Insight on Conflict Blog

Our blog is written by expert contributors - aid sector professionals, academics, policy-makers and our network of Local Correspondents in the field.

Commentary Islamabad Peace Exchange

Posted on by

Zahid Shahab Ahmed, Insight on Conflict’s local correspondent for Pakistan, reports on a recent conference. In April, the Islamabad Peace Exchange bought together 20 peacebuilding organisations from across Pakistan for three days of capacity-building, collaboration and networking. Read more >>>

Commentary The invisible genius of KONY 2012

Posted on by

Annabel Smith, a teacher and community educator, discusses the Kony 2012 campaign. Arguing that, despite the many flaws of both the campaign and organisation, it has given us a reason to be proud of our young people.. Read more >>>

Commentary Bosnia 20 years on: remembrance but not reconciliation

Posted on by

Mirjana Kosić and Ian Bancroft from TransConflict – a peacebuilding organisation based in the Western Balkans – examine obstacles to reconciliation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Twenty years on from the start of the war, the country struggling to move towards the sort of reconciliation necessary to transcend the country’s persistent ethnic divisions. Read more >>>

From the field Blood bath in Balochistan

Posted on by

Mubashir, Director of PINFO, an Pakistan-based information management organisation, discusses insecurity in Balochistan. Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province, and is subject to much violence, conflict and insecurity. Pakistan’s Supreme Court recently held a hearing to look at the situation. Read more >>>

Commentary Young Nigerians illustrate life beyond war

Posted on by

Dialogue in Nigeria: Muslims & Christians Creating Their Future is a new documentary which follows 200 young Nigerians who took part in the 2010 International Conference on Youth and Interfaith Communication. The film’s creators, Libby and Len Trauman, explain the motivations behind the project. Read more >>>

Insight on Conflict Newsletter May 2012

Posted on by

A monthly selection of the best new research and resources on local peacebuilding worldwide, as chosen by Insight on Conflict. This month’s edition features research on the role of women in violence in South Sudan, and more. To receive the email newsletter each month, please sign-up here or email [email protected]. Read more >>>

Commentary How do I deal with a bully, without becoming a thug?

Posted on by

Drawing on stories from her inspirations such as Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi, Peace Direct co-founder Scilla Elworthy gives a TEDx talk in which she shares six methods has identified that we can use to counter violence without having to resort to force ourselves. Read more >>>

Commentary What does climate change have to do with conflict?

Posted on by

Rebecca Sargent looks at how climate change and extreme weather effects peace and security. Climate change creates huge risks for increased conflict, and countering this requires a fundamental shift in the way institutions are organized and the way inter-linkages between organizations are addressed. Read more >>>

Commentary Guardians for the future

Posted on by

Dr Scilla Elworthy, co-founder of Peace Direct, explains the idea of Ombudspersons for Future Generations – guardians who would be appointed at global, national and local levels whose job would be to safeguard environmental and social conditions by speaking up for future generations in all areas of policy-making. Read more >>>

From the field Art and tradition for peace in Kashmir

Posted on by

Ashima Kaul, Insight on conflict’s local correspondent for Kashmir, speaks to Balwant Thakur, a man whose passion for theatre and peace saw him take to the remote villages of Kashmir to revive a lost art form. 22 years of militancy have damaged cultural and social traditions and art forms in Kashmir. On such example is ‘Bhand Pather’, a traditional folk theatre Thakur calls “the real face of Kashmir“ Read more >>>

Insight on Conflict monthly newsletter

Sign up to a monthly selection of the best new research and resources on local peacebuilding.

Help us improve Insight on Conflict

You can help us make Insight on Conflict better. Please take part in a short survey and help us understand how the site is being used, and how we can improve.

Take survey | No thank you