Peace & Conflict

There are many relief organisations that help some of these people but what they really need is peace and to make that last, we need to work towards putting an end to poverty and injustice.

What is the effect of conflict on development?

• Young men go off to fight, leaving a gap in the workforce.
  
  
• Education is often put on hold which can leave a whole generation of children without the basic literacy and skills necessary to find a job
  
  
• Displacement and refugee flows increase dramatically during a conflict – many are left without shelter, income or healthcare.
  
  
• Land, roads and other infrastructure are often destroyed during war which means lots of money is required to rebuild the country, post-war.
  
  
• Very few banks will invest in conflict zones, or in those places that have recently experienced conflict, so many businesses are unable to continue or start up trading – this leads to unemployment and disaffected youths, something which can lead to more conflict.
  

In a nutshell, conflict and development do not go well together.

Why is peace so difficult?

A ceasefire marks the beginning of the peace process, not the end. Peace takes years to build and is a complex mix of justice, compensation, resettlement and economic growth. This is not an easy process: Somalia, for example, is still not at peace despite decades of peace attempts.