Peacebuild

Peacebuild, the Canadian Peacebuilding Network, is a non-governmental, not for profit organization aimed at promoting and further developing a vibrant and robust Canadian peacebuilding constituency to advance just and lasting peace internationally. Currently, the network membership consists of 69 Canadian-based non-governmental and civil society organizations, researchers, and individuals.

Peacebuild was born in 1994 in a spirit of optimism generated by the end of the Cold War and hope among a small but influential group of Canadian NGO representatives, academics, peace activists and government officials who believed that they and others could have a greater impact on violent conflict – that they could do more and do it better.

Through the mid-90s and early 2000s, the network, known at that time as the Canadian Peacebuilding Coordinating Committee (CPCC), took root. With the investment of time, knowledge, effort and creativity of its civil society members and pretty consistent political support, in at least Canada’s peace and conflict constituency, Peacebuild was and continues to be both a focal point and a motor for policy debate, joint action and learning.

Peacebuild’s overarching objective is to support greater and more effective Canadian participation in peacebuilding activities internationally by:
-Enabling peacebuilding and human security policy dialogue and policy development involving Canadian non-governmental and governmental agencies and individuals and others;
-Enabling active collaboration and knowledge exchange between Canadian peacebuilding organizations and their international counterparts;
-Undertaking and facilitating systematic learning and dissemination and application of learning related to peacebuilding objectives, practices and outcomes.

The organization consists of five working groups on the following topics:
1) Children and Armed Conflict;
2) Conflict Prevention;
3) Gender and Peacebuilding;
4) Peace Operations; and 5) Small Arms.

Additionally, Peacebuild works on other themes, such as the Emerging Issues Project and is a co-convener of the Afghanistan Reference Group and the Sudan Interagency Reference Group.

The network promotes collaborative research, program and policy work and publications among its members, provides access to and opportunities to be involved in policy briefs, reports, fact sheets, pod casts, and electronic debates on issues of conflict and peace. Members also receive by-weekly e-mail bulletins on topics of interest and jobs in the peacebuilding field as well as a monthly e-newsletter. Moreover, Peacebuild hosts a number of timely and relevant events, debates, and dialogues.

Working Groups

Conflict Prevention Working Group
The Conflict Prevention Working Group (CPWG) is one of five working groups of Peacebuild – the Canadian Peacebuilding Network. The CPWG consists of academics, activists and practitioners who aim to advance civil society and government conflict prevention policy and practice, further the prevention aspects of existing and emerging policy and operational frameworks, support regional and multilateral conflict prevention mechanisms and develop partnerships with regionally based networks of conflict prevention practitioners, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and North America, for collaboration in field-based conflict prevention activities, information exchange, lessons learned and good practices.

Forum on Children and Armed Conflict
The Forum on Children and Armed Conflict is one of five working groups of Peacebuild – the Canadian Peacebuilding Network - and is coordinated by the International Bureau for Children’s Rights. The goal of the Forum is to improve protection for the security and rights of children threatened by armed conflict by enhancing the work of individual NGOs and professionals in the field. Activities of the working group include: information-sharing, policy analysis and dialogue with government departments, links to UN and international coalitions working on these issues, research and capacity-building activities, and raising awareness in Canada

Gender and Peacebuilding Working Group
The Gender and Peacebuilding Working Group (GPWG) is one of five working groups of Peacebuild – the Canadian Peacebuilding Network. The GPWG aims to translate the general international commitments that have been made on gender equality and peacebuilding into concrete actions and to promote the active participation of girls and women in peacebuilding. The GPWG is designed to strengthen collaboration among Canadian organizations, activists, and academics by providing a forum for the exchange of resources, facilitating dialogue between and among civil society and government, and contributing to the direction of programming and policy.

Peace Operations Working Group
The Peace Operations Working Group (POWG) is one of five working groups of Peacebuild – the Canadian Peacebuilding Network - and is coordinated by the World Federalists. The POWG collaborates on in-depth research and public and NGO-Government dialogue on peace operations to facilitate Canadian civil society involvement in the formulation of policy on peace operations and in the identification of options for policy implementation. The POWG also encourage governments to take practical steps to increase the coherence and effectiveness of peace operations in each of their civilian, civilian-police and military aspects; and to promote peace operations as an important instrument of Canadian international policies.

Small Arms Working Group
The Small Arms Working Group (SAWG) is one of five working groups of Peacebuild – the Canadian Peacebuilding Network - and is coordinated by Project Ploughshares. The SAWG provides a forum for Canadian peace, disarmament, human rights and development NGO communities to engage each other and the Canadian government in policy dialogue on the national and international policies and measures needed to reverse the diffusion and misuse of small arms and light weapons.

Board of Directors

Peggy Mason, Chair
Carrie Vandewint, Vice Chair
Douglas Fraser, Secretary
Tiffany Kizito, Treasurer
Nathan Funk, Member
David Lord, Executive Director (ex officio)

Funding

During the 2007-08 Fiscal Year, Peacebuild received funding from:
-Oxfam Canada
-Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
-Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
-International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

External links

* [http://www.peacebuild.ca Official site]