Transnational transitional justice and reconciliation: the participation of conflict-generated diaspora in addressing the legacy of mass violence

This paper is a preliminary exploration of the role that conflict-generated diaspora communities can play in transitional justice and processes of reconciliation. The aim is to consider what potential there is for tapping into diaspora communities and the possible benefits this could have on diasporas themselves and on peacebuilding processes in the homeland. The goal is also to explore and reflect on ways in which reconciliatory attitudes can be encouraged among diaspora communities, as well as their participation in transnational activities. The paper begins by providing a brief overview of diasporas, followed by a discussion on relationships and attitudes within conflict-generated diaspora communities in the aftermath of violence. The paper then explores the various roles that diasporas can play in transitional justice, such as providing input to strategies and participating in established mechanisms; or mobilizing on their own to push for transitional justice measures. This is followed by a brief look at diaspora involvement in other processes of reconciliation, including dialogue and media initiatives. The paper then discusses how integration policies and outcomes in the hostland can influence the views of diasporas and their involvement with the homeland. The paper concludes with challenges related to diaspora participation and some overall reflections

Gender and the Media in the Western Balkans

This rapid literature review explores the role that media in the Western Balkans plays in issues of gender (in)equality. After the liberalisation of gender norms during the Yugoslav period (1945–1991), the Wars of Succession (1991–1999) incited resurgent nationalisms and a re-traditionalisation of society. Gender relations have since continued to be largely patriarchal and gender stereotypes have persisted, undermining movement toward gender equality. Neo-liberal philosophies are evident in the emergence and popularity of particular commercial television stations and content. The barriers to strengthening equality within media professions and institutions (or general weaknesses in the media) are discussed under: access to media, media portrayals of gender groups and gender issues, barriers to equality and other weaknesses within the media sector and initiatives that address gender inequalities and other weaknesses in the media.FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Addressing Societal Divisions in Post-conflict City Settings

Cities are often theorised as having great potential to transcend societal divides and foster coexistence, with diverse populations mixing in everyday life. The post-war city may, however, be contested by ethno-nationalist actors who regulate, territorialise, and symbolise space in a way that sustains polarised communities and war gains. ‘Divided cities’, as such post-war cities are often labelled, are stuck in war-to-peace transitions. This rapid literature review surveys interventions aimed at overcoming post-conflict divisions in city settings, centring primarily on academic and NGO studies of programmes and projects implemented in the Western Balkans. There is also some discussion of initiatives in Northern Ireland as they were prominent in the literature. The review also looks at everyday encounters that can counter divisions

Rule of Law Challenges in the Western Balkans

Establishing the rule of law remains a key challenge in the Western Balkans. Progress in the region, while different across countries, is slow (Mendelski, 2018; Milošević and Muk, 2016). The rule of law criterion has emerged as one of the top priorities and key concerns in EU enlargement policies for the region (Elbasani and Šabić, 2017). The EU Commission’s new enlargement strategy emphasises that “the rule of law must be strengthened significantly” (EC, 2018). Strengthening the rule of law is not only an institutional issue, but also requires societal transformation in the countries and incorporation of particular fundamental values into daily culture (Hoxhaj, 2018). This report discusses the key challenges faced by countries in the Western Balkans in the area of rule of law and the experience of relevant reform efforts. Given the breadth of this topic, the report is based on a review of literature published during the past five years. They comprise primarily of academic literature, NGO reports, and EC and US government status reports. There are very limited donor evaluations or discussions of particular projects and programming readily available. In addition, academic and NGO literature rarely refer to specific donor projects and programmes, but rather discuss reforms more generally. A key commonality in academic and NGO literature is the critique that donors have not paid sufficient attention in their reform efforts to issues of pervasive politicisation and historical legacies in the region that impinge on the current culture and environment. There has also been inadequate attention to the need for accountability. As such, reform progress can be constrained. In some instances, reforms may even produce negative unintended consequences, such as by pushing for strong, independent judicial councils, when members are still politicised and subject to political influences

Modern slavery in the DRC

‘Modern slavery’ encompasses a variety of situations in which one person is forcibly controlled by one or more others for the purpose of exploitation (Cockayne, 2015). ‘Forced or compulsory labour’ is defined by the ILO Forced Labour Convention as ‘all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily’. The means of coercion by the exploiter can be overt and observable (e.g. armed guards who prevent workers from leaving) or subtle and not immediately observable (e.g. confiscation of identity papers) (ILO, 2012). In the case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Global Slavery Index (GSI) 2016 reports that the estimated number of people living in modern slavery is 873,100 (rank 9 of 167 countries). This amounts to an estimated proportion in slavery of 1.130 percent (rank 6 of 167 countries). These estimates of prevalence are derived from a 2010 survey, published in JAMA, focused on sexual violence and other human rights violations in the conflict-affected North and South Kivu provinces and in Ituri. Drawing from this representative sample, ratios were adjusted to other parts of the country to reflect lower levels of conflict, in addition to any other necessary adjustments (K.B., expert comments)

Constraints to Business Growth in Low- and Medium-Income Countries

Limited access to finance is cited in much of the literature reviewed as a significant constraint to the growth and performance of businesses in low and middle income countries. Firms in these countries, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) experience financial constraints due to high interest rates; complex application procedures; inability to meet collateral requirements; and/or insufficient financial records. While the financing gap is a problem throughout the developing world, countries in Africa are often less financially developed than countries in other regions. Women-owned SMEs may experience greater challenges in accessing finance, particularly in the case in Sub-Saharan Africa . This may be a factor of size, however. Larger businesses often have better access to external finance rather than smaller companies, which are more likely to be run by females. Studies on other regions, such as South Asia, do not necessarily exhibit a financial bias against women-owned enterprises

National Dialogues: Lessons Learned and Success Factors

This rapid review synthesises the literature from academic, policy and knowledge institutions sources on lessons learned about making national dialogue processes for peacebuilding most effective. The review focuses on literatures studying on the lessons learned from both political context and process factors. National dialogues are conceptualised as : “nationally owned political processes aimed at generating consensus among a broad range of national stakeholders in times of deep political crisis, in post-war situations or during far-reaching political transitions” (Blunck et al., 2017, 21). They are typically accompanied by broader societal consultations, involving all sectors of society. Their objective can involve broad-based change processes (e.g. negotiating a new social contract) or more narrow objectives.. It has only been in the last couple of years that various guidance and case studies have been published on national dialogues. These emerged in acknowledgement that there are many open questions and uncertainties regarding the concept of national dialogue; and that there are limited resources that provide guidance and practical support for those who are exploring national dialogues (Blunck et al., 2017). While there is no blueprint for such dialogues, attention to lessons learned can help actors involved to identify factors contributing to the success and failure of national dialogues and to key challenges

Changing Gender and Social Norms, Attitudes and Behaviours

Social norms are informal rules and shared social expectations that shape individual attitudes and behaviour (Arias, 2015; Marcus and Harper, 2015). Gender norms are social norms that relate specifically to gender differences. A common gender norm, for example, is that women and girls will and should do the majority of domestic work (Marcus and Harper, 2015). This helpdesk report presents studies of programmes that aim to bring about changes in gender and social norms; and changes in wider attitudinal and behaviour. Much of the literature and some programme designs recognise the need to change social norms in order to change behaviours, such as HIV/AIDs prevention and better sanitation and hygiene. The report looks at interventions targeting individual and inter-relational levels (e.g. workshops); community levels (e.g. community dialogue, community mobilisation and youth initiatives); and wider societal levels (mass media and edutainment). It highlights the effects of such interventions, focusing on rigorous evaluations

Cost-Effectiveness in Humanitarian Work: the Promotion of International Humanitarian Law

This rapid literature review reveals a significant gap in evidence on the cost-efficiency of efforts to promote compliance with international humanitarian law. This has yet to be an area of research. The only relevant studies that could be found focus on the cost-efficiency of international criminal justice, comparing the costs of international courts, hybrid courts, and domestic courts. While international criminal tribunals are considered to be more costly overall, this is due to their greater complexity. They are not more costly than the most similar domestic trials or hybrid trials when evaluated on a per-day basis. This is considered to be a better way to measure cost-effectiveness. Given the lack of research on cost-effectiveness of other initiatives related to IHL compliance, their general effectiveness is explored in this helpdesk report. Research on dissemination of IHL, such as educational programmes and training for the military and civilians reveal an overall increase in scholarship on IHL, in terms of educational tools, research, publications and outreach. This has the potential to impact on compliance should those receiving education and training end up in positions of authority and decision-making. Research in this area does not examine issues of cost-effectiveness, however. It is also challenging to determine general effectiveness, due to difficulties with attribution (e.g. whether a course on IHL in peace-time prevents violations of IHL during war-time). Research on monitoring and exposure of IHL violations also have the potential to contribute to the promotion of compliance with IHL. Deeds of Commitment, a monitoring and verification mechanism directed at armed non-state actors, for example, can be effective in ensuring improved compliance with IHL. Advancements in social media can allow for more widespread and rapid monitoring and exposure of violations and abuses. In addition, national IHL committees can help in promoting dissemination of IHL and monitoring of violations of and compliance with IHL. Studies on ‘naming and shaming’ violators of IHL find that in some cases, this strategy can be linked to improvements in compliance with IHL and human rights practice. Sanctions may be implemented alongside ‘naming and shaming’, however the need to monitor sanctions can make it a costly IHL initiative

Barriers to youth work opportunities

There is growing evidence that youth unemployment is becoming a bigger issue and challenge than adult unemployment (Manpower group, 2012). While young labour participants and adult participants can be affected by similar opportunities and barriers to work, youth may experience these barriers to a greater degree and may also face additional constraints. This report explores factors that constrain youth access to work opportunities in low-income countries. Most of the literature focuses on Africa. While there are a few empirical studies, most of the literature is based on qualitative analysis. Barriers to work opportunities identified include demand side factors (economic constraints; labour market failures; poor access to credit) and supply side factors (educational and skills mismatch; lack of social capital). They are cross-cut by social, economic, and political biases against youth (Moore, 2015). Urban youth and female youth are more likely to face obstacles in accessing work opportunities