Past Events

Le français suit l'anglais (French follows English) Update: Registration is now closed.  The participants in the KPSRL network identified the three key dynamic processes of trust building, pacifying power, and connecting realities as sites that sustain the promise of future positive impact for security and rule of law actions. They shared the intuition that engaging in these processes is the same as engaging to create positive impact.  These key three processes guided the development of KPAC24's theme: "Building trust, pacifying power, connecting realities." KPAC24 will be held November 19-21, 2024 in Dakar, Senegal. KPSRL is co-hosting this year’s conference with the Gorée Institute and REPAOC. KPAC24 aims to make sense of multiple, diverse, contradictory, even opposing experiences and imaginations surrounding these processes, recomposing the multiplicity into collective meanings to energize and direct future actions at multiple levels, from local engagements to inter-state relations. By “collective meaning”, we mean that participants will better understand and appreciate the deeper reasons why they disagree with each other (or with themselves) on how to build trust, pacify power, and connect realities.    There are many ways to get involved in these exciting and relevant discussions at KPAC24! You can register to attend the conference, apply to host a session, host a stand at the Marketplace of Ideas, or propose a Creative Contribution.  Read the KPAC24 concept note for more information on the conference, theme, and ways that you can get involved. Registration and application links are embedded in the concept note. Please Note: the registration deadline has been extended to October 14, 2023 23:29 (CET). Annonce KPAC24 : Instaurer la confiance, pacifier le pouvoir, connecter les réalités  Mise à jour: Les inscriptions sont désormais fermées. Les participants au réseau KPSRL ont identifié les trois processus dynamiques suivants:   instauration de la confiance,  pacification du pouvoir et   connexion des réalités comme des sites qui soutiennent la promesse d'un impact positif futur pour les actions en faveur de la sécurité et de l'État de droit.  L'intuitionpartagé   que s'engager dans ces processus revient à s'engager à créer un impact positif.   Ces trois processus clés ont guidé le développement du thème de KPAC24 : « Instaurer la confiance, pacifier le pouvoir, connecter les réalités » KPAC24 se tiendra du 19 au 21 novembre 2024 à Dakar, au Sénégal. Le KPSRL co-organise la conférence de cette année avec le Gorée Institute et le REPAOC.  KPAC24 vise à donner un sens aux expériences et aux imaginations multiples, diverses, contradictoires, voire opposées, entourant ces processus, en recomposant la multiplicité en significations collectives afin de dynamiser et d'orienter les actions futures à de multiples niveaux, en partant des engagements locaux  jusqu’aux relations interétatiques. Par « signification collective », nous entendons que les participants comprendront et apprécieront mieux les raisons profondes pour lesquelles ils sont en désaccord les uns avec les autres (ou avec eux-mêmes) sur la manière d'instaurer la confiance, de pacifier le pouvoir et de relier les réalités.     Il y a de nombreuses façons de participer à ces discussions tant passionnantes que  pertinentes à KPAC24 ! Vous pouvez vous inscrire pour participer à la conférence, demander à animer une session, tenir un stand au Marché d’ idées ou proposer une contribution artistique.   Lisez la note conceptuelle de KPAC24 pour plus d'informations sur la conférence, le thème et les façons dont vous pouvez vous impliquer. Les liens d'inscription et de candidature pour une contribution sont intégrés dans la note conceptuelle.

Three of the EU’s Eastern Partnership Countries (EaPs) have embarked on the accession process: Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. This is accompanied with intensified EU support for reforms of democracy and rule of law. Supporting civic engagement during these reforms is crucial to ensure they are based on citizens’ needs, but also to keep societies engaged and supportive in times of profound changes. On 11 July, 10:00 – 12:00 (CEST) Team Europe Democracy (TED) and the Knowledge Platform Security Rule of Law (KPSRL) organize a webinar to explore the potential for improved joint EU and MS support for civic engagement on democratic reform and rule of law policies in these EaPs. The goals of this session are: Identifying how current (geo)political realities in the EU Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries impact the nature and consistency of EU support for reforms on democracy and the rule of law in this region, with a particular focus on civic engagement in these reforms; Mapping which approaches (policies, instruments and programmes) can be applied (by EU and MS) to improve civic engagement on reforms of democracy and the rule of law. Exploring possibilities of increased coordinated activities between MS and EU in the region on this topic. Exploring opportunities for TED to support such initiatives by EU and MS. Speakers:  Radica Nusdorfer - EU (DG NEAR) Giulio Venneri - EU (DG NEAR) Eva Pružincová - Slovakaid Andrei Curararu - WatchDog.md Program: 10:00 – 10:15 Welcome and introductions. 11:15 – 10:40 Panel 10:40 – 11:05 Q&A  11:05 – 11:25 Breakout rooms & formulating one or two statements for the panel 11:25 – 11:55 Panel reflects on statements audience 11:55 – 12:00 Wrap-up  You can register below. For more information, please reach out to c.kuitert@kpsrl.org.

08 July, 2024 | 17:15-19:30 | Grand Café Utopie Join us for the next edition in the Fireside Peace Chats series, titled “Global Cycles of Conflict: The Armed Conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Abroad”. This edition takes place with a human rights defender from the Great Lakes region of Africa and current Shelter City Deventer guest. This speaker is a part of the Congolese organisation Centre for the Observation of Human Rights and Social Assistance or CODHAS, which advocates for human rights, peace, and an equitable community access to land and mineral resources. We will explore and discuss the cycle of conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in addition to those of neighbouring countries in the Great Lakes region such as Burundi, Uganda, and Rwanda. Through a wholistic comprehension of the region, we will discuss the humanitarian crisis, human rights violations, stakeholders in the conflict(s), the importance of minerals and land, and the vicious cycles of conflict present. Moderator Sever Dzigurski (KPSRL) Approximate Agenda 17:15-17:30: Guest Walk-ins 17:30-18:45: Discussion 18:45-19:30: Informal drinks & Networking More about Fireside Peace Chats The Fireside Peace Chats series is an event series consisting of informal, intimate chats with peacebuilders who have either lived in for an extended period of time or are from conflict-affected environments. Fireside Peace Chats are a joint initiative of Leiden University College The Hague (LUC), Knowledge Platform for Security and Rule of the Law (KPSRL), and The Hague Humanity Hub (THHH), with an aim to open a space where practice, research and policy in peacebuilding come together in an informal way, through experience of people on the ground. This initiative aims to contribute to a locally informed paradigm shift in liberal peacebuilding.  

Join us for the next edition in the Fireside Peace Chats series with Elizabeth Spehar, Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Peacebuilding Support at the United Nations. This edition is titled “Navigating Conflict: The UN’s Role in Peacebuilding and Peacemaking,” following Ms. Spehar’s professional journey, we will explore the opportunities and challenges for the UN in contributing to peacebuilding in different contexts (e.g. Cyprus, Latin America, at HQ level). While geopolitical shifts and transnational challenge undermine the position of multilateral diplomacy; how can the UN be a viable peacemaker and peacebuilder? How did Ms. Spehar experience her engagement with situations of (post-)conflict while positioned in a large multilateral organization? About Ms. Spehar Ms. Elizabeth Spehar has been the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support since 2022. She has over 35 years of experience in international and political affairs, having worked at United Nations Headquarters and in the field leading political, development, peacemaking, peacebuilding and conflict prevention initiatives. Key roles have included serving as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), also serving as Deputy to the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus. Previously, Ms. Spehar was Director of the Policy and Mediation Division in the former Department of Political Affairs (DPA) and Director for the Americas and Europe Division. Before joining the United Nations, Ms. Spehar was a senior official with the Organization of American States (OAS) for more than 12 years, working to promote democracy and develop the organization’s dialogue and conflict resolution instruments. She speaks English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Croatian. Moderator Sever Dzigurski (KPSRL) More about Fireside Peace Chats The Fireside Peace Chats series is an event series consisting of informal, intimate chats with peacebuilders who have either lived in for an extended period of time or are from conflict-affected environments. Fireside Peace Chats are a joint initiative of Leiden University College The Hague (LUC), Knowledge Platform for Security and Rule of the Law (KPSRL), and The Hague Humanity Hub (THHH), with an aim to open a space where practice, research and policy in peacebuilding come together in an informal way, through experience of people on the ground. This initiative aims to contribute to a locally informed paradigm shift in liberal peacebuilding.

Are you driven to advance programmatic learning? We invite you to join KPSRL and Propel in our research initiative, "Tools for Programmatic Learning” on June 4th at 14:000, CET (postponed from May 21). Background The Programmatic Learning Instrument (PLI) plays a crucial role at the Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law (KPSRL), aiming to enhance learning and capacity building in the Security and Rule of Law (SRoL) sector. Our collaboration with Propel aims to explore how tools can effectively enhance learning outcomes. This initiative is a pivotal part of our broader engagement with the Propel Community of Practice (CoP), a dynamic group dedicated to fostering collective impact in international development. Our research aims to evaluate the role of tools, particularly Propel, in supporting programmatic learning initiatives within the SRoL sector. By analysing Propel's functionality and alignment with partner organizations' needs, we seek to identify areas of success and improvement, ultimately providing actionable recommendations for optimizing programmatic learning within the SRoL sector. With this being said, our joint research endeavour seeks to deepen the understanding of using tools - such as Propel - within the realm of the Security and Rule of Law (SRoL) sector and their role for programmatic learning. This Event We invite you to join us in this phase of the research project to validate and reflect on the initial findings. Join us on June 4th, 2024 at 14:00 (CET), for a 90-minute collaborative session for the second webinar of this trajectory to hear more challenges and opportunities to enhance the role of tools in programmatic learning.  We will provide an overview of our research collaboration, uncovering the role of tools for programmatic learning and cover two main objectives during the session: Unpack challenges and opportunities for programmatic learning identified through engagement with different actors as part of the research; Launch of the Community of Practice. We aim to explore the findings together and provide practical insights about how to do programmatic learning more effectively. Click here to download the pdf with more information. 

This is a hybrid event. Both in-person and online participants need to register through the link below. The role of victims and of victim-witnesses in national and international accountability mechanisms for atrocity crimes has progressively gained ground over the past two decades. This development increased the need for a better understanding of the potential psychological impact of the work of these mechanisms on survivors/victims and witnesses. It also triggered a heightened interest in how mental health and psychosocial (MHPSS)  approaches can improve witness evidence and victim well-being and, ultimately, improve justice outcomes. However, notwithstanding the increased focus on victim-centred justice, the use of MHPSS approaches and trauma-informed methodologies is still underdeveloped and only scarcely integrated in the work of most justice mechanisms.  The Integration of mental health and psychosocial approaches in accountability mechanisms for atrocity crimes research project, supported by the Knowledge Management Fund and the Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law,  aimed to fill this gap by making good practices and know-how widely available to practitioners in the justice field through guidelines and by strengthening a community of practice around the topic. The key objective being that this project becomes a catalyst for further integration of mental health and psychosocial approaches in accountability mechanisms to make them truly victim and witness-centered.  To mark the release of the research report, a launch event co-organized by the lead researcher An Michels, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and  the Knowledge Platform Security and Rule of Law will be held on May 16th, 2024 at the Carlton Ambassador Hotel in The Hague and online (for both, registration is needed). The launch event will bring together stakeholders, including legal experts, MHPSS practitioners, human rights advocates, policymakers, and representatives from affected communities, to discuss strategies, challenges, and best practices in ensuring meaningful and coherent use of MHPSS approaches and trauma-informed methodologies in accountability-seeking processes.   For more information on the event, please download this pdf. 

On 7 May, KPSRL and PeaceDirect will host a session at SIPRI’s Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development titled “Still engaging, but differently: Shifting the power to locally-led peace initiatives.” Despite a challenging international context, new behaviours, mindsets and ways of working are possible. These new ways can enable a renewed sense of solidarity beyond Global North/Global South binaries.  This session will give participants space to build connections, reflect and reimagine donors’ and international non-governmental organizations’ engagement in supporting locally led peace and security efforts in fragile and conflict-affected settings. The participants will identify concrete recommendations to increase the ownership, effectiveness and sustainability of politically sensitive interventions.  While conversations on power imbalances, global injustice and double standards can be overwhelming and even paralysing, this session aims to emphasize hope and the possibility of doing things differently, while taking into account donors’ political and organizational realities.  Speakers: Fatima al-Ansar, Tilwate Peace Network Riyad Alnajem, Child Guardians Barry Knight, Global Fund for Community Foundations Amie Scheerder, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Moderated by Anna Penfrat, Peace Direct If you are attending this invite-only conference, we hope to see you at the session!  

When & Where 13 February (17.30-19.00) at the Hague Humanity Hub (Fluwelen Burgwal 58, 2511 CJ Den Haag). Please register here.   Background Join us on 13 February for the next edition in the Fireside Peace Chats series with fellows from the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP). This edition is titled “Intersectional Insights: NGOs Advancing Youth, Feminist, and Human Rights-Based Perspectives.” The fellows will share experiences from local peacebuilding efforts addressing crucial issues such as gender equality, youth empowerment and support for marginalised communities within decision-making on peace and security.  This edition will uniquely feature a group of four speakers:   Speakers Shushanna Hasasyan, Psychologist, Project and Training Coordinator and Counselor, Pink Armenia As a project and training coordinator and counselor at Pink, Shushanna’s mission is clear: to offer psychotherapy and counseling services, with a special emphasis on creating a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. In this capacity, she conducts training sessions addressing critical issues such as sexuality, abuse, cyberbullying, well-being, and burnout. Coordinating programs and activities tailored to ensure inclusivity for LGBTQ+ individuals has become a significant aspect of her work.  Maryam Majidova, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Gender Hub Azerbaijan Maryam Majidova is an international youth policy and gender expert with extensive experience of work with international and European Institutions. She is co-founder and executive director of Gender Hub Azerbaijan - Youth NGO, focusing on promoting gender equality in Azerbaijan. Specialized in non-governmental organisation management, youth work, domestic violence, gender equality, human rights education, project management and policy advocacy, Maryam is passionate about right-based approach in learning, feminism and public policy making. Vladimer Mkervalishvili, Executive Director, Human Rights NGO “Rights Georgia” Since 2019, Mr. Mkervalishvili has been an Executive Director of the Human Rights NGO “Rights Georgia”.  Vladimer has more than 15 years of experience at international organizations as an expert, executive director, and project director/coordinator in the field of human rights, with a special focus on access to justice, judicial reform, freedom of expression and media, gender equality and violence against women.  Ana Negru, Program Manager, Platform for Security and Defence Initiatives With nearly a decade experience working in non-governmental organisations to promote security and defence issues, Ana’s expertise and work was mainly focused on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, disinformation, and its impact on national security. Her journey encompasses over 25 projects, engaging diverse stakeholders from public institutions, local public administrations, academia, and youth. These initiatives were implemented to create platforms for discussion and work on the most pressing issues tangential to security and defence, emphasizing both the pivotal role of civil society and cooperation between state institutions, civil society, academia, media and citizens About the series Fireside Peace Chats series are informal, intimate chats with peacebuilders who have either lived in for an extended period of time or are from conflict-affected environments. Fireside Peace Chats are a joint initiative of Leiden University College The Hague (LUC), Knowledge Platform for Security and Rule of the Law (KPSRL), and The Hague Humanity Hub (THHH), with an aim to open a space where practice, research and policy in peacebuilding come together in an informal way, through experience of people on the ground. This initiative aims to contribute to a locally informed paradigm shift in liberal peacebuilding.

Are you passionate about advancing programmatic learning? Join us at KPSRL and Propel in our innovative research project "Tools for Programmatic Learning" on 5 February from 15:30-17:00 (CET). Objective of the research: The Programmatic Learning Instrument (PLI) is a funding instrument of the Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law (KPSRL) to support programmatic learning across security and rule of law programming. As part of the PLI, the KPSRL is currently running pilots and commissioning a study to enhance their understanding of how approaches to programmatic learning can and should be structured to effectively contribute to quality and impact of programmes. Our joint research endeavour seeks to deepen the understanding of using tools - such as Propel - within the realm of the Security and Rule of Law (SRoL) sector and their role for programmatic learning. Project Focus: With this research collaboration, we aim to uncover the role of tools in programmatic and organisational learning. We aim to address key questions, such as: "What role do tools play in the SRoL sector's programmatic and organisational learning?" and "How can the integration of digital tools, including Propel, within the PLI framework be optimised for enhanced learning, collaboration, and impactful outcomes?" Why participate? By participating in this project, you will have the chance to:  1)     Exchange Insights: Collaborate with peers on the topic of programmatic learning and innovative approach to learning, specifically in the SRoL sector to exchange ideas and insights. 2)     Deepen Understanding: Gain a profound understanding of both organisational and programmatic learning. During this first session, you can contribute your own learning questions that you have wanted to uncover for us to investigate throughout this project. 3)     Explore Tools: Discover how complementary tools like Propel and approaches used in the Programmatic Learning Instrument can support learning processes. We will invite you to follow along with our progress and explore the findings with us. How to join? We invite you to join the kick-off of this research project. We invite partners and organisations in the network of KPSRL to join us in validating our learning questions as well as contribute their feedback and insights. On 5 February, 2024, we will hold a 90 minutes online collaborative exploration session and invite you to join us. Please click here to download the concept note.

In the follow-up of the Knowledge Platform Annual Conference in Nairobi (KPAC23), KPSRL is organising an event in The Hague on 7 December (12.00 – 17.30) in ‘Het Nutshuis’. Just like in Nairobi, the theme will be ‘Margins | Centers’. The day’s goals are: Uptake of recommendations and conclusions from KPAC23 in Nairobi, by translating these to the policy and INGO realities in The Hague. Identifying possible points of divergence between discussions in Nairobi and The Hague and what needs to happen to bring these closer to each other. This should be fed back to Nairobi participants too. Making voices heard in The Hague from those that normally can’t access KPAC – so the Nairobi region. Connect partners in The Hague. Providing accountability towards the Nairobi event. This to ensure it wasn’t an extractive exercise, but actually leads towards uptake. The audience will consist of appx. 70 SRoL professionals, varying from researchers to practitioners and policy makers. A few partners from FCAS that contributed to the Nairobi event will be represented. The full agenda can be found below, but a taste of the topics that will be discussed: inclusive SRoL support in backsliding democratic times, discussing the findings of the Unboxing Localisation trajectory, improving people-centered approaches to security provision and working in contexts of authoritarianism. This year, we learned that bringing artwork to our events has been deeply appreciated by the KPSRL network. Integrating art into our work helps to bring human emotions and creative expression back into the policies and programmes that we're working on in the SRoL and peacebuilding sectors. Therefore, we very excited to spotlight three artists at our event, whose work will be exhibited at the venue.  ✨ Minal Naomi ✨ Yves Kulondwa ✨Nastassja Nefjodov Nastassja Nefjodov is a visual German-Russian artist based in Amsterdam. Her work delves into the traumatic effects of war within her family, revealing the intricate connections between the past and her own life. Through sharing these narratives, she aims to break the stigma surrounding discussions about the lasting impact of war on families and personal relationships. Minal & Yves are part of the Artists’ Safe Haven residency (Justice & Peace Netherlands): The Artists’ Safe Haven residency is intended for worldwide artists or art practitioners who, as part of their artwork, address or promote human rights in non-violent ways, and are threatened or otherwise under pressure due to their work or activism. The residency offers a three month stay in The Hague. A safe and inspiring space where artists can rest, restrategise, build capacities and networks and find new platforms for their work and message. You can register below. Please mind that there is a maximum of two participants per organisation. Please click here for the final agenda and here for the concept note.

This is a closed event for invited participants only. If you want to stay informed about the progress and outcomes of this project, please email info@kpsrl.org.    Background The role of victims and of victim-witnesses in national and international accountability mechanisms for atrocity crimes has progressively gained ground over the past two decades. This development increased the need for a better understanding of the potential psychological impact of the work of these mechanisms on survivors/victims and witnesses. It also triggered a heightened interest in how mental health and psychosocial (MHPSS)  approaches can improve witness evidence and victim well-being and, ultimately, improve justice outcomes. However, notwithstanding the increased focus on victim-centred justice, the use of MHPSS approaches and trauma-informed methodologies is still underdeveloped and only scarcely integrated in the work of most justice mechanisms. In addition, good practices that have been developed are often scattered and not readily available mental health and justice practitioners, especially to those working in national justice mechanisms or conflict-affected settings. Generally, there is a limited exchange of know-how between mechanisms at international and at national levels. True multidisciplinary approaches are largely lacking. However, experience with implementing good practices, mainly at the International Criminal Court (ICC), and other mechanisms, as well as emerging research clearly show that the integration of a mental health focus and the promotion of multidisciplinary approaches directly contribute to enhanced quality and impact of evidence gathering. Integrating knowledge about trauma and its impact into the engagement with victims, including during formal procedures, has been shown to be beneficial to victims and to the justice process itself. The project, supported by the Knowledge Management Fund and the Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law,  aims to fill this gap by making good practices and know-how widely available to practitioners in the justice field through guidelines and by strengthening a community of practice. The objective is that this project becomes a catalyst for further integration of mental health and psychosocial approaches in accountability mechanisms to make them truly victim and witness-centered. This expert meeting intends to bring together legal practitioners, psychosocial experts and organizations working on accountability for atrocity crimes and/or transitional justice who were consulted for this project. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss, in an informal manner, what would be needed to fully integrate good practices in the work of the different mechanisms and organizations and what a community of practice supporting a multidisciplinary approach could look like.   An Michels is the lead researcher for this project. She is a clinical psychologist and team leader of the Psychosocial Support Team of the Victims and Witnesses Section in the International Criminal Court. She is specialised in the development of psychosocial support strategies for war-affected populations and supported, with her teams, hundreds of victims and witnesses at the Special Court for Sierra Leone and at the ICC.  Eveline de Bruijn is a contributor to this project. She has over sixteen years of experience on justice issues, having worked in various conflict-affected settings as well as Headquarters with the UN, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Oxfam. She is currently active as an advisor for various organisations working on justice and mental health. She is in the process of becoming a licensed psychologist. A closed expert meeting will be held to discuss further what would be needed to fully integrate MHPSS good practices in the work of the different mechanisms and organizations and how a community of practice supporting a multidisciplinary approach could look like. The meeting will be opened and moderated by Pablo de Greiff, former UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence. He is currently a Commissioner on the UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, Senior Fellow and Director of the Transitional Justice Program, Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at the NYU School of Law and a world-leading expert on transitional justice. If you are interested and want to be kept informed about the progress and outcome of this project, please email info@kpsrl.org to let us know.

Innovative Funding for Local Peacebuilding Action: Walking the Talk For this 6th Unboxing Localisation session, we dive deeper into the financial side of localization. Co-hosted by GPPAC, we’ll explore innovative financing tools and approaches (beyond just grantmaking) that foster local leadership and local ownership of peacebuilding initiatives. Background As part of the ongoing efforts to advance the ‘localisation’ agenda that recognises the importance of meaningful engagement of local stakeholders to achieve sustainable and impactful peace, international donors, including the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are making efforts to promote fair, equitable, inclusive and non-extractive partnerships in the current aid system. Since 2021, GPPAC has been contributing to these efforts by creating learning and exchange spaces for local peacebuilders, the donor community, and international finance experts to explore opportunities and challenges towards ensuring accessible and impactful funding for local peacebuilding action. In 2022, with the support of the Dutch Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law, GPPAC published a paper that presents concrete options to change the way donors and intermediaries distribute their financial support to peacebuilding with the aim of shifting power to local peacebuilders. During session III of ‘Unboxing Localisation’ which focused on the concept of the ‘Chains Of Influence’, it was mentioned that innovative funding tools and approaches can help local ownership, especially when local actors are involved in the design of a program or policy, but also when funding structures and financial processes are developed. Please register through the button below. For more information about the event, please contact Christian Kuitert (c.kuitert@kpsrl.org).  

Implications for SRoL’s contributions to social cohesion and just social contracts Marginalised identities and perspectives are often not heard nor valued by those who sit at the centres. By contrast, those in the margins must understand the perspectives and language of those at the centres to be heard, or even survive. This insight is key to move the discussion ahead on SRoL’s contribution to social cohesion and just social contracts.  Dynamics between centres and margins of power and privilege influence SRoL policy and programming across a multitude of binaries. These include capitals v. border regions, majority vs minority clans, mainstream v. marginalised political views, armed actors v. unarmed communities, elites v. ‘the people’, consortium leads v. consortium members, refugee camps v. host communities, cis-men v. marginalised gender identities, dominant racial and ethnic identities v. marginalised ones, well-served neighbourhoods v. degraded ones, and geopolitically dominant actors v. weaker ones. Do we need to flip things around and shift where the centres are, moving from centres of power to centres of needs? Would this unlock the contribution that SRoL institutions and mechanisms can add to just social contracts and social cohesion? KPAC23 will be a moment to take stock of the network’s knowledge on this question, discuss new insights and test current practices. Click here to read the full Concept Note.   Where 8th and 10th of November: Heron Hotel (Jakaya Kikwete Rd, Nairobi, Kenya); 9 November: Kenyatta International Convention Centre (City Square, along, Harambee Ave, Nairobi, Kenya); 7 December: Het Nutshuis (Riviervismarkt 5, 2513 AM Den Haag, Netherlands)   Contribute to the programme Call for contributions is now closed. Please click here to view the final version of the timetable for KPAC23.   Registration Click here to register.

As recent events in Sudan, Myanmar and Ukraine have shown, artists can play a central role in periods of war and oppression, both as commentators of events and as inspirators for resistance. Creative practice – whether through visual or performing arts – can activate imagination and a broader understanding of injustice, its consequences and the range of alternative possibilities. In times where there is very little space for alternative societal narratives, as is the case in authoritarian states, it may offer one of the few spaces where resistance can be practiced. Engaging with art can simultaneously connect to memories, embodied experiences, and visions of an alternative future. Art can also document the human consequences of war, bringing them into focus for international audiences in ways that allow the audience to continue watching and engaging. We invite you to a debate, moderated by Sever Dzigurski and including panelists Ambassador Bård Ivar Svendsen, Bina Saib, Cindy Horst, Daria Pugachova, Diala Brisly & Kirsten van den Hul on the many roles art plays in times of war, oppression, and exile, asking the question of whether there are ways to make better use of its potential for creative resistance. After the debate, there is an opportunity to see art by Khalid Shatta, Diala Brisly, and Daria Pugachova. This event is made possible due to support PRIO, INSPIRE, Museum Boijmans, Verhalenhuis Belvedere, Goethe Institute and the KPSRL & the Norwegian Embassy in the Netherlands. Bios Ambassador Bård Ivar Svendsen is Norway’s Ambassador to the Netherlands and Luxembourg, Permanent Representative to the OPCW and the ICC. Ambassador Svendsen previously served as the Ambassador for Arctic and Antarctic Affairs, as the Ambassador to Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as the Deputy Head of Mission for the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Moscow. Bina Saib is a Policy Coordinator at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Unit for International Cultural Cooperation. She explores topics such as heritage cooperation, restitution, culture & development in her work and has 20 years of experience in diplomacy and international cooperation. Cindy Horst is a Research Professor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo and co-director of the Centre on Culture and Violent Conflict. Her current research focuses on how individuals, including artists and academics, can challenge the status quo and effect societal change in (post-)conflict settings.  Daria Pugachova is a Ukrainian artist, performer, and art activist. In her creative practice, Daria uses participatory practices that raise social issues and bridge and private and public divide. She is known for her public space performances and video art. Diala Brisly is a Syrian artist whose artistic practice spans a variety of media, including animation,  painting, conceptual art, illustration, comic books, and murals. Recurring themes in her work are social justice, freedom, and a desire to give a voice to children. Halleh Ghorashi is Full Professor of Diversity and Integration in the Department of Sociology at the VU (Vrije Universiteit) Amsterdam, the Netherlands. She has done research on the struggles of refugees in their path of inclusion for the past 25 years. In 2020, she was appointed as a member of KNAW (The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences). Khalid Shatta is a Norwegian-Sudanese Visual Artist who uses painting as his primary form of creative expression. Originally from Nuba mountains in Sudan, Khalid is known for his large canvases, colorful motifs, and modernist art. Kirsten van den Hul is a Dutch columnist and politician. She was elected to the House of Representatives for the Labour Party during the 2017 general election. Since October, 2022 she serves as Director of DutchCulture, a Dutch organisation for international cultural cooperation.   Diala, Cindy, Daria & Khalid are part of the Rotterdam Residency programme, supported by PRIO, INSPIRE, Museum Boijmans, Verhalenhuis Belvedere, Goethe Institute and the KPSRL. Artwork on this page is by Khalid Shatta.

Pour le français voir ci-dessous The Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law (KPSRL) and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ independent Policy and Operations Evaluation Department (IOB) jointly organize an online discussion on Thursday 5 October (13:00 – 15:00 CEST). In this session, we unpack IOB’s recently launched report ‘Inconvenient Realities: An Evaluation of Dutch Contributions to Stability, Security, and Rule of Law in Fragile and Conflict-affected contexts' with an international audience.   The goals of the session are:  Understanding the key arguments and recommendations from the IOB report;  Providing space for international partners to relate to these findings;  Identify paths to realistically reframe development cooperation in FCAS, with specific attention to stabilization and security, and rule of law.  You can register here. For more information about this event, please contact Christian Kuitert (c.kuitert@kpsrl.org).   Agenda  13:00 – 13:05  Welcome  Christian Kuitert - KPSRL   13:05 – 13:30  Key findings & recommendations  Rens Willems - IOB  13:30 – 13:35  First response   Kadiatou Yacouba Keita – International Alert Mali  13:35 – 13:40  First response   David Deng – International Growth Center   13:40 – 13:45  First response   Masood Karokhail 13:50 – 14:40  Open discussion  Audience, IOB, panelists  14:40 – 14:50  Reflection & take-aways  Nathalie Olijslager – NL MFA  14:50 – 15:00  Closing  Christian Kuitert - KPSRL    Background  On 28 August, IOB launched an evaluation report that covers Dutch development efforts between 2015 and 2022 in Fragile and Conflict Affected Settings (FCAS), with a focus on Mali, South Sudan, and Afghanistan. These efforts vary from defense-, development- and trade-oriented interventions.     The report describes results on local and technical levels. However, there is little proof that within the timeframe of these programs, such results ‘trickle up’ or result in horizontal (between groups) or vertical (state and society) cohesion. Meanwhile, the ambitions of such efforts have been at the level of e.g., institutional change – a high bar for a small contributor like The Netherlands, especially in FCAS where it is even more difficult to ‘control’ constantly changing situations and trends of democratic backsliding is ongoing.  On a more technical level, development cooperation in FCAS often finds itself exactly in that place between humanitarian aid and development, but the nexus with these sectors is thin. What adds to that complexity is the prominent role of defence and security goals in many contexts, that can be at odds with sustainable long-term investments in the social contract. Combine all this with a recurrent lack of conflict sensitivity and one can imagine the challenges for sustainable, systemic results.  In this session, we, therefore, discuss what we can consider realistic and desirable results in FCAS, as well as how to make our ambitions of policy coherence and adaptive support a reality in Dutch development cooperation in FCAS.  French simultaneous translation will be provided during the event. Une traduction simultanée en français sera assurée lors de l’évènement. Lisez la version française de la note conceptuelle ici.

Polarisation in the Eastern European Neighbourhood – Moldova Case This event has been postponed until: 7 September, 13:00-15:00 (CEST) 13 July, 12:00 – 14:00 CEST   On Thursday, 7 Sept., 2023, the second event within the ‘Polarisation in the Eastern European Neighbourhood’ trajectory will kick off. After the country case on Georgia last month (see report here), this (online) country case session is on Moldova.   Register below if you’re interested in: Unpacking polarisation in Moldova through the lens of the social contract. Perspectives on this topic of two current and former Moldavian politicians. Participating in a discussion with them and each other on ways forward to reduce polarisation in Moldova. The role the EU and partners can play in supporting rule of law and democracy in Moldova   Background In established democracies, extreme ideological differences in a left to right scale between political actors is considered the definition of polarisation. However, in the Eastern European region left to right differences are generally not that pronounced and strong societal divides are based on geo-political orientation (Russia or the West) embedded in the value dimensions of social conservatism and social liberalism.   The war in Ukraine has put further pressure on these divides and increased the levels of polarisation in the region. These strong emotions and more extreme political discourse can lead to increasing isolation of various political actors from one another, making interactions more and more destructive and less conducive to democracy. This therefore enhances the possibility of political crisis and destabilisation in countries in the region and makes overcoming these divides more and more difficult. Thereby threatening both security (foreign interference, violence) and rule of law (politicisation, securitisation).   This session & broader trajectory Amy Eaglestone (researcher at the University of Birmingham) and KPSRL have initiated this event series under the KPSRL Thematic Headline’s subtheme ‘Resilience to Polarisation’, interrogating the specific mechanisms behind polarisation in this region and discussing possible responses from the perspective of the social contract. Moldova is the second of two country cases (the first one being Georgia), after which a roundtable will follow to inform EU-level policy and programming related to support for rule of law and democracy in the Eastern European region.   Register below to join us online on Thursday, 7 September, 2023 from 13:00-15:00 (CEST) via Zoom.   Click here to see the full Concept Note of this session and the broader trajectory.   Agenda Time Session Speaker 13:00 – 13:05 Welcome & summary trajectory Amy Eaglestone 13:05 – 13:10 Introduction speakers   13:10 – 13:20 Applying the ‘social contract frame’ to polarization Christian Kuitert (KPSRL) 13:20 – 13:35 Setting the scene I: polarization in Moldova Dorin Chirtoacă (Leader Liberal Party, Former Mayor Chișinău) 13:35 – 13:50 Setting the scene II: polarization in Moldova Inna Șupac (AIA-NRW, Former-MP Party of Communists) 13:50 – 14:00 Clarifying questions   14:00 – 14:05 Reflections from the ‘social contract’ perspective Christian Kuitert (KPSRL) 14:05 – 14:50 Main discussion   14:50 – 14:55 Extracted recommendations Amy Eaglestone 14:55 – 15:00 Closing Christian Kuitert (KPSRL)  

  Location: Online (Zoom) On 6 September, the fifth ‘Unboxing Localisation’ event takes place. This time, Women’s International Peace Center will take us through their approach to making programming genuinely inclusive to those affected. The objectives of the session are to: ·     Share experiences, lessons learned, best practices, and challenges related to the effective inclusion of the most-affected communities in locally-led programming. -      WIPC will provide specific cases of effective inclusion of the most-affected communities in Burundi, DRC and South Sudan; ·     Identify practical suggestions on how to effectively put most-affected groups in the lead for programming in terms of budgeting, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation etc.; ·     Look at how donors can integrate such methods into their program design, with the help of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A more detailed agenda will follow soon. French translation will be available in the chat. About the ‘Unboxing Localisation’ trajectory At the Knowledge Platform Annual Conference 2021, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (CSPPS) organized a kick-off meeting for a trajectory to unpack the multi-facetted challenge of localization (recording). After dissecting the challenges ahead, the group agreed to commit to a trajectory that resulted in: A second session to define which subthemes were to be unpacked. Participants preferred focusing on sharing practical tools and practices of operationalizing localisation. A third one on ‘chains of influence’, so how to create space with those ‘up’ the chain for those  ‘down’ the chain from wherever you are within the SRoL sector. A fourth one on concrete ways to measure progress on localization with the help of a measurement framework. This is an invitation-only event. If you would like to participate, please email c.kuitert@kpsrl.org.

The potential for social contract reforms of civic and social movements in authoritarian and hybrid regimes  Organized by: KPSRL, in collaboration with the Group for Research and Information on Peace and Security (GRIP) and the Transnational Institute.  This webinar is an opportunity to explore the relationship between civic and social movements, hybrid and authoritarian regimes, and changes in the social contracts of these countries. Among the questions that will be explored are:   Which movements are most likely to grow and evolve in hybrid and authoritarian regimes?  What results, especially connected to changes in the social contracts, can be expected from social and political movements in such repressive environments or in the presence of pro-authoritarian movements?  How do social and political movements and the people inside them evolve over time?  What are the implications for external support?   Natalia Forrat will set the frame of the conversation by presenting a comparative research on what results social and civic movements are likely to obtain, and which are most likely to grow and be successful in repressive environments. She will introduce two case studies on experiences with social and civil movements in hybrid and authoritarian regimes.   Michel Luntumbue from GRIP will engage in conversation with Floribert Anzuluni of Congolese movement FILIMBI on the experience of civil and social movements that recently responded to West African authoritarian attempts. In the first phase of their emergence, citizens movements in West and Central Africa asserted themselves as protest movements against politicians’ bids for unconstitutional third terms in power. Now, it is interesting to see how these citizens' movements have adapted to continue playing the role of watch dogs of democracy and democratic spaces once their initial battle was over.  Walden Bello, former member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, professor at Binghamton University, professor of sociology and public administration at the University of the Philippines Diliman, and founder founder and chairperson of the left-wing alliance Laban ng Masa. (lit. Fight of the Masses) will share insights in the experience of social and political movements responding to authoritarian reforms prompted by the presence of far right populist movements.  Participants will be invited to engage directly with the presenters in further exploring their perspectives and distilling implications for policy and practice.   Register below to join us online on Monday, 17th July from 14:30-16.00 (CEST) / 13:30-15:00 (BST) online via Zoom.  Click here to check out the Concept Note.

Background Despite their inherent domestic nature, social contracts are, in one way or another, subject to the pressure of external forces, of which interventions aimed at strengthening the said social contracts are a special category. It is undeniable that development cooperation has become a key site of SRL interventions working towards reducing inequalities. In recent years there has been however, a growing concern over the historically embedded power dynamics that underlie international development cooperation. KPAC22 has also highlighted that many programming interventions are rooted in and framed using Western values, lenses, and knowledge systems which hampers ownership and legitimacy of power in non-Western contexts and undervalue local expertise and agency, and ignores history of colonization and other oppressive interactions among states. The latter resulting  in frail and aid dependent social contracts. Within this context, there is need to explore what an Feminist Foreign Policy means in practice for SRoL programming, what effects it might have on  interventions aiming to strengthen social contracts and  what backlash supporting from the exterior a feminist perspective in a given country might cause vis a vis of both national governments and communities. On June 26th 2023, The Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law  will host a conversation on implications of FFP on development cooperation, with a specific emphasis on SRoL programming.  The event will discuss what distinguishes Feminist Foreign Policy from previous (similar) policies and what this policy might look like in practice for SRoL programming. It will highlight the voices of practitioners in SRoL programming and offer policy recommendations on specific adjustments needed to fully operationalize the policy.   Key questions How do we ensure that  FFP enhances women’s rights while also tackling other power relations more holistically, using a rights-based and intersectional understanding(and approach) of feminism? How can an FPP help address pre-existing power dynamics undermining meaningful SRoL programming and policy (and the development cooperation ecosystem as a whole)? How can we operationalize an FFP in the SRoL sector? What ingredients are necessary and what challenges should we be cognizant of? How can we more meaningfully involve civil society organizations (including community-based organizations, women’s groups, youth…) in developing a feminist approach to SRoL? Key discussants 1.     Dr. Jutta Joachim, Senior Lecturer at Radboud University 2.     Fridah Githuku, Executive Director of Groots Kenya 3.     Alejandra Vicente, Head of Law at Redress and member of the GQUAL Secretariat   Register below to join us online on Monday, 26 June from 16:30-18:00 (BST) / 17:30-19.00 (CEST) at The Hague Humanity Hub (Fluwelen Burgwal 58, 2511 CJ Den Haag) or online via Zoom.  Click here to check out the Concept Note.

When & Where International workshop Tuesday 20 June, 16:00-17:30hrs CEST (Amsterdam), 15:00-16:30hrs CET (Tunis). Background Tunisia’s transition process in 2011-2021 saw efforts to expand protections for civil liberties, hold free and fair elections, and elaborate a progressive constitution. Multiple public administration reform initiatives sought to address the significant deficit in public trust in state institutions and reshape the social contract. Initial optimistic expectations and demands for a rapid, radical break with the past came up against institutional resilience and resistance, echoing experiences in other post-authoritarian contexts. A multitude of initiatives, initiated by government and by civil society, centred around notions of accountability, transparency and rule of law, sought to shift relations between citizens and public administration away from hierarchical dyadic exchanges favouring patronage, nepotism and discretion towards institutional rules based on universalistic, clearly defined, legally established rights and procedures that delimit the exercise of public authority. Although almost all Tunisia’s democratic gains have been dismantled in the last two years, its experience of public administration reform merit examination. This online workshop will bring together academics, researchers, and policy makers to discuss the findings of a research project on renegoting the social contract through citizen-facing local public administration reforms in 2011-21. The project is funded by the Knowledge Management Fund of the Dutch Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law and carried out by the Jasmine Foundation in collaboration with The Hague University of Applied Sciences. The workshop will discuss the research findings based on survey data, interviews and focus group discussions. It will explore two specific initiatives that aimed to reshape citizen-state relations at local level through internal and external-facing reforms that sought to introduce greater transparency, accountability and participation in local state institutions. This workshop will discuss these experiences and the merits of adopting an empirically grounded approach to public administration reform that engages with local conflicts, perceptions and dynamics that differ between different localities and regions. The workshop aims is to generate, together with expert panellists and research participants, insights that are relevant to and beyond the Tunisian case. Programme Welcome and introductions Presentation of main research findings and policy recommendations – Dr. Intissar Kherigi, Dr. Sylvia I. Bergh and Dr. Hatem Kahloun Comments by panellists: Prof. Yasmin Khodary, British University in Egypt; Dr. Markus Loewe, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS); and Prof. Ellen Lust, Gothenburg University Open discussion Conclusion   The workshop will be held mainly in English with English-Arabic/Arabic-English interpretation available.  Please click here for the Concept Note.

On Monday, 19 June 2023, the ‘Polarization in the Eastern European Neighbourhood’ trajectory will kick off with its first (online) country case session on Georgia.  In established democracies, extreme ideological differences in a left to right scale between political actors is considered the definition of polarization. However, in the Eastern European region while left to right differences are generally not that pronounced, strong societal divides exist that are based on geo-political orientation (Russia or the West) embedded in the value dimensions of social conservatism and social liberalism.  The war in Ukraine has put further pressure on these divides and increased the levels of polarization in the region. These strong emotions and more extreme political discourse can lead to increasing isolation of various political actors from one another, making interactions more and more destructive and less conducive to democracy. This therefore enhances the possibility of political crisis and destabilization in countries in the region and makes overcoming these divides more and more difficult. Thereby threatening both security (foreign interference, violence) and rule of law (politicization, securitization).  Amy Eaglestone (researcher at the University of Birmingham) and KPSRL have initiated an event series under the Thematic Headline’s subtheme ‘Resilience to Polarization’, interrogating the specific mechanisms behind polarization in this region and discussing possible responses from the perspective of the social contract. Georgia will be the first of two country cases (the second one being Moldova), after which a roundtable will follow to inform EU-level policy and programming related to support for rule of law and democracy in the Eastern European region.  Register below to join us online on Tuesday, 19th June from 12:00-14.00 (CEST) online via Zoom. Click here to check out the Concept Note.    

This webinar is an opportunity to bring together and discuss the practical implications of three strands of research on the balance of consent and repression that sustain social contracts in Authoritarian regimes, being conducted at Clingendael, the Freedom House, and the Institute for Integrated Transitions. Natalia Forrat (Freedom House and University of Michigan) will share two social roots of authoritarianism: union and division. It will use a case study of four Russian regions to discuss the tools that autocrats use to build their regimes from grassroots. Erwin Van Veen (Clingendael) will present 'shades of authoritarianism’ in the Middle East with a focus on the use of ideology, clientelism, and the security apparatus to maintain control in the face of mounting development needs, popular dissatisfaction, and protest. Alejandro Urrutia (Institute for Integrated Transitions) will present his ongoing research on ‘The Scope for Dialogue Between Civic and State Security Actors in Hybrid Regime Contexts' and discuss 1) the typical sources of resilience of hybrid regimes; 2) the mechanisms used by ruling parties to gain control or secure the loyalty of security forces; and 3) how civic and democratic forces can overcome common dilemmas when attempting to engage and dialogue with state security actors in such contexts. Participants to the webinar will be invited to engage directly with researchers to identify the most relevant implications for policy and practice. Register below to join us online on Tuesday, 13th June from 13:30-15:00 (BST) / 14:30-16.00 (CEST) online via Zoom. Click here to check out the Concept Note.

This webinar is an opportunity for student researchers from Myanmar to share their findings from their research projects about the social contract of citizenship after the 2021 coup in Myanmar. It will also launch the webpage that showcases their work. Supported by the Knowledge Management Fund, the project was designed to shift traditional power dynamics and recognize the researchers as the experts with local knowledge best placed to influence the trajectory of developments in their communities. International participants will also be able to engage directly with researchers working in fragile and conflict affected settings in Myanmar and refugee areas. For the wider security and rule of law community, the webinar will provide space to learn, via a concrete example, how conflict affected youth can articulate their changing relationship with the state. Register below to join us online on Wednesday, 10 May from 13:00-14:30 (BST) / 14:00-15.30 (CEST) / 18.30 - 20:00 (MMT) online via Zoom. Click here to check out the Concept Note. Click here to view the graphic recording of the event, by Claudia Meier.