Publikation

Human Rights and Conflict Transformation are instrumental for sustainable peace and development. Both are key elements for the attainment of social justice and the construction of societies in which every person has the freedom to act upon his or her own choices. However, “peace versus justice” has often been perceived or constructed as a divide by stakeholders from the two respective expert communities. 

But Human rights and conflict transformation have much to offer one another. A closer interaction between human rights and conflict practitioners on the ground and the connection of respective tools and approaches deepens our analysis and creates additional synergies.

With this publication we wish to offer a guide and tool box to foster these synergies in our practical work. This intention is strongly backed by the new concept “Human rights in German development policy” (BMZ 2011) which defines human rights as a guiding principle and cross-cutting issue in German Development Cooperation. 

Extract from contents:

1. Introduction
2. Important Terms
3. The Interconnectedness of Human Rights and Conflict Transformation
3.1  Human Rights, Conflict, Peace and Development
3.2  Shared Vision, Different Theories of Change, Complementary Approaches
3.3 Working towards Conversation and Connection between the Fields of Human Rights and Conflict Transformation
4. Practical Application
4.1  Incorporating Insights and Instruments from the ‘Other’ Field
4.2 Localising Human Rights
4.3 Communicating and Negotiating about Human Rights
4.3.1  Raising Human Rights Issues in a Dispute/ Conflict Intervention
4.3.2 Encountering Resistance: Talking about Rights in Terms of Interests and Needs
4.3.3  Negotiating Implementation of Rights
4.4  Balancing Roles
4.5  Linking Interventions across Symptoms and Causes of Conflict and between Actors
4.5.1  Linking Interventions Targeting Symptoms and Causes of Conflict
4.5.2  Linking Interventions Across Actors and Levels of Society
4.6  Dealing with the Past: Balancing Peace and Justice
5. Conclusion and Outlook: Summary, Open Questions and Way Forward