World Peace Day, 21 September 2011, provides an opportunity to reflect on peacebuilding and Australia's role in this important aspect of international conflict resolution.
Peacebuilding involves a range of measures to reduce the risk of lapsing into conflict, to strengthen national capacities at all levels to manage conflict, and to lay the foundations for sustainable peace and development. Peace requires more than the absence of direct or physical violence. Instead, it is a long-term process to achieve justice, security and build the capacity of the state and citizens to manage conflict without violence.
Australia's support for international peacebuilding
AusAID promotes peace and stability by contributing to poverty reduction and governance in developing countries. Countries that are able to provide all their citizens with opportunities for education, access to health services and work, as well as safety and justice, are less likely to experience violent conflict.
In situations of instability, such as Sri Lanka and the Mindanao region of the Philippines, AusAID undertakes comprehensive conflict analyses with other Australian government agencies and local and international partners. This helps to focus our development efforts on the drivers of conflict.
Australia is a strong supporter of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which recognises the significance of women in preventing, managing and resolving conflict. AusAID works to ensure women are part of peace negotiations, supporting the role of women in peacebuilding. In the Philippines, Australia supports the Mindanao Commission on Women to influence public policy and public opinion about peace and development. Through participation in the formal peace negotiations, the Commission plays a major role in promoting peace and ensuring peace negotiations and poverty reduction programs respond to the needs of Mindanao women and girls.
Australia also supports international efforts to build peace. The International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding brings together more than 40 countries and international organisations to identify how international efforts can be more effective in countries facing instability and conflict and where the Millennium Development Goals will not be achieved. In November 2011, at the fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Korea, the Dialogue members, led by East Timor, will present international objectives for peacebuilding and statebuilding as prerequisites to achieving these goals.
Australia supports UN peacebuilding activities such as access to medicines in North Africa, contributing to free and fair elections in Burundi in 2010, funding to the Special Court for Sierra Leone, and support for Sierra Leone's National Sustainable Agriculture Development Plan in 2010.
More information
(external websites)
UN Peacebuilding Commission
UN Peacebuilding Fund
International Dialogue for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding
2011 World Develpoment Report 'Citizen Security, Justice and Jobs'
Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, Busan, Korea