Get connected with organizations building infrastructure for peace and learn this powerful approach to building peace in your community.
by Taylor O’Connor and Mustapha Ali | 26 November 2024
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
“Power does not reside in institutions, not even the state or large corporations. It is located in the networks that structure society.” – Manuel Castells
I’ve been involved in global peacebuilding projects, activities and efforts for more than ten years now. I studied Peace and Conflict Studies. I’ve worked at local, national and international levels. And I always remember hearing about the concept of infrastructure for peace, but never really understanding it.
When working with local peacebuilders and youth networks in tons of countries, I always felt like making these connections, building coalitions, launching collaborative efforts, and that kind of stuff was quite normal and natural. And that this peace infrastructures concept seemed super high level and confusing.
But in the past years as I have been researching and mapping thousands of peacebuilding and peace initiatives around the world, I’d come across groups that use the concept sometimes. So while I have seen that many or most groups can be described as part of some peace infrastructure or working on it, in this blog post I have mapped for you just organizations that work to build peace infrastructure worldwide.
But first, let’s get clear on some key concepts and understandings about infrastructure for peace.
What is infrastructure for peace and what does it look like in practice?
Here is a simple definition of the concept of infrastructure for peace, or peace infrastructure:
Peace infrastructure: Peace infrastructure refers to the interconnected networks of institutions, organizations, and mechanisms that resolve or transform conflict, and in so doing build peace. Peace infrastructure includes both formal and informal structures at local, national, regional and global levels that contribute to efforts to build peaceful societies.
The concept was developed as a response to recognition amongst peacebuilding actors that sustainable peace requires more than just the cessation of violence, but the creation of systems that can address conflict and transform the causes of violence at all levels of society. The concept of infrastructures is quite broad and can include things like national peace ministries, peace councils, early warning systems, and community-based mechanisms.
The idea became more known and discussed amongst peacebuilding actors in the 1990s, after some focus by the United Nations on peacebuilding and conflict prevention. While much peace infrastructure occurs at the local levels, at that time there was much effort and resources dedicated to building infrastructures for peace within the UN, and efforts to support peace infrasturctures ant the national level, with associated structures to promote international cooperation.
Some efforts have been made more recently to institutionalize or mainstream peacebuilding across UN agencies and initiatives. And like many things at the UN, resources and funding for infrastructures for peace comes in waves. It seems that it was popular in the 90s and 2000s, but since then priorities have shifted elsewhere. While there is still support for peace and peacebuiding, the term peace infrastructure has seemed to fall out of fashion.
I wrote a separate blog on this, covering international-level infrastructure for peace, often described as peacebuilding architecture. See my blog post on Understanding the Peacebuilding Fund and UN Peacebuilding.
But that doesn’t cover local peace infrastructure. Here is a simple definition of that:
Local peace infrastructure: Local peace infrastructure refers to the networks, institutions, and mechanisms at the local level that involve local actors and communities in efforts to build peace. It emphasizes bottom-up approaches, community involvement, and the relevance of context-specific initiatives to build sustainable peace. It involves the active involvement and participation of local actors, including community leaders, civil society organizations, grassroots movements, and individuals affected by the conflict. Valuing, supporting and strengthening local peace infrastructures is a key approach in the localization of peacebuilding.
Local peace infrastructures have always existed and always will exist, even before the term was created. There is often tension between international peace architecture and local peace actors and networks, with local peace groups advocating for more bottom-up approaches often overlooked by international peace architecture.
Lessons learned in researching infrastructure for peace
In reviewing these organisations that build infrastructure for peace. I learned a bit about peace infrastructure in general, and also have mapped different activities and approaches taken by organizations to build peace infrastructure.
First, most local and national organizations that build peace infrastructure do not use the term. They are just building peace and forging networks with others is a natural part of the process. It is only at the international level where the use this concept, often discussing how they can support and collaborate with local peace infrastructure (even if local actors don’t use that term).
Key activities and approaches of organizations building infrastructure for peace include:
- Development of participatory frameworks and tools, and use of participatory approaches to promote inclusion in peace processes and peace efforts.
- Close collaboration with locally led peace initiatives and diverse stakeholders to enhance to promote inclusion in peace processes.
- Research, training, and network building to support inclusive peace efforts.
- Advocacy for systemic changes that prioritize marginalized groups, especially women, in peacebuilding and decision-making.
- Work towards the creation of national peace infrastructures, including peace ministries and councils.
- Assistance to parliamentarians in enacting peace-promoting policies and legislative reforms.
- Organizing global events like summits, webinars, and conferences to mobilize stakeholders to promote inclusive peacebuilding or setup peace infrastructures.
- Awareness raising activities and education about the importance of the UN and its initiatives, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Organizations Building Infrastructure for Peace
I have identified 12 organizations that explicitly work on building peace infrastructure. They are organized by three categories:
- Organizations promoting inclusivity in peacebuilding processes
- Organizations building inter-governmental and national peace infrastructure
- Organizations supporting international peace architecture
I have included only organizations that work explicitly on building infrastructure for peace. Other organizations and initiatives that build peace infrastructure, but use other terms to focus their energies are covered in other blog posts. I have one blog post mapping peacebuilding architecture, another mapping peace networks, one on community peace centers, one on organizations that support grassroots peacebuilders.
I also hope to write one in the future on local peace infrastructure. When I do, I will link it here.
Not included are the following:
- Orgaizations that promote inclusivity in their peace projects and activities, but that aren’t involved in broader work to promote inclusivitiy in peace processes
- Networks for women peacebuilders. I have covered this in a blog post HERE
- Youth peace networks, including youth in peace processes or on efforts to support the UN’s Youth Peace and Security Agenda. I hope to cover that in a future blog post.
- Structures not explicitly related to peace, like those focused on human rights or transparency in international systems
- Inactive websites on peace infrastructure (some from the 2000s that have not been updated for years)
Organizations promoting inclusivity in peacebuilding processes
Organizations listed in this section all promote inclusivity in peacebuilding processes. They tend to focus on equity in peacebuilding processes and use participatory approaches promote inclusivity. Some have created interesting frameworks and tools to enhance inclusion in peace processes, work in collaboration with locally led peace initiatives, and facilitate collaboration among diverse stakeholders in peace processes. Some also conduct research, provide training, build networks, and advocate for systemic changes that prioritize marginalized voices, particularly women and underrepresented groups, in peacebuilding efforts and in decision-making in peace processes.
Principles for Peace Foundation
The Principles for Peace Foundation (P4P or Principles for Peace) is a newer initiative that brings together over 120 groups working on peacebuilding across global, regional, and local levels. Its main purpose is to create a common framework and a new set of principles for peace efforts. They create tools and develop feedback mechanisms to assess and improve peace processes. They specifically seek to address the narrow ways that peace process are understood and carried out in practice, and they work to craft more inclusive approaches that result in long term sustainable peace. Towards that end they also build networks, advocate on policy decisions, and create practical resources promote inclusion in peace initiatives.
Conducive Space for Peace
Conducive Space for Peace (CSP) is dedicated to transforming the global peacebuilding system by supporting locally led initiatives and fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders. They create spaces for local actors in conflict-affected contexts, civil society organizations and international organizations to connect, to learn from one another and to launch collaborative initiatives to transform conflict and build peace. At the same time they conduct research and publish resources that about how to create collaborative spaces for peace that they hope to contribute to broaders sytems change that emphasizes local leadership within the peacebuilding field.
Inclusive Peace
Inclusive Peace describes themselves as a ‘think-and-do tank’ that is dedicated to fostering peaceful and inclusive societies by supporting civilian-led peace processes worldwide. They conduct research and work thorugh partnerships with local and national actors to establish structures for inclusion, dialogue, and reconciliation in conflict-affected settings. They are part of the movement to promote localization and decolonization in peacebuilding, and integrate these approaches in everything they do. Inclusive Peace’s work centers on three interconnected focus areas: peace process support, knowledge generation, and agenda setting. Their key areas of work center around themes of making peace processes more inclusive, promoting women’s participation, advancing reconciliation, fostering national dialogues, and generating evidence to inform sustainable pathways to peaceful and inclusive societies.
Inclusive Security
Inclusive Security is dedicated to transforming decision-making about war and peace by increasing the participation of women and other underrepresented groups in conflict prevention, resolution, and recovery. They work to equip women leaders with the skills, networks, and opportunities to contribute effectively to peace processes, while providing policymakers with evidence-based guidance on inclusive approaches to sustainable peacebuilding. They conduct research, facilitate trainings, and build coalitions to promote inclusive peace efforts. They try to bridge gaps between civil society and decision-makers, advancing a vision of a secure world where inclusion leads to lasting peace.
Organizations building inter-governmental and national peace infrastructure
Organizations listed in this section build inter-governmental and national peace infrastructures. They focus on creating formal and informal systems that support sustainable peace and involve diverse stakeholders. Some work to support parliamentarians to enact policies that promote peace in their respective countries and/or help them to establish peace ministries and councils in their countries. Some also organize global summits, webinars, and conferences to mobilize stakeholders, support capacity-building initiatives, and promote legislative reforms that contribute to peacebuilding and governance.
Interparliamentary Union
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is a historic peace organization founded in 1889. They were established as the first permanent forum for multilateral political negotiations. Over the years, the IPU has played a leading role in the development of international law and institutions, including the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the League of Nations, and the United Nations.
A member-based organization, the IPU works with parliaments and parliamentarians worldwide to articulate and respond to the needs and aspirations of the people, to promote peace, democracy, human rights, gender equality, youth empowerment, and sustainable development. They do this by organizing political dialogues, facilitating cooperation amongst parliamentarians, and coordinating parliamentary action. IPU also sponsors and takes part in international conferences and forums, and has consultative status with the United Nations.
If this organization inspires you, be sure to check out our other blog post mapping historic peace organizations.
Parliamentarians for Global Action
Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) is a network of approximately 1,300 legislators from over 140 parliaments. It was founded in 1978 during the Cold War to address global challenges like nuclear disarmament and other threats to peace. Today, they are dedicated to promoting peace, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and gender equality worldwide. PGA educates, builds capacity and mobilizes parliamentarians in their network to enact legislative reforms, advocate for human rights, and ratify international treaties. PGA continues to connect domestic and international stakeholders to address critical issues through collective legislative and policy actions for a more peaceful, just world.
The Global Alliance for Ministries and Infrastructures for Peace
The Global Alliance for Ministries and Infrastructures for Peace (GAMIP) is a global network of civil society organizations, campaigns, citizens, and government officials from over 50 countries working to institutionalize peacebuilding through the establishment of national peace ministries, councils, academies, and other peace infrastructures. GAMIP facilitates resource sharing, advocacy, and collaboration amongst network members to strengthen national and global efforts to establish these peace infrastructures. GAMIP hosts regular webinars, global summits other events to mobilize their network.
Peace Infrastructures.org
Peace Infrastructures.org is a knowledge hub for practitioners, policymakers, academics, and institutions engaged in conflict prevention and peacebuilding worldwide. The platform provides resources for download in a range of themes associated with peace infrastructures such as building national capacities for prevention, conflict analysis, conflict sensitivity, infrastructures for peace, insider mediation and much more. The website also says that they operate programs like providing peace advisors and offering capacity building trainings on topics associated with peace infrastructure, but it isn’t clear if these activities are ongoing. While the site has been less active for a while it seems that more recently they have done work on the site, so perhaps in the future it will develop more.
Organizations supporting international peace architecture
Organizations in this section support international peace architecture, specifically they are in support of peace systems and structures within the UN. They often engage in education and awareness raising activities about the imporance of the UN and on key UN-related initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals.
World Federation of United Nations Associations
The World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) is a global network of UN Associations worldwide that work to strengthen and improve the United Nations by engaging global citizens. The WFUNA supports a network of over 100 national United Nations Associations. They operate a range of programs that promote youth engagement in the UN, provide trainings about human rights and other topics, raise global awareness of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and support advocacy efforts to enhance international cooperation and civil society engagement in achieving the UN’s objectives.
United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA)
The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) is one of the very active members of WFUNA. It includes over 20,000 members, 60% under the age of 26, dedicated to supporting the United Nations and advancing its mission. They work to strengthen the UN system and currently in support of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. They operate through more than 200 chapters nationwide, organizing educational programs, advocacy campaigns, and community initiatives to engage Americans in global issues and the principles of the UN Charter.
United Nations Foundation
The United Nations Foundation (UN Foundation) is an independent charitable organization dedicated to supporting the UN, to advance the Sustainable Development Goals and to address interconnected issues such as climate change, health, gender equality, and human rights. They work through partnerships, launch public campaigns, and engage in behind-the-scenes collaboration to mobilize support for the UN, amplify diverse voices and foster collective action to address pressing global issues.
Quaker United Nations Office, New York (QUNO)
The Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) is a Quaker-led organization dedicated to promoting global peace and justice through patient diplomacy and behind-the-scenes dialogue at the United Nations. QUNO engages with diplomats, UN officials, and other stakeholders to shape international standards and foster solutions to complex global challenges. They key issue areas they work to address are disarmament, peacebuilding, human rights, climate justice, and sustainable development.
You can build infrastructure for peace in your community
While international peace infrastructure can seem abstract, I hope that this blog post helped you get a clear and practical understanding of the concept. And further, to see how we can all support infrastructure for peace in our own communities.
We can each take action by connecting with local peacebuilding organizations, participating in dialogues, and advocating for inclusive processes that prioritize marginalized voices. Whether you’re helping to strengthen local peace networks, organizing workshops to foster collaboration, or simply raising awareness about the importance of ‘peace infrastructure’, even if you don’t use that term, you can see how powerful peace networks and ‘peace infrastructure’ can be.
Explore the organizations listed here, and consider how you can get involved in building peace infrastructure of any kind where you live.
If you found this article helpful and want to find more blog posts like this mapping organizations that build peace across a wide array of themes be sure to check out our Resources page!
If there are any great organizations that are missing on this list and you think it should be added, please submit it at the link HERE. I periodically update my resource posts and use these inputs to help me. Thanks in advance!
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