The Role of Civil Society in the Prevention of Armed Conflict Guido de Graaf Bierbrauwer

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The Role of Civil Society in the Prevention of
Armed ConflictGuido de Graaf Bierbrauwer
Jack Patterson
European Centre for Conflict PreventionInternatio
nal Secretariat Global Partnership
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Peace Security int. developments

• September 2000 UN Millennium Declaration
  Peace, Security and Disarmament signed by all
  heads of states
• June 2001 UN SGs report The Prevention of
  Armed Conflict
• August 2001 Security Council Resolution 1366 on
  the prevention of armed conflict
• December 2001 Report Responsibility to Protect
• May 2003 Report Human Security Now
• July 2003 General Assembly Resolution
• 57/337 on the prevention of armed
• conflict

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Origins of the Global Partnership

• I urge NGOs with an interest in conflict
  prevention to organise an international
  conference of local, national and international
  NGOs on their role in conflict prevention and
  future interaction with the United Nations in
  this field.
• - UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annans report on
  the Prevention of Armed conflict (Rec. 27)
• June 2003 Global Partnership established
• In 15 regions preparatory processes started,
  leading to regional conferences and regional
  Action Agendas
• Meetings with UN staff to involve UN system in
  GPPAC
• Meetings with governments and Missions to the UN
• to discuss a the creation of a Group of Friends
• 19-21 July 2005 Global Conference at UN HQ

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The necessity for a Global Partnership

• Need for a shift from reaction to prevention
• Need for more recognition of conflict prevention
• Need for more recognition of CSO achievements in
  conflict prevention
• Need for greater engagement between CSOs and
  governments, Regional Organisations and UN

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Increased momentum

• UN Panel on CSO-UN Relationships (Cardoso-panel)
  urges for multi-stakeholder partnerships for
  global issues
• UN Panel on Global Security Threats, Challenges
  and Change
• Growing debate on success or failure military
  interventions
• The partneship between the UN and civil society
  is
• not an option it is a necessity
• - UN SG Kofi Annan during security council
• open debate, 22 June 2004

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Objectives Aims

• Primary objective
• To create a fundamental shift from reaction to
  prevention
• By
• developing a common platform for effective action
  in conflict prevention from the community to the
  global level.
• exploring the role of civil society in conflict
  prevention and peacebuilding.
• improving interaction between civil society, UN,
  regional organisations, and governments.
• strengthening regional and international
  networking.
• Stimulate the creation of a Group of Friends
• for conflict prevention peacebuilding

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Process

• Regional Consultations to engage relevant civil
  society in research and discussion
• Regional Agendas for conflict prevention rooted
  in own cultural, geographic, and operational
  realities
• Recommendations for a Global Action Agenda for
  conflict prevention
• International Conference at UN HQ in New York
  Global Action Agenda to guide future conflict
  prevention initiatives
• (19-21 JULY 2005)

2003 2004 2005
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Regional Processes

• Dissemination of Information
• Participation of different actors
• Regional Steering Group
• Research
• Regional Conference
• Regional Action Agenda

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Regional Processes

• Regional Conferences have been held in
• March/April Dublin
• June Latin America Caribbean
• August West Africa
• September South Asia
• October East Central Africa
• November Balkans
• Planned in 2004
• November North America

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Research

• Issue papers on
• The Role of CSOs in the prevention of armed
  conflict
• UN, Civil Society preventing armed conflict
  (Interaction)
• War on Terrorism
• Development and Peacebuilding
• Role of Religion in Conflict Prevention
  Peacebuilding
• Conflict Resolution in schools and peace
  education
• Networking
• Gender and conflict prevention Peacebuilding

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People Building Peace II 65 inspiring stories
from around the world
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Global Level Building an Action Agenda for the
Partnership
Action Agenda
InternationalSteeringGroup
Secretariat(ECCP)
M. East/ North Africa
S. Africa
Central E Africa
Pacific
Beyond 2005
W. Africa
N. W. Europe
N. America
L. America/Caribb.
Balkans
Central Asia
Caucases
S. Asia
Ind. States
S.E. Asia
N.E. Asia
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Core elements of the Global Action Agenda

• Some core elements in the Global Action Agenda
• will be
• Context
• Guiding Principles
• Key issues and sectors
• Interaction between CSOs, governments, Regional
  Organisations and the UN

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Guiding principles in the Dublin Action Agenda

• Shift to Prevention
• Building a Culture of Prevention and Culture
  of Peace
• Security for people, as well as for states Human
  Security
• Responsibility to Prevent and Protect
• Multilateralism
• A new Partnership for Prevention between Civil
  Society, Governments and IGOs
• Primacy of local ownership
• Inclusion and equality
• Learning from practice and accountability
• Sustainability

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19 21 July Global Conference

• The Conference will
• Focus on implementation Global Action Agenda,
  creation of Action Plan
• Celebrate the Role of Civil Society
• Give the opportunity to network
• Raise awareness of the role of CSOs in conflict
  prevention and peacebuilding

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19 21 July Global Conference

• Participants (on invitation) from
• CSOs from the regions
• International NGOs
• Governments and their missions
• Academics
• Think tanks
• UN staff
• In total we aim for 800-1200
• participants

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Added values Outcomes

• strengthening global networks by crossing
  borders
• increasing political acceptance
• exchanging experiences by sharing lessons
  learned and best practices
• developing Regional and International Agendas
• developing new mechanisms for CSO-UN interaction
• encouraging multilateralism by strengthening the
  role of the UN
• working towards a Security Council Resolution
  on conflict prevention

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After the conference

• The civil society conference at the UN NY HQ is
  just one moment in a long-term process to
  strengthen our field. The Global Partnership will
  be formalised at that conference and its key
  tasks for 2005 and beyond will be
• To realise a policy shift to prevention
• To strengthen regional and international
  networking, support and solidarity
• To promote interaction between CSOs, governments,
  Regional Organisations and the UN
• To enhance the exchange of information and
  experiences

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Support for the Global Partnership

• UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan I support
  wholeheartedly your initiative
• EU Commissioner, Christopher Patten
• Executive director UNIFEM, Noeleen Hayzer
• On behalf of EU, Aldo Mantovani, Deputy Permanent
  Representative of Italy to the UN
• Governmental support for international part
  Irish, Swedish, German, Austrian, Danish, Dutch,
  French, Swiss

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The Balkans
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Central and Eastern Africa

• Kenya

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Latin America and the Caribbean

• Buenos Aires

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Northeast Asia
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The Role of Civil Society in the Prevention of
Armed Conflict
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