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Beyond Ukraine and Gaza: Five consequences of overlooking other conflictsThe years since 2020 have been one of the most violent periods since the end of the second world war. The war in Ukraine and the escalating violence...
Peace and stability are central to the prosperity and security of countries and their citizens. Yet, we currently have limited understanding of how and why violent conflicts persist and their legacies endure across time, what can be done to reduce renewed cycles of violence and what interventions work to ensure sustained peace and inclusive state-building trajectories in post-conflict countries.
UNU-WIDER's From conflict to cohesion – pathways for peace and inclusive statebuilding research area focuses on understanding and addressing the complex challenges of conflict-affected settings, aiming to bridge the development gap between peaceful and conflict-ridden countries.
Under this research area, we will focus on the nexus between poverty divergence, statebuilding, and economic resilience. The research, events, and dissemination inform policy actions for sustainable peace and development. By fostering dialogue and by providing evidence-based solutions, this research area seeks to promote inclusive and peaceful states, social cohesion, and resilience in post-conflict societies.
Key questions
- What is the poverty gap between conflict-affected and peaceful countries and how is this gap projected to evolve over the next 20 years?
- How can countries emerging from violent conflicts strengthen the social contract between states and citizens, as well as more cohesive and inclusive bureaucracies and institutions?
- What role can social protection policies and interventions to protect livelihoods among conflict-affected communities play in supporting sustainable and inclusive peace?
- How can international aid be better leveraged to protect the most vulnerable populations in the world?
In the 2024-27 work programme, our work on pathways for peace and inclusive statebuilding is carried out in the following projects:
Contributions to the 2024-2027 work programme cross-cutting themes
The impact of climate change on conflicts and peace will be considered in several of the research projects. It will be an important part of the Strengthening safety nets in post-conflict and humanitarian contexts project. In the Breaking cycles of fragility project a policy report will be published on climate change, displacement, and conflict.
Gender issues are at the heart of building sustainable peace and inclusive states. Conflict-affected countries suffer from high-levels of gender-based violence, inequalities and discrimination. In all projects, we will consider gender-related implications and their role in how inclusive statebuilding trajectories can be supported in post-conflict countries.
Data is an important part of the From conflict to cohesion – pathways for peace and inclusive statebuilding research area. The work in this theme will engage closely with the Households in Conflict network and other networks at the forefront of data collection in challenging, conflict-affected contexts. New research data will be collected to build a more robust knowledge base on conflicts and peace, especially from the perspective of civilians.
The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
This project contributes towards the achievement of SDG 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions by providing new insights and evidence on the underlying drivers of poverty and conflict, the dynamics of state-building and governance, and the effectiveness of policy interventions in post-conflict contexts.
Projects
Building trust and institutions for peace
Strengthening safety nets in post-conflict and humanitarian contexts
Project team
Lead | Patricia Justino
Core researcher | Laura Saavedra-Lux
Coordination | Iina Kuuttila, Aino Hiltunen
Communications | Leeni Varis, Annett Victorero
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Working Paper
Armed group taxation, municipal fishing, and environmental preservation in the Zamboanga Peninsula, PhilippinesThis paper analyses the impact of armed groups and their taxation practices on the municipal fishing sector of the Zamboanga Peninsula in Mindanao, Philippines. Leveraging novel qualitative and quantitative data, we find clear evidence of armed group...
Working Paper
Concealed costs: illicit economies and the erosion of the local tax base in ColombiaTax revenues are fundamental to state-building and development, particularly in the aftermath of conflict. Through the lens of the recent post-conflict experience of Colombia, this paper explores the challenges of increasing tax revenues amid...
Working Paper
Conflict, taxation, and developmentThe impact of conflict on taxation and development has long been debated. Most studies suggest that conflict will have a depressive effect on state tax collection, negatively impacting economic growth and development. After reviewing the existing...
Working Paper
A cultural perspective on the cycle of violent conflicts in the Niger Delta region of NigeriaViolent conflicts act as disincentives for sustainable socioeconomic development in conflict-prone societies, especially in the Global South. Existing studies focus largely on economic, political, and social triggers of violent conflicts; cultural...
Working Paper
The effects of armed conflicts on local economic dynamics in the Mopti and Ségou regions of MaliArmed conflicts significantly affect the social and economic conditions of societies in turmoil, disrupting the normal functioning of local economies. This study seeks to delve into the repercussions of armed conflicts on the dynamics of local...
Working Paper
Quid pro quo: how the wartime economy shapes the violent contestation of the state after warWhy do some conflict-affected areas remain an arena of violent contestation of the state, while others transition to peace? I suggest that economic networks developed during intrastate conflict—i.e. wartime economies—give rise to continued pockets of...
Working Paper
Faraway, so close: the impact of the Russia–Ukraine war on political violence in Asian countriesWe show that the Russia–Ukraine-war-induced changes in the international price of wheat affected political violence in Asia. Using data from 13 countries and more than four million cell-level observations, we show that a higher wheat price increases...
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