‘Preventing Crises, Resolving Conflicts, Building Peace’ are key challenges for Germany’s and Europe’s evolving international role. Berlin is investing in the field, both financially and conceptually. Between 2016 and June 2021, we discussed how to target these investments towards better crisis prevention, conflict management and peacebuilding on this blog. Many contributions are in German, but occasionally international experts shared their views in this English-language section. Editorial responsibility for this blog was with the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) in Berlin until June 2021. The German Federal Foreign Office plans to continue the PeaceLab platform and will inform you in due course.
Artikel Promoting Access to Justice and Anti-Corruption in Fragile Contexts: A Mixed Approach by Legal Empowerment Justice sector reforms often take a backseat in immediate post-conflict settings. They are however needed to address corruption and to achieve societal inclusion. Pragmatic programs based on a human rights approach, geared towards legal empowerment, should be a priority in fragile contexts. Jens Deppe • 23 April 2019
Artikel The Foundations of the Rule of Law – Time to Think and Act Politically The ultimate test of the rule of law is whether or not it protects against tyranny. The legal and judicial profession is not always best placed to serve this purpose. In order to strengthen the rule of law in fragile and conflict-affected states, donors and technical assistance providers need to pay more attention to the foundational political environment, particularly constitutional design and political inclusion. Sumit Bisarya • 16 April 2019
Artikel The different roles of rule of law in conflict and fragility In each of the three phases of conflict identified in the German government’s guidelines, rule of law plays a different role. A ‘user-centered design’ approach helps to identify appropriate rule of law measures, while early information sharing and aligned project designs help to harmonize efforts. Yannic Körtgen • 15 April 2019
Artikel Fostering the Rule of Law – a Milestone Approach Rule of law assistance is marked by paradoxes like neglecting the blatant political dimension. To overcome these paradoxes, the German actors have to continuously measure the impact of their programs via a set of predetermined indicators such as official statistics in line with Human Rights-Based Approach to Data or a public register of complaints of ill-treatment and high profile corruption. Bojan Gavrilovic • 11 April 2019
Artikel It’s Time to Discuss Timing The discussion on rule of law support brims over with buzzwords such as holistic thinking or context analysis. However, substantive change happens in sudden and brief moments of transition, which cannot be planned out in detail. To be able to act fast in such situations, Germany should maintain networks of current and potential future players in a partner country, at times intervene forcefully, and avoid fragmenting its capabilities. Michael Meyer-Resende • 27 March 2019
Artikel How to Strengthen Rule of Law Through Legal Education: Lessons from Pakistan A proper training of lawyers is key for rule of law promotion. The earlier it starts, the more receptive the students. Academic and cultural interaction between law students, academics and practitioners in developing and western countries should be part of this training. It helps both sides to improve understanding, analytical skills and context sensitivity. Syed Imad-ud-Din Asad, Niels Petersen • 25 March 2019
Artikel Beyond Best Practices: How to Use Design Thinking in Rule of Law Promotion Law in action can be messy. Therefore, formalistic approaches to rule of law promotion that ignore the context on the ground are often destined to fail. Design thinking is a creative method that facilitates an understanding of and empathizing with specific needs of those affected. It prevents mere transplantation and instead promotes solutions developed in collaboration between experts and locals. Siddharth Peter de Souza • 13 March 2019
Artikel A New French Crisis Prevention Strategy Against Fragilization Through its newly adopted strategy “Prevention, Resilience and Sustainable Peace”, France renewed its efforts to address root causes of fragilization around the world. Sharing many similarities with the German guidelines, this new approach provides opportunities for deeper synergies and more comprehensive and cross-cutting actions at all levels. French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs • 21 February 2019
Artikel Rule of Law and Digital Justice: Scaling Alibaba and eBay Top-down capacity building measures in rule of law are inefficient and may lead to illegitimate results. Germany should rather open pathways promoting user-friendly access to justice. One way would be through technology, as Alibaba and eBay are already offering it to millions of unhappy costumers. Experts commissioned by the Foreign Office in Berlin recently developed fresh ideas; now it’s time to realise them. Adeel Hussain • 14 February 2019
Artikel Activating the Five Powers of Law Some methods of rule of law promotion, such as support for the development of new legislation, frequently lead to disappointing results. The reason for this is that partner states such as Germany only focus on one of the many different powers of the law and do not pay attention to activating the full range of its powers. German ministries should take a careful look at the methodologies of their implementing agencies and “activate” all the powers of the law. Miranda Forsyth • 13 February 2019
Veranstaltungsbericht Learning to Prevent Conflict: Workshop on Early Warning and Early Action On January 30, 2019, the African Union Peace and Security Commission in Addis Ababa hosted a one-day PeaceLab workshop on African and European lessons on early warning and early action. The German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier joined the workshop for a “fishbowl discussion.” PeaceLab editorial team • 08 February 2019
Artikel Rule of Law Promotion in Islamic Environments: A Call for True Dialogue Western countries have an unspoken suspicion that violent extremism is rooted in Islam as a religion. However, the necessary precondition of rule of law assistance is a profound, unprejudiced understanding of these societies’ legal and moral traditions. Thus, the German government should openly enter in a respectful dialogue, particularly with unfamiliar and possibly even uncomfortable partners, to learn and to address their concerns. Siraj Khan, Patrick Schneider • 07 February 2019
Artikel Transitional Justice: PeaceLab blog a huge enrichment for the German government’s strategy In this PeaceLab blog we had asked you to share with us your ideas, suggestions and key questions with regard to a joint ministerial strategy on dealing with the past and reconciliation. We received more than 30 contributions. We now intend to review your proposals in preparation for formulating the strategy. Stefan Oswald • 20 December 2018
Artikel Any “One-Size-Fits-All” Approach to Transitional Justice is Doomed to Fail The African Union’s transitional justice policy development process shows that a society’s context determines timing and sequencing of any transitional justice measure. Thus, the German government should prioritize collaboration with African actors in order to design effective and context-specific policies. Also, it is important that the strategy includes provisions for its implementation. Annah Moyo • 20 December 2018
Artikel A Road Map for Germany: Negotiating a Path to Accountability with Assad Germany should make accountability a condition for its reconstruction aid for Syria: It should demand the handing over of the top five senior leaders of the Syrian government to face justice. In addition, Germany and others should pool their extra-territorial jurisdiction through a treaty process and create an ‘international criminal tribunal for Syria’. Melinda Rankin • 18 December 2018
Artikel The Youth is Cambodia’s Only Hope for Social Reconciliation In Cambodia, there is no political will for a broad national reconciliation program, and the Khmer Rouge tribunal is too removed from people’s lives. Thus, transitional justice strategies should focus on social and emotional reconciliation through public institutions such as peace museums. What’s more, they should focus on and develop the leadership skills of young people. Soth Plai Ngarm, Emma Leslie • 17 December 2018
Artikel Tapping Into the Transformative Potential of Collective Reparations Acknowledging the collective dimensions of victimization includes different narratives into a post-conflict societies’ discourse on peace and reconciliation, which can foster a transformative dynamic. Thus, the German Government should invest in research on collective reparations’ potential as leverage in peace processes and provide assistance on their participatory and well-coordinated implementation. Johanna Lober • 17 December 2018
Artikel The Failure of Top-Down Approaches to Transitional Justice: What Iraqis and Syrians Teach Us Too often, the international community has been oblivious to the immediate needs of victims and communities in Iraq and Syria. Victims’ and civil society’s participation in transitional justice processes is therefore essential to a successful, inclusive, and comprehensive provision of justice. The German government should learn from local actors and empower them to actively participate in transitional justice efforts. Habib Nassar • 13 December 2018
Artikel How to Unify the European Union: The View from Italy The European Union is divided. To overcome this, the EU should redefine its internal positions to be able to represent its interests more coherently in the Security Council. In this regard, Germany’s commitment to the Europeanization of its seat could play a vital role. The German government should form strategic alliances to merge EU stances. Silvia Francescon • 13 December 2018
Artikel People and Politics: Fostering the Art of Conflict Prevention Researchers and practitioners should pay greater attention to the human beings at the center of conflict politics. Gerrit Kurtz, Christoph Meyer • 11 December 2018
Artikel The Promises and Pitfalls of Comprehensive Transitional Justice: The Colombian Case Colombia´s peace process has set in motion one of the world’s most ambitious and holistic transitional justice projects. While the new institutions remain at the core of political controversy, the backing of the international community has proven vital. Germany has the expertise and credibility to assist the process and should pay more attention to capacity building in civil society at local and regional levels. Christian Völkel • 05 December 2018
