Human Rights-based Transformative Peacebuilding

Abstract

Peacebuilding has been affected by two significant changes, namely, the increasing diversity in activities as well as actors, and the reconsideration of peacebuilding activities in accordance with the specific context of each case. Along with such changes, it is observed that different fields of studies are increasingly considering the effectiveness of transforming a conflict-affected society by addressing socio-economic justice. The purpose of this paper is to identify the existence of a nascent peacebuilding approach through social transformation based on human rights. Such approach pays attention to economic, social and cultural rights, which have not received sufficient consideration to date in peacebuilding activities.

Despite voluminous research on causes and mechanism of violent conflicts, the conditions under which violence is triggered are yet uncertain. However, the fact that people often continue suffering the same deprivation of economic, social and cultural rights before, during and after the conflict requires proper response of peacebuilding activities. The paper looks into the discussion in the field of transitional justice, which pays special attention to economic, social and cultural rights, as exemplified by the argument of Louise Arbour, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (2004–2008) and also Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda (1996–1999). It then sheds light on the similarity of social transformation discussed in different areas of research - transitional justice, conflict resolution, peace studies and peacebuilding - and the application of human rights-based approach. The idea of transformative justice is asserted by transitional justice scholars, which is not limited to the legal aspect but encompasses both social and political perspectives. In both transformative justice and peacebuilding in general, the process of transformation requires participation of the right-holders and their challenge against existing power relationship which is causing injustice. The process itself is considered as leading towards accountability, good governance and empowerment.

At the end, the paper presents an example of transformative peacebuilding approach through community building. While liberal peacebuilding has human rights as one of the pillars together with democracy and market liberalization; economic, social and cultural rights have not been targeted in the policy of peacebuilding operations. Neo-liberal policy on the contrary has a tendency to undermine these rights. Since the post-liberal peacebuilding shifts focus from institutions to local and everyday life of people, the social transformation through community building is considered to be the reasonable approach. Application of that approach is already under way and it can be strengthened through common research beyond existing research demarcation.

In this endeavor, development cooperation has an important role to play, starting with the recognition of what is deemed as social and economic justice by the very people affected by the conflict.