Parliaments as Peacebuilders

Parliaments play critical roles in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction.

Peace and security requires executive bodies to act with efficiency and effectiveness, but it also requires representation and accountability: two core functions of parliaments. Parliaments connect citizens with the state and hold governments to account. They are natural places for mediation, where competing points of view are articulated and where dialogue can build consensus. These core functions are essential in mitigating and resolving conflict.

More and more emerging democracies are interested in developing parliamentary capacity in the areas of conflict prevention, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction and the Parliamentary Centre together with partners around the world are responding to this opportunity.

This section of our website aims to:

• Share Parliamentary Centre research and writing;
• Describe our initiatives in this area and what we are learning from conflict-affected contexts; and
• Provide a map to the work of our partners who are engaged in these areas.

Parliamentary Centre Research

The Parliamentary Centre provides capacity-building support to representative institutions around the world, including in countries affected by conflict.

	Re-tooling for New Challenges: Parliaments as Peace-builders by Hon. David Pratt
	Democratizing Security for a Safer World Parliaments as Peacebuilders Rasheed Draman
	Parliaments and Security Sector Oversight An Emerging Area for Capacity Development By Craig Kowalik

Other Resources and Further Reading

The United National Development Program (UNDP) and the Interparliamentary Union (IPU) are leading a series of international meetings and have conducted research on strengthening the role of parliaments in crisis prevention and recovery. The organizations have produced a report that combines regional case studies: Strengthening the Role of Parliaments in Conflict and Post-conflict Situations.

The Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) is a leading organization conducting research and providing support services on security sector oversight. DCAF is author of a comprehensive handbook for parliamentarians on oversight of the security sector: Handbook on Parliamentary Oversight of the Security Sector.

The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs conducts research and offers capacity-building programs in the realm of security sector oversight.

The World Bank Institute (WBI) has published a paper on the role of Parliaments as Peacebuilders. The publication includes a focus on security sector oversight.