Participants shared real-life experiences from peacebuilding efforts in Kenya, Somalia, Burundi, Nepal, Guatemala, Iraq and other areas and illuminated the most critical considerations in engaging local communities in sustainable peacebuilding. Some key points raised during the discussion included:
- There is a need for generating greater buy-in among decision-makers for bringing inclusivity to the center of peacebuilding processes;
- It is important to find a balance in engaging with the state, civil society and communities when supporting peacebuilding – one set of actors should not be prioritized over the others;
- International actors need to recognize that their role should be limited to one of a catalyst and facilitator in peacebuilding processes at the local and national level; and
- Multiple peacebuilding processes are needed simultaneously at different levels in order to achieve sustainable peace
Inclusivity and Local Perspectives in Peacebuilding
This paper distils the discussions and identifies key issues, lessons and challenges that need to be taken into consideration for strengthening and deepening the uptake of diverse perspectives in peacebuilding processes.