PeaceRep works with peacebuilders and communities affected by conflict in a variety of ways, including through active on-the-ground support through its partners, as well as through its advisory and tech development work.

Supporting active peace processes

Through our partner Conciliation Resources (CR), we have supported the peace process between the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and the Government of Ethiopia. CR has supported peace negotiations between the two sides for the past seven years, helping the parties reach a peace deal in 2018.

Earlier in 2019, CR provided logistical support to a critical ONLF conference which marked the group’s first step in its transition from an armed actor to a political party. The conference, which was attended by over 400 people, brought together representatives of the Somali regional government, federal and regional-level political parties, a range of traditional elders, and civil society groups including youth groups and women’s organisations. Learn more about Conciliation Resources’ support to this peace process.

Advising peacemakers

We have advised stakeholders of the Colombian peace process on legal matters which helped overcome a strategic stalemate during the negotiations, achieving an important milestone in the peace process. Two major national newspapers in Columbia (El Espectador and El Tiempo) cited our research in support of an agreement and the research was referenced during an interview conducted with the main political magazine (Semana).

Our work was also referenced by the Colombian peace mediator when presenting the peace agreement to the Colombian constitutional court. Professor Louise Mallinder of Phase I partner Transitional Justice Institute submitted an amicus brief based on our data to the Colombian courts, where the operation of the jurisdiction with reference to amnesty is being challenged. The case is now awaiting judgement.

Advancing peace through technology

PeaceRep hosts the nascent Edinburgh PeaceTech initiative, a multidisciplinary effort to develop data tools and applications contributing to peace. Edinburgh PeaceTech seeks to connect data with active support to peace processes using new interactive technology and platforms. For example, the initiative is developing a mobile app with UN Women, the Inclusive Peace and Transition Initiative, and Monash University that offers insights into how peace deals have previously made provision for women.

Another output is a series of infographics that lets negotiators see at a glance how power-sharing agreements have evolved worldwide. Edinburgh PeaceTech brings together experts in informatics, art and design, political science, and law, as well as from tech companies and NGOs – most notably Beyond Borders. Learn more about how we’re advancing peace through technology.

Responding to emerging global crises

PeaceRep is working to understand the Covid-19-peace-conflict nexus. We are tracking the results of the UN ceasefires call; researching the impact of Covid-19 and related response policies on peace processes and armed conflict; researching intergovernmental responses to Covid-19 in the Global South; and curating the Covid-19 Resource Hub, a suite of resources addressing the pandemic from the perspective of conflict-affected regions.