GSDRC newsfeed on Fragile states

Conflict and Social Protection: Social Protection in Situations of Violent Conflict and its Aftermath

James Darcy — Thu, 01 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMT

How can people's lives and livelihoods be protected during and after conflict? This paper examines a range of strategies and both state and non-state roles in social protection. In insecure environments, support to non-formal mechanisms provided by civil society may be most effective, as despite their limited capacity they have greater access than formal providers. Broad-based welfare provision in post-conflict environments might avoid the social and political tensions that targeted assistance could create.

Social Protection in Fragile States: Lessons Learned

Paul Harvey — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How can social protection best be achieved in situations of fragility? This paper argues that while the objectives for social protection in fragile states are essentially the same as in development contexts, social protection instruments, financing and delivery need to be adapted. In order to scale up social protection in fragile settings, it is important to use a wider range of social protection instruments; to provide longer-term, more harmonised and predictable funding; and to work with a broader range of actors.

Finance in Conflict and Reconstruction

Tony Addison, Philippe Le Billon and S. Mansoob Murshed — Mon, 01 Jan 2001 00:00:00 GMT

What role does finance play in war and post-conflict reconstruction? Domestic and foreign finance can determine who wins the war, the duration of the conflict and can contribute to increased post-conflict poverty and inequality. Action to reduce war finance (and to increase its cost) may encourage peace, provided such action is implemented across the international community. Financial liberalisation during reconstruction may foster economic instability and endanger peace. Strong financial regulation and supervision is important.

Monitoring and Evaluation of Peace Operations

Cedric de Coning and Paul Romita — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations are tasked with increasingly complex and ambitious mandates, demanding integration and system-wide coherence, and resulting in the development of many sophisticated monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems. What are the critical challenges for M&E practitioners, and how can they strengthen research and practice? Peace operation M&E is promoting a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing in governments, research institutions, and regional and international organisations. However, much more could be achieved with a common vocabulary and approach, and a higher profile for M&E.

Climate Change, Conflict and Fragility: Understanding the Linkages, Shaping Effective Responses

Dan Smith and Janani Vivekananda — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What effect will climate change have on violent conflict? This report argues that climate change is most likely to provoke conflict in poor, badly governed countries with a recent history of violent conflict. Adaptation policies must respond to the links between climate change, state fragility and conflict, and must begin by focusing on as local a level as possible. Further, a large-scale systematic study is needed of the likely costs of adaptation. This should address the social and political dimensions as well as economic sectors.

The State's Legitimacy in Fragile Situations: Unpacking Complexity

OECD — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

State legitimacy provides the basis for rule by consent rather than coercion, but in fragile situations multiple, conflicting sources of legitimacy co-exist. How can the complex interactions between these different sources be better understood and constructively combined? Donors should pay particular attention to: (a) legitimacy deriving from shared beliefs and traditions; and (b) the processes of state-society interaction that nurture state capacity and legitimacy. Trying to strengthen state capacity and legitimacy in very fragile environments by supporting the creation of rational-legal political institutions will not work.

Towards a New Model: Media and Communication in Post-Conflict and Fragile States

Shanthi Kalathil — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

How can donors improve their support to communications in conflict-affected and fragile environments? This report draws lessons from the experience of donors, and in particular USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), in supporting media and communication in conflict-affected environments. It calls for donors to make media and communication a technical priority in post-conflict and fragile states, and to view media and communication as a public good in itself, rather than as an instrument towards another end.

The Role of Media in Fragile Situations: A Research Dialogue Across Disciplines

James Deane — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What is the relationship between the media and democracy in fragile states? How do the media shape state-citizen relationships in fragile states? This report presents the findings of a research symposium jointly organised by IDS and the BBC World Service Trust. The symposium brought together academics and practitioners across disciplines to discuss the role of the media in fragile and conflict affected states and to identify critical research gaps. It concluded that media and communications research could provide important policy insights into state fragility, state effectiveness and state-citizen relationships.

Early Economic Recovery in Fragile States

Hugo de Vries, Leontine Specker — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How can economic activities contribute to stability as part of an integrated reconstruction strategy in fragile states? This report from the Clingendael Institute examines: (1) emergency employment for high-risk and vulnerable groups; (2) income generating activities, private sector development and micro- finance for communities; and (3) creating an enabling national environment for growth. All three �tracks� must be considered and worked on from the start, and this process should be led by the country itself as soon as possible. Where the international community needs to 'come in', and what activities to emphasise, will depend on the country context.

The Failure of State Building and the Promise of State Failure: Reinterpreting the Security-Development Nexus in Haiti

Kamil Shah — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How can a relational perspective inform state building in fragile states? This Third World Quarterly article argues that mainstream approaches to resolving concerns of security and development through state building fail to consider the influence of historical and external factors such as transnational power relations. The case of Haiti illustrates how attempts to consolidate the modern (liberal) state have in fact contributed to insecurities. A focus on social and political struggle, domination and subordination provides a useful framework for analysis of the historical trajectory of development in � and of � fragile states.

Society in State-building: Lessons in Improving Democratic Governance - Synthesis Report

Edward Bell — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What is the best way to promote democratic governance in fragile and conflict-affected countries? By directing attention to interactions between state and society, this Initiative for Peacebuilding report aims to help external agencies and conflict-affected societies generate a culture of democratic politics. Drawing on analyses of Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Georgia and Pakistan, the paper recommends using the potential that is inherent in all development assistance to improve governance. This includes using the processes for defining development strategies to widen and deepen ownership by society as a whole.

The Legitimacy of the State in Fragile Situations

S. Bellina, D. Darbon, S. S. Eriksen and O. J. Sending — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What is the nature of state legitimacy in fragile situations? How can legitimacy be fostered in such situations? This report was commissioned by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation and the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. It suggests that legitimacy concerns the very basis for how state and society are linked and by which the state�s authority is justified. Interventions in fragile situations must therefore focus on relations between state and society and must be adapted to context. Neither the same type of legitimacy nor the same type of (end-) state can be established everywhere.

Effective poverty reduction strategies in fragile and conflict-affected countries: lessons and suggestions

Vincent Fruchart, Per Egil Wam, William Webster — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How can Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSs) in fragile and conflict-affected countries be made effective? How can the World Bank and other international bodies assist this process? This World Bank paper argues that well-designed PRSs offer the best hope for many countries to move from poverty and conflict to development and stability. Outsiders can promote effective PRSs by supporting five guiding principles: promote a conflict perspective, perform relevant analysis, provide policy support, strengthen national capacities and share examples of effective PRSs.

Do No Harm: International Support for Statebuilding

OECD DAC — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

How can donor interventions hinder or assist statebuilding processes? This report from the OECD's Development Assistance Committee draws on country case-studies to examine five key areas of statebuilding. Donors operating in fragile states need to analyse where their own countries� strategic objectives contradict statebuilding objectives and where statebuilding objectives are themselves at odds. Donors can assist statebuilding by promoting: (1) inclusive political processes; (2) state legitimacy; (3) constructive state-society relations; (4) social expectations that are realistic but push states to do more; and (5) the development of sustainable capacities to carry out state functions.

Armed Violence Reduction: Enabling Development

OECD-DAC — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Integrated, comprehensive and inclusive armed violence reduction (AVR) programmes are an emerging and growing area of development practice around the world. This paper, published by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, discusses the components of a multi-level AVR approach. Adopting integrated AVR programmes requires understanding of the multi-faceted, multi-level nature of armed violence, application of rigorous diagnostics of local situations and incorporation of local ownership at all levels of programme design and implementation.

Community-based Approaches to Peacebuilding in Conflict-affected and Fragile Contexts

Huma Haider — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The �community� has often been resilient in conflict-affected and fragile contexts, providing survival and coping mechanisms for violence, insecurity and fragility. Growing attention has thus been paid to the adoption of community-based approaches to help address the extensive needs in these contexts. This paper from the GSDRC explores the principal aims of community-based approaches and key challenges and considerations in designing and implementing such approaches, particularly in environments of conflict and fragility.

Peacekeepers Among Poppies: Afghanistan, Illicit Economies and Intervention

Vanda Felbab-Brown — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What have been the effects of counter-narcotics policies in Afghanistan since 2001? Have eradication campaigns been successful? This article from the Journal of International Peacekeeping argues that aggressive opium poppy eradication programmes have been premature and counterproductive. They have not increased stability or undermined the counter-insurgency. The most important role peacekeeping forces can play is providing security.

The Legacy of Four Vetting Programs: An Empirical Review

Caspar Fithen — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How can vetting help to improve institutions undergoing transition? This paper from the International Centre for Transitional Justice reviews evidence from four country case studies, highlighting the important distinctions between post-conflict and post-authoritarian transitions. It argues that while vetting cannot be divorced from its institutional context, proper planning and commitment to long-term reform can override political obstacles.

Peacebuilding and Statebuilding: An Invitation for Reflection - Interpeace's Experiences

Koenraad Van Brabant — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

How can international actors accelerate the socio-political processes of state formation in fragile states? This paper from Interpeace examines the experience of the organisation in state-building, focusing on state-society relations as the core concept of state formation. Building democratic culture to support long-term socio-political negotiations is the most effective means of securing peace and building strong states.

Indigenous Institutions, Traditional Leaders and Elite Coalitions for Development: The case of Greater Durban, South Africa

Jo Beall and Mduduzi Ngonyama — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What factors facilitate inclusive political settlements and developmental coalitions within a hybrid political order? This study, produced for the Leadership, Elites and Coalitions Research Programme and also published by the Crisis States Research Centre suggests that in South Africa, state-consolidation and peace-building have been facilitated by: (1) the creation of an administrative machinery that can contain customary authority institutions within a broader polity (2) political structures that channel the ambitions and grievances of traditional leaders and (3) a system of local government that draws on the experience of chieftaincies to bring development to hard-to-reach areas. A key success factor is the commitment to development of influential political leaders able to forge broad coalitions through their links to multiple institutions.