COP27: Climate and Conflict 

Climate change is deepening dividing lines, driving marginalisation and making conflict even harder to resolve. Overlooking the social dimensions of adaptation would miss a key opportunity to address the dangers posed by climate change, particularly in conflict affected areas such as Iraq and Somalia. 

As COP27 is entering its final phase, read our climate and conflict article series that highlights that climate vulnerability demands conflict transformation approaches, and outlines policy recommendations and actions needed to ensure COP27 delivers for fragile and conflict-affected areas.

Peace for Ukrainians means their own resilience to withstand aggression 

There are no easy answers for peacebuilding organisations on how to best contribute to a peaceful, sustainable and just solution to the conflict in Ukraine. Therefore, it is crucial to listen and give space to Ukrainian voices, especially our peacebuilding colleagues who have lead peace work in Ukraine for decades. 

Read our interview with Ukrainian peace researcher Tetiana Kyselova, who shares what local activists need right now and how peacebuilding organisations can better support them. 

Collecting testimony and transitional justice in Ukraine 

Ukraine is probably the first war where evidence of war crimes is being gathered even while the war still rages. During an international symposium co-organised with The Reckoning Project, colleagues and experts discussed testimony collection in Ukraine and how it can lay the foundations of transitional justice processes as well as inspire momentum for accountability in other contexts. 

Learn more about war crime documentation. 

New website on transitional justice  

The new website of our Global Learning Hub for Transitional Justice and Reconciliation has launched. Working together with partner organisations from Germany and across the world, the Hub aims to facilitate an inspiring space for dialogue and learning that is driven by solidarity, inclusivity and innovation.

Visit us to find a series of video interviews on contemporary issues in transitional justice.

Why inclusivity matters 

Inspired by this year’s International Day of Peace theme being “End Racism. Build Peace.”, we asked experts from different teams within our organisation why it is important for peace processes to be inclusive and how it helps facilitate long-term sustainable peace. 

Watch and read their responses. 

Feminist foreign policy must be about justice and participation 

Feminism shines the light on a particular type of power asymmetry and imbalance. Feminist foreign policy, therefore, needs to subscribe to the key principle of shifting this power and must be guided by a human rights-based approach to promote deep societal change. 

Read our Head of Conflict Transformation Research Beatrix Austin’s blog on why inclusivity is central to feminist foreign policy. 

Online event: Climate change, environmental degradation and conflict

Join our online event on 2 December at 14:00 CET where high-level actors across policy, practice and academia discuss the overlapping crises of environmental degradation, climate change and violent conflict, and measures to mitigate against them.

Register now.

Video: Observation and monitoring mechanisms in conflict de-escalation 

Third parties can play an important role in limiting violence in armed conflicts. Even if their intervention may not necessarily end a conflict, they can contribute to preventing further escalation and support de-escalation of violence. 

Watch the recording of our online event where experts in the field of ceasefire monitoring shared best practices, lessons learned and opportunities for technological innovation. 

Video: Women faith-based mediators: Innovation through tradition? 

Women faith-based mediators play an important role in conflict transformation, mediation and dialogue processes around the world. However, the mostly secular international peacebuilding and mediation support structures have only recently discovered the potential of their oftentimes traditional roles for innovation in dialogue processes. To address these challenges and opportunities, we hosted an event with The Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers.

Watch the video.

Video: Libya-quo vadis? 

Eleven years after the outbreak of the civil war and the ensuing international intervention, Libya is still deeply divided and paralysed by rivalling governments and militias. 

Watch our online event where experts assessed the role of the international community and looked into opportunities and challenges for peace in the country. 

Gender-inclusive conflict transformation: Insights from former female combatants 

This policy insights series aims to contextualise and critically review current policies and practices in peace negotiations and post-war transitions based on testimonies, and complemented by relevant academic references. 

Read the publication.

Matching aspirations, missing connections: EU support to nonviolent movements 

In collaboration with PAX, we published a report on the value of nonviolent movements as drivers for peaceful reform processes and the possibilities for EU support for these movements. 

Learn more about what was discussed at the launch event amongst experts and practitioners from the peacebuilding, development and democratisation sectors.

“Peace education is not a trouble shooter”: Recommendations for the future of peace education 

Peace education in the school system can offer an important approach to preventing violence. We set out to compile an overview of current developments, approaches and potential opportunities in German-speaking countries. 

Learn more about the resulting report and read our recommendations on how to further integrate peace education practices into schools in a sustainable way.