Peace Advocacy and Dialogue as a Pathway to Peace
Myla LeguroCatholic Relief Services
What is peacebuilding?
PresentPresent Desired Desired futurefuture
Peacebuilding Activities
(Analysis)(Analysis)(Visioning(Visioning))
Everything in between the present Everything in between the present and desired futureand desired future
• Values consistent with endsValues consistent with ends• process consistent with the endsprocess consistent with the ends• Structures consistent with the ends Structures consistent with the ends
Jon Rudy, PeaceBuildingGlobal.com
Peacebuilding
PresentPresent Desired Desired futurefuture
Peacebuilding Activities
(Analysis)(Analysis)(Visioning(Visioning))
• PERSONALPERSONAL•RELATIONALRELATIONAL•STRUCTURALSTRUCTURAL•CULTURAL CULTURAL
Jon Rudy, PeaceBuildingGlobal.com
Advocacy
• An organized political process to change policies, practices, ideas, and values that perpetuate inequality, prejudice, and exclusion.
• Efforts to strengthen citizen’s capacity as decision-makers and builds more accountable and equitable institutions of power.
• Promoting relevant social and political themes on the public agenda.
ADVOCACY
SPEAKING IN BEHALF OF THE VOICELESS (REPRESENTATION)
ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO SPEAK UP (MOBILIZATION)
SUPPORTING THE VOICELESS TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES (EMPOWERMENT)
(Mindanao Commission on Women)
ADVOCACY
STRATEGIC- need to do research and planSERIES OF ACTIONS- set of coordinated activitiesDESIGNED TO PERSUADE- use ideas or provide arguments that convince people
that the desired change is important and they will support it
ADVOCACYTARGETED- aim persuasion efforts at specific people who have
the power to make our advocacy campaign successful
BUILD ALLIANCES- work with many stakeholders to increase the
impact of campaignRESULTS IN CHANGE- must result in positive change in the lives of the
people affected by the problem
Advocacy in Peacebuilding
• Agenda setting by local civil society actors (bringing themes to the national agenda)• Lobbying for civil society involvement in
peace negotiations• Creating public pressure • Broadening support and practice of
peace, peace process, culture of peace
PEACE Advocacy
1. Nonpublic advocacy – communicating with the political apparatus in private, bringing issues in peace talks through informal dialogues, diplomatic channels, or key political actors.
2. Public communication – claims and demands are made in public via demonstrations, press releases, petitions, statements, lobbying
LET US PRACTICE
Some Important Tools and Processes
Assessment and Analysis• Context Analysis• Stakeholder Mapping /Mapping of
Forces • Problem and Issue Identification and
Analysis• Research
Some Important Tools and Processes
Advocacy Planning• Advocacy Issue• Vision and objectives• Indicators of success• Key Messages• Target (primary, secondary)• Advocacy strategies
Peace Advocacy and Dialogue
Civil society and peacebuilding
• Protection• Monitoring• Advocacy• Socialization• Social Cohesion• Facilitation• Service Delivery
Civil society PEACEBUILDING ROLES 1. Protection of citizens against violence from all parties;2. Monitoring of human rights violations, the implementation of
peace agreements, etc.;3. Advocacy for peace and human rights;4. Socialization to values of peace and democracy as well as to
develop the in-group identity of marginalized groups;5. Inter-group social cohesion by bringing people together from
adversarial groups;6. Facilitation of dialogue on the local and national level between all
sorts of actors;7. Service delivery to create entry points for peacebuilding, i.e. for
the six above functions
Dialogue in the Context of Mindanao
Horizontal- Dialogue within each group- Dialogue with other groups
Vertical- Communities with government and other
important peace actors
DIALOGUE PURPOSE - VISION
Building a Vision for the FUTURE LONG-TERM
Negotiating a SOLUTION
Dialogue to UNDERSTAND well
Joint Fact-Finding Right Information Together
IMMEDIATE SOLUTION
IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING
ACCURATE INFORMATION
Dialogue –the Akido Principle
• Know yourself– What is my stand regarding the issue?– Why am I having this view (or feeling) of the issue?
• Go and meet the other– Share who you are – Listen to the other – Celebrate the similarities (Yehey!)– Wonder at the differences (Aha!)– A genuine conversation
• Plan the future together– Building a tolerant community
Mohammed Abu-Nimer
Process of Peaceful Dialogue• make a safe place• agree on the objectives of the dialogue• use correct/right appropriate skills in
communication• lay down all the cards• relationship centered• remain in the strength of disposition/ be firm in
your stand• be prepared to the new results/ changes
resulted from dialogue
Examples of Dialogue Initiatives
1. Interreligious dialogue formations/structures in various parts of Mindanao
2. Dialogue through peace trainings and workshops
3. Dialogue in concrete projects4. Dialogue in concrete negotiations between
conflicting parties
Beyond Intractability
Core group fornation
Core group fornation
Focus Group Discussions
Focus Group Discussions
Formation of BCPTF
IP Peace Summit
Formation of Moro core group
Moro Peace Summit
Key leaders’ meetings
Moro-Lumad Peace Summit
Lumad Process
Moro Process
Joint Process
Continuing grassroots peace process- local peace covenants
Moro – Lumad Dialogue Process
Bityara-Kallintad
Dialogue fails when:
• Not having the right attitude• Not the right timing• Not the right partner• Not enough preparation
Nurture creativity, inspiration, imagination and vision
Bless each other’s work
Peace as a goal and peace within the immediate reality