Reducción de la demanda de armas pequeñas: Asia Sudoriental, by the HD Centre
15 June 2003
This reports stems from the workshop, Curbing the Demand for Small Arms: Focus on Southeast Asia, held in Phnom Penh in May 2002, and organised jointly with the Working Group on Weapons Reduction, the Quaker United Nations Offices, and Quaker International Affairs Representatives. It seeks to highlight the reality of the small arms trade and misuse in Southeast Asia, as well as international experiences on reducing the demand for small arms.

Mediation and Human Rights, by William O'Neill
27 June 2005
Human rights extend far beyond questions of amnesties and impunity. O'Neill argues that in contrast to common assumptions, the inclusion of human rights in conflict mediation has much more to offer than judicial accountability and discrediting abuses. Rather, attention to human rights creates fresh opportunities to engage belligerents and should be recognised as a valuable and necessary strategy for sustainability.

Puntos de Vista - Negociando el Desarme, by (Editado por) Cate Buchanan
30 March 2008

Reflexiones sobre Armas, Combatientes y Violencia Armada en Procesos de Paz representa un rica colección de voces y experiencias, y busca contribuir con el creciente debate sobre la respuesta integral a estos asuntos durante procesos de paz. Es el primero de una serie de dos partes que reúne relatos de primera mano y observaciones cuidadosas de personas con diversas conexiones con procesos de paz, ofreciendo espacio para sus perspectivas sobre cómo el control de armas, la reducción de la violencia y el desarme, la desmovilización y reintegración cuentan en el estira y encoje de las negociaciones de paz.

The Limits of the Liberal Peace , by a mediator's view
26 June 2006
As most stable and successful societies appear to be democracies with market economies and respect for human rights, many assume, the ideal ingredients for mediating lasting peace should include elections, democratic institutions, human rights prescriptions and the establishment of a market economy. Alas, some of today's most intractable conflicts refuse to fit this pattern. This paper challenges current wisdom by juxtaposing both liberal and pragmatic mediation strategies. It argues for a more selective and flexible, and ultimately more honest, approach to peace, one that accepts the limits of the liberal peace.

Avoiding the worst case scenario: Iran and the real possibilities of engagement, by Ali M. Ansari
2 June 2007
This briefing paper seeks to argue that alternative options are available, principally through a political route, but that Western policymakers must empower and equip themselves through the (re)acquisition of knowledge and the realities on the ground. Only this will allow for a proactive policy of engagement, with clear goals and objectives that are achievable with the Iran that exists, and not only the Iran which is imagined.

A mediator's view from here, by Alvaro de Soto
2 June 2007
  Vision, strategy and other elements of peacemaking

G is for Gendered: taking the mystery out of gendering peace agreements, by Antonia Potter
20 April 2011
Progressing from why women should be included in peace processes to how is the theme of this opinion piece. This article looks at historical peace agreements for Bougainville and Aceh to show what textual changes could have been made to realise gender inclusivity. The author, women's rights expert and peacemaking analyst Antonia Potter, looks at the language used in agreements and suggests how inclusion can help improve the practice of peacemaking. She provides drafters of peace agreements with some suggestions for achievable ‘quick wins'.

 

This opinion piece is the fifth and final in a series commissioned from leading practitioners and analysts of mediation and peacemaking, gender relations, international security and peace processes. It has been published as part of the HD Centre's "Women at the Peace Table: Asia Pacific" project, which has, over the course of 2009-2011, examined strategies for enhancing the contributions of women to peace processes in the region, and areas where greater attention to gender in peacemaking can be achieved.

Gender sensitivity: nicety or necessity in peace process management? , by Antonia Potter
24 June 2008
This paper offers examples of how issues in peace processes can be treated in a gender- sensitive manner, an exercise that is surprisingly simple yet can yield rich analytical results. The arguments in this paper are based principally on the practical experience of professionals currently or recently involved in the management of peace processes in Aceh, Kenya, Kosovo, Liberia, the Middle East, Nepal, Northern Ireland, the Sudan/Darfur and Uganda, together with some secondary academic research and analysis. This paper explores what peace-process actors, including mediators, have done to make peace processes more sensitive to gender, what else might be done, and the benefits (and costs, if any) of such strategies.

Women and negotiations with armed groups, by Antonia Potter
15 February 2008
This article highlights some issues concerning the current situation of women [i] as mediators in dialogues with nonstate armed groups, and as members of and negotiators for such groups. It shows that the lack of female involvement as peace negotiators provides scarce evidence as to the costs and benefits of their inclusion; however, some evidence and plausible arguments for their involvement in negotiations with nonstate armed groups do exist and should be built on.

We the women: Why conflict is not just a job for men, by Antonia Potter
1 October 2005
This article examines the reasons normally given for the striking lack of women senior conflict mediators, both in the UN and beyond, and suggests concrete options for action.