Toolkit Local Peace Committees

ZOA in collaboration with the Centre for International Conflict Analysis and Management of the Radboud University Nijmegen and Mi Parec, Burundi has conducted an applied research project on Local Peace Committees. Local Peace Committees (LPCs) have become an important strategy of development organizations to promote transitional justice in conflict-affected contexts. In practice, working with LPCs implies several strategic choices, notably on (1) the kind of peace, justice and societal change envisioned; (2) how local peacebuilding links to developments and interventions at others levels; and (3) the type of institutions to be promoted at the local level, and the future role of LPCs.

However, so far, choices made tend to reflect the (implicit) assumptions and preferences of (international) intervening organizations. Through literature research and interviews with representatives from local and international development organizations in Burundi and Uvira Territory (eastern DR Congo) the project ‘Enhancing Local Peace Committees’ explored the assumptions and preferences guiding interventions to support LPCs. On the basis of this research and in close collaboration with practitioner organizations from the region, a toolkit was developed to visualize the programmatic choices involved in designing interventions around LPCs, both for practitioners and local stakeholders. This toolkit exists of a series of video clips, a picture box, and an instruction manual. Please, find a digital version of these tools, as well as a document on main findings & recommendations of the research project.

Research results & outputs

Policy Brief

 This policy brief summarizes the main findings from the project, and points out implications for peacebuilding practitioners. Findings highlight the need to be explicit about the assumptions underlying strategies to enhance LPCs, to regularly review strategy in light of changes in context, and to systematically take account of peacebuilding processes and interveners at other levels. The toolkits developed proved helpful to facilitate this. To access the policy brief, please consult this link.

Toolkit

The toolkits can be used and copied freely, as long as they are not modified and credits are given to the authors. We would appreciate feedback from organizations that have used the toolkit to facilitate discussion with their colleagues, peace committees or other stakeholders. Please send us your feedback and ideas to Corita Corbijn c.corbijn@zoa.nl, ZOA sector specialist Peace Building, so that we can continue to improve the toolkit. You may also contact us to order hard copy DVD’s with the 10 video clips. You can download the toolkit by consulting the link below: