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Peace building covers a range of activities designed to reconstruct the social, economic and legal fabric of a society following a conflict. Many NGOs are active in different sectors trying to build a stronger society on fragile peace accords. These organizations work in all areas of peace building including enhancing security, trying to address poverty, building infrastructure and strengthening the political framework.
I will in this part of the paper look at the different factors influencing the peace building process and try to identify and illustrate some of the potential areas where sport might be of influence, or be a piece in the puzzle.
Security
Even though peace building efforts should start early (also during conflict), basic security of people involved in the programs must be provided. Governments are responsible for demobilizing former combatants, but it is often the NGOs that are instrumental in re-integrating these former soldiers into society, clearing mines and establishing programs for handing over weapons and small arms so that they are not circulated to criminal elements, fuelling insecurity.
The reintroduction of child soldiers back into the community is a long, difficult and sometimes unsuccessful process, and many ex-combatants get lost on the way. It requires community-based rehabilitation projects, which enable former child soldiers to obtain education, to address the trauma of the conflict years, and to create opportunities for an alternative to military life.
Rebuilding economies
The reconstruction of socio-economic foundations and a functioning political framework complement security. The physical reconstruction of cities, development of healthcare, education, water provision, electricity, roads, livestock, and crop production all need to function for a country to get back on its feet and return to some kind of normality.
Political framework
Democratization, re-installing the rule of law, building institutions and ensuring that human rights are being safeguarded systemically are other aspects that the UN and NGOs focus upon to strengthen a society emerging from upheaval.
Reconciling torn societies
How to bring about some form of reconciliation and healing in a society which has witnessed genocide, widespread rape, torture or systematic limb amputation is a problem with no easy answer, not least when the preconditions to violent conflict may still be present and unchanged. (Adapted from; "Justice of a Lawless World" (IRIN 2006))
Practitioners of transitional justice advocate a holistic approach to the issue including:
• Criminal prosecutions
• Truth commissions to uncover what occurred and to give the victims a voice
• Financial reparations for those who have suffered egregious violations
• Reform of state institutions to root out those who were involved in the human rights abuses
• Meaningful dialogue between various parties including victims' groups.
But reconciliation is also about finding a sense of belonging and about reaching unity and harmony based on commonality greater than the forces that divide and separate people.
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