Development and security are based on peace, justice and inclusion – World

by Diana Quick

A statement shared by peacebuilding organizations

International Day of Peace, September 21, 2018

ChildFund is one of dozens of international and national peacebuilding organizations that have come together to publish a statement on the occasion of the International Day of Peace, September 21. The declaration, which precedes the opening of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, calls on governments and the international community to: fully adhere to the peace commitments in the 2030 Agenda; reaffirm a commitment to human rights; foster social resilience by strengthening inclusion and addressing inequalities; reconnect with multilateralism as a safeguard for the most vulnerable; and protect and support civil society in promoting lasting peace.

The statement reads as follows:

If current trends persist, by 2030 more than half of the world’s poor will live in countries affected by high levels of violence. Yet the resources devoted to peacebuilding and prevention are only a fraction of those devoted to crisis response and reconstruction. Likewise, while new international frameworks for development, humanitarian action, peace and security have underscored the need to focus on peace, justice and inclusion, little has changed in practice.

Member States have affirmed the centrality of peace and prevention, first through their commitment to “fostering peaceful, just and inclusive societies” in the 2030 Agenda, and then with the twin resolutions on peacebuilding and peacekeeping. Recent research and analysis, including the United Nations World Bank study Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict and the new report The Missing Peace: Independent Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security, has reaffirmed the need mechanisms to deal with differences and grievances. , build social resilience and support processes that increase trust and inclusion.

Despite this growing body of evidence, in many cases, governments seek security using militarized approaches, either in the absence of policies that reduce exclusion and inequalities, or independently of these, which are key. drivers of conflict. This has been accompanied by an eroded commitment to long-term multilateral approaches to global challenges. Rather than embracing diversity, many governments are actively seeking to reduce the already limited space available to civil society actors, locally, nationally and internationally. If we are to hope to eradicate extreme poverty, foster sustainably peaceful and prosperous societies around the world, and tackle conflicts and their roots, governments urgently need to realign their priorities.

The 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly offers many opportunities for member states to re-engage in peace. The year begins with the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the convening of the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit. It will then include an interim report by the United Nations Secretary General on the implementation of peacebuilding and peacekeeping, and the High Level Political Forum where SDG16 will be considered. The year will also see an increased focus on preparations for the 74th session, which will include the quadrennial 2030 Agenda Summit and the comprehensive review of the United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture.

As organizations dedicated to building peace in the world, we call on the international community to take the following actions:

• Fully embrace the peace commitments in the 2030 Agenda: One of the key achievements of the 2030 Agenda has been to commit to a radically different approach to development in conflict-affected and transition-affected environments, where traditional approaches to the MDGs had largely failed. Promoting inclusion, ensuring access to justice, strengthening the social fabric and ensuring good governance have repeatedly proven to be essential for achieving development results. Progress against the 36 goals of the 2030 Agenda that are necessary to achieve peace, justice and inclusion should be highlighted in all SDG reports at all levels, reflecting the role of peace as as an indispensable condition of development.
• Reaffirming a commitment to human rights, the foundation of human dignity and just societies: the theme of this year’s International Day of Peace is The Right to Peace – the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70 years old. Human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights, are the foundation of a world order based on equality and inclusion, and are the ultimate yardstick against which we can measure the aspiration of the 2030 Agenda to “no one left behind”. It is time for Member States to fully commit to giving equal importance to the three pillars of the United Nations of development, human rights and peace and security, and to supporting efforts to integrate and integrate human rights standards, tools and methods.
• Fostering social resilience by strengthening inclusion and tackling inequalities: questions of peace are at the heart of the debate on resilience. Resilient societies are those where the social fabric is strong. They are fair and inclusive, where relationships between individuals, their communities and the state are based on trust and respect, protection and fulfillment of individual human rights, and where there are strong mechanisms to address inequalities. , differences and grievances. Fostering resilience is the foundation of long-term prevention efforts, from conflict prevention to reducing the impact of internal and external, natural and man-made crises, and requires action both to support local efforts and to provide a favorable international environment.
• Think local and act globally: re-engage multilateralism as a guarantee for the most vulnerable: national implementation alone will not be enough to achieve the SDGs: 40% of SDG16 + targets require implementation at regional and international levels . This is particularly the case in matters of peace, where the promotion of the external drivers of peace, justice and inclusion requires concerted action by States, as duty bearers, to support a responsible trade, reduce arms flows, promote constructive financial, fiscal and investment practices, and strengthen a rules-based system that creates a more effective enabling environment that prioritizes long-term needs for peace, development and human rights of all people and communities.
• Protect and support civil society in promoting sustainable peace: Social, political and economic changes that contribute to increasing peace are stronger if they are owned, implemented and supported by local actors, including including young people and women. Nonetheless, the inclusion of civil society continues to be threatened around the world, with severe restrictions placed on the ability of civil society groups to be effective, speak out and access funding. We call on Member States to reaffirm their support and partnership with local and community actors, and on the United Nations system to model inclusion in all of its local and global processes.

Signed by:

AFRICAN YOUTH ACTION NETWORK – AYAN
Africans stand up for justice, peace and dignity
AfroLeadership
Alliance for Peacebuilding
American Friends Service Committee
Asian Academy for Peace, Research and Development, Kathmandu, Nepal
Association for the Promotion of Sustainable Development, India
Baha’i International Community
Bangladesh Model Youth Parliament
Canadian Friends Service Committee
Collaborative CDA learning
International cooperation center
Center for the Defense of Human Rights and Democracy (CDHD)
Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, Cambodia
Center for Sustainable Development and Education in Africa
ChildFund Alliance
Christian Help
Church of the Brothers
CIS Timor – Cercle Imagine of Society Timor Association of Volunteers
Sharia-conscious civil society network
Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding
Kupang Peacemaker Community (KOMPAK)
Conciliation resources
Cordaid
Council for the Resolution of International Disputes (RIKO)
Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation
Committee of Friends on National Legislation
FriEnt – Working Group on Peace and Development
Global Center for Cooperative Security
Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and The United Church of Christ
Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict
World Organization for Peace and Development
Glokala Sjuhärad Association (Swedish ICAN Partner)
Igarapé Institute
International alert
International Federation of Women in Legal Careers
Interpeace
The Center for Studies on Disability, Justice and Resolution 1325 (CEHAJ 1325)
Sisters of the Medical Mission
Metta Center for Nonviolence
Network of religious and traditional peacemakers
Nonviolent peace force
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Initiative Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Oxford Research Group
Global Partners
PAX
Pax Christi International
Direct peace
Doctors for Human Rights
Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations
Quaker Council for European Affairs
Quaker Australia Service
Quaker Service Norway
United Nations Quaker Office
Quäker-Hilfe Stiftung
Regional Center for International Development Cooperation (RCIDC)
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Australia
Rumah Perempuan (Women’s Homes Foundation) – Kupang
Safer world
Sahel Network on the Prevention of Violent Extremism
SCOFIELD PARTNERS
Find common ground
Federation of Sisters of Charity
Center for the Promotion of Social Economy and Governance (SEGP)
Society of the Sacred Heart
South Sudan Peace and Development Youth Organization (SSYPADO)
STAND France
Swisspeace
The Carter Center
The Center for International Ethics at Central Michigan University
The Faith and Justice Network of the countries of the Mano River Basin, West Africa
The Graduate Institute of Peace Studies, Kyung Hee University (South Korea)
The student network of the International Criminal Court
United Nations Office of the Mennonite Central Committee
The PeaceNexus Foundation
The Stanley Foundation
The United Methodist Church, General Council of Church and Society
Union of Socio-Cultural Friends of Action in Development UNASCAD
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
United Youth for Growth and Development (Advocacy Center)
Universal Rights Network
UWEMA-RDC ASBL
Youth Association for Development (YAD) Pakistan
Youth Partnership for Peace and Development
Youth Without Borders Organization for Development