthening such non-coercive measures as early stage preventive diplomacy and resources for confidence-building, as well as more effective and targeted punitive measures such as sanctions.

·        Increase the amount and quality of support for international peace operations, including for civilian peace services and to implement the Secretary-General’s request for interlocking peacekeeping capacities. Governments should further commit to providing sustained financial and political support for countries emerging from armed conflict as an investment in post-conflict prevention. 

·        Develop and implement strategies to address systematically the cross-border and global factors that can drive and enable armed conflicts. These include the trade in ‘conflict commodities’, arms, drugs, and illicit trafficking.

·        Take active steps to support the development of a culture of peace within society by fully implementing the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, including through reform of the education system and through policies and resources to mainstream peace and conflict resolution education.

·        Address recent and historic legacies of conflict by initiating public dialogue on how best to deal with the past, underpinned by full investigations of what happened and resources for fostering restorative justice and, as relevant, ending impunity.

·        Enhance national capacities and systems for peaceful conflict management by strengthening state institutions and systems for alternative dispute resolution, including by drawing upon and complementing indigenous systems for conflict management.

·        Increase state effectiveness in providing goods and services to meet the basic human needs of the entire population, including for security, and strengthen democratic governance and rule of law at all levels.

·        Foster prevention through greater resources and priority to fulfill the MDGs, especially for MDG-based poverty reduction strategies. Operational programs should enable more equitable and sustainable access to benefits and should ‘do no harm’. Utilize participatory methods to involve communities in developing priorities and implementing programs.

·        Promote and protect all human rights by incorporating international standards into domestic law. Take measures and providing resources needed to fulfill them—especially for effective participation and equality—and promote their consistent application in domestic and international rule of law, including international humanitarian law.

·        Develop a timetabled plan to reduce budgets and resources for military capacities and direct more resources to address the causes of conflict and to promote human security. Negotiate and agree a comprehensive arms trade treaty for conventional weapons, fully implement the program of action on small arms and light weapons, and – where relevant – make significant progress in eliminating nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.

6.4.          Summary of recommendations for regional organizations

Regional and sub-regional organizations should increase their capacities to engage effectively with the range of issues related to prevention and peacebuilding, in cooperation with the UN, governments and CSOs. They should develop or strengthen their operational prevention capacities, possibly managed through specialized offices or agencies. Regional organizations should recognize the legitimate role of CSOs in inter-governmental structures and mechanisms for prevention and peacebuilding.  Efforts are needed to institutionalize engagement, including by providing CSOs consultative status within these structures.

·        Conduct a consultation meeting with the GPPAC regional network—involving senior officials from the UN, regional organizations, governments and the CSO networks—to explore challenges and ways of implementing the regional action agendas.

·        Establish or strengthen regional mechanisms that interlink with international and local systems for early warning and early response with civil society involvement in monitoring, analysis and implementation.

·        Conduct preventive diplomacy and early-stage dispute resolution and support confidence and security building measures through regional instruments and mechanism that fully utilize the prevention and peacebuilding capacities of CSOs. Measures could include regional conflict prevention centers, special advisors, councils of wise people and other permanent instruments.

·        Develop and implement integrated strategies to address the complex of cross-border and regional factors that cause or enable conflicts. Strengthen regional standards and monitoring systems, consistent with the highest international norms and standards, to better regulate these threats to regional peace and security.

·        Strengthen multifunctional peace operations through integrated mandates that build on local capacities and peacebuilding efforts, with operational structures for effective cooperation between different missions and local actors. Agree arrangements for interlocking peacekeeping capacities that interlink with civil peace services and enhance the overall system through joint training, scenario planning and evaluation.

·        Where regional organizations or states take a lead in mediating peace negotiations, ensure that processes enable public participation in deliberating constitutional and policy matters.

·        Provide sustained support for long-term peacebuilding and reconciliation. Help to ensure that strategies address the wider regional causes and consequences of conflicts to reduce the risk of recurrence or spread to neighboring countries.

·        Catalyze efforts to build cultures of peace by raising awareness, promoting regional exchanges, and implementing initiatives that help to fulfill the international Programme of Action, including through joint reviews of educational curricula and textbooks to develop common frameworks for teaching about the past and about countries and peoples of the region.

·        Promote human security through regional programs and agreements to address the structural causes of conflict; sustainable development and poverty eradication; the practical implementation of human rights and of regional standards; and compliance of Member States with the highest standards of good governance.

·        Facilitate agreements and undertake confidence building measures to de-escalate regional arms races through demilitarization, to address illicit arms trafficking and to promote practical disarmament of small arms and light weapons.

7.   People Building Peace: The Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict

Note: text for box on back cover of GAA?

The Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) is a world-wide civil society-led process to generate and build a new international consensus on peacebuilding and the prevention of violent conflict. While governments have primary responsibility to protect civilians and prevent violence, the complexity, scale and diversity of conflict mean that no single entity, on its own, can ensure peace: a comprehensive network of relationships and actions is needed. GPPAC works on strengthening civil society networks for peace and security by linking local, national, regional and global levels of action and effective engagement with governments, the UN system and regional organizations. This, in turn, supports the potential for solidarity work and global mobilization to strengthen capacities for peace and justice.  

GPPAC aims to support a shift from reaction to prevention through the following goals:

1.     To create a sustainable network of individuals and groups efficiently and effectively trained in prevention and peacebuilding at global, regional, national and local levels. This network will include multi-stakeholder partnerships involving diverse civil society organizations, governments, regional organizations and the United Nations to enable effective engagement.

2.     To develop and work towards the implementation of a policy change agenda, as articulated in this Global Action Agenda and Regional Action Agendas, that will strengthen the long-term effectiveness of conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

3.     To raise public awareness around the world and generate constituencies who are informed about prevention and peacebuilding and the important role of civil society in achieving it and who actively support human security as an alternative to militaristic approaches that privilege state security over the human rights and safety of individuals and their communities and.

GPPAC was initiated in 2002 in response to the UN Secretary-General’s call to civil society in his Report on the Prevention of Armed Conflict (2001) to organize an international conference on the role of non-governmental organizations and their interaction with the UN in conflict prevention. This process builds on decades of prevention, resolution and peacebuilding initiatives, processes and successes throughout the world. GPPAC is organized through fifteen regional processes, each of which have developed action agendas to reflect principles and priorities for their region. In many countries, there have also been consultations organized by national focal points. To date, thousands of people and organizations have been involved in these processes, especially civil society actors from peacebuilding, unarmed peacekeeping, disarmament, development, humanitarian, human rights, women’s, faith-based and academic / research organizations. The regional processes have been facilitated by regional initiators, who collectively govern the direction of GPPAC through an International Steering Group (ISG). The global process is served by an International Secretariat, currently hosted by the European Centre for Conflict Prevention (ECCP).