Building on previous work on the role of civil society in peacebuilding, the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP) has begun a new, multi-year research initiative on “Broadening Participation in Track One Peace Negotiations”. Under the coordination of Dr Thania Paffenholz, the project will be conducted in cooperation with Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey. Support has already been secured from the Governments of Switzerland, Norway, Turkey and Finland, as well as from the Mediation Support Unit of the United Nations.

Research has shown that the participation of societal and political actors beyond the official warring parties increases the sustainability of peace agreements. However, there is a knowledge gap as to how such participation can be enhanced without reducing the effectiveness and viability of the negotiation process. Using a comparative case study approach and including an explicit gender component, the new project builds on existing insights by exploring different models of inclusion for civil society, political parties, and potential hardliners.

For more details on this and related projects, please visit the CCDP’s project page.