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Forum Resolutions and Action Points

Framework for Mainstreaming Conflict Management in Development Processes

The purpose of this resolution is to re(state) our commitment as civil society representatives present at the Forum to the resolution of conflicts in Uganda in all forms and to contribute to a peaceful and equitable development of the people of Uganda.

We, the organisations and delegates of civil society present at the Forum, re(state) our commitment that our joint mandate is to overcome the root causes of violence, armed conflict, mistrust and discrimination that constitute the main obstacles to development.

Furthermore, we acknowledge our responsibility to contribute to the development and promotion of a common vision for a Uganda where people live in solidarity and in peace with each other and with the people outside Uganda.

Recognising the diversity within the national and international civil society, we value, promote and support efforts at different levels to:

Resolutions	Actions	Comments
1. Strengthen local initiatives such as children, women and youth fora for the promotion of democracy and moral values that are essential to reconciliation and inclusion.	- Encouragement / Formation of (Peace) Clubs - Observation of UN Peace Day by CSOs - Promotion of women’s voices in local communities - Exchange visits as a means of networking
2. Develop, promote and implement models of peace / civic education and creative learning as a main avenue of empowerment of the young generation. (A national Framework for peace education is already being developed.)	- Formation of a task force for development of a peace curriculum - Advocate for peace themes in National festivals e.g. Music, Dance and Drama. - Encouragement / Formation of fora for creative learning e.g. through extra curricular activities in schools.	- Some Organisations are already formulating curricula on peace education e.g. ABETO.
3. Engage in policy advocacy in order to improve the enabling environment for a peaceful and equitable development of all regions in Uganda and of Uganda as one nation.	- Continue and increase dialogue between the military, civil society, parliament, statutory bodies (e.g. UHRC), etc. - Advocate for policies that address the gaps in National Development - Regular revision of policies - Rapid availability of post-conflict development inputs including hardware like schools, hospitals, etc.
4. Initiate and sustain public dialogue about structural, cultural, faith motivated and historical causes of conflict, discrimination and injustice.	- Initiate a strong network of promoters, facilitators, analysts and implementers - Research into root causes of conflict and ideological perceptions - Promote a culture of research and analysis e.g. in secondary schools sponsored from independent development programme funds	- (CECORE developing a strategic framework with support from DANIDA on sustainable analyses of causes of conflicts)
5. Improve the skills of civil society leaders, civil servants, political decision-makers and military officials as well as the capacities of their respective institutions in the arena of conflict management and promotion of human rights.	- Training of key stakeholders (administration, military, political) in conflict management and human rights - Monitoring commitments (accountability) - CS to redefine ‘wrong’ perceptions e.g. that ‘leaders equal rulers’. (i.e. to have a common conceptual framework for ‘leadership’ to be used in development / civic education-related training.)	- A commission such as Justice Benjamin Odoki’s to study human rights violations from 1986 – 1995 - Some CSOs implementing training and monitoring.
6. Strengthen linkages and synergies between different cultures, religions, regions, institutions and nations as a means to overcome fragmentation, isolation and ignorance.	- Promote exchange and interaction in / for all civil society fora through formulation of deliberate policy and resources of time and skills.
7. Facilitate and advocate for genuine inclusion of war affected youth and other marginalised groups in key decision-making processes related to the constitutional reform, peace initiatives and key economic rehabilitation and development programmes e.g. NUSAF, natural resource management.	- Identification of marginalised groups - Facilitate marginalised groups to present their views to the constitutional review commission (from local to national level). - Organise, facilitate / support and strengthen formation of CBOs by marginalised groups to participate in development / peace programmes. - Advocate for local government, local community and donor support to the CBOs of marginalised groups. - Advocate for free education and regular psychosocial support for the children from war torn areas	- NUSAF* is an opportunity for pro-action on e.g. capacity building, IEC, creation of alliances, etc.
8. Engage the private sector and the media in the peace dialogue in order for them to acknowledge and assume their particular roles and responsibilities.	- Donors and governments to organise training programmes on conflict resolution and IEC methodology for the media, military and all three arms of government. - Conduct peace talk-show programmes on the local radio stations. - Development partners (MS Uganda, etc.) to involve the private sector and the media in peace-building initiatives.	- Formal journalism training to include conflict-sensitive reporting.
9. Establish and strengthen mechanisms in public institutions and private organisations that guarantee transparency and accountability to the people they serve.	- IGG together with CSO at district level to establish or strengthen anti-corruption coalitions / integrity clubs as monitoring and evaluation mechanisms e.g. on contractors, tender boards, etc. - Anti-corruption coalitions to advocate for effective responses and action against corrupt public institutions. - Continuous capacity building for CSOs in such coalitions e.g. on democratic structures for good governance, financial and organisational management, etc. - Donor community to facilitate information management and dissemination	- Some coalitions already in place. - Encourage a strategy based on district networks (i.e. bottom-up approach with flow from the district up to the national level).
10. Witness, document and denounce all forms of human rights violations and their linkages to poverty.	- CSOs to advocate for revision of the Land Act. - CSOs together with the UHRC to facilitate information gathering and dissemination on human rights principles, violations, remedies, etc.
11. Mitigate the psychological effects of violence and conflict through professional counselling and traditional methods of reconciliation.	- CSOs and government to empower communities for community-based counselling professionally and traditionally.
12. Build on and further develop existing expertise of civil society and government in the mediation and negotiation of conflicts.	- Capacity building of CS and government to establish a central fora of experts in mediation and negotiation.

*NUSAF –Northern Uganda Social Action Fund.

Some useful references:
1. Organisations / Networks / Institutions with agendas on peace, conflict resolution and development:

	Civil Society Organisations for Peace in Northern Uganda (CSOPNU)
	DED Civil Peace Service
	Prime Ministers’ Office (for information on NUSAF).
	Action Aid
	International Alert

2. Written material on conflict resolution and development:

	Conflict Sensitive Approaches to Development: A Review of Practice’, Cynthia Gaigals with Manuela Leonhardt. Saferworld, International Alert, International Development Research Centre - www.international-alert.org/pdf/pubdev/develop.pdf
	Peace and Conflict-sensitive Approaches to Development, December 2000. Saferworld, International Development Research Centre, International Alert - www.international-alert.org/pdf/pubdev/Con_sen1.pdf
	Security, Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development: Challenges for the New Millennium, World Bank and Belgian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and International Co-operation, September 1999.
	"Bridging the Divide, Exploring the Relationship between Human Rights and Conflict Management", Michelle Parlevliet. Track Two Occasional Paper, Vol. 11, March 2002, Centre for Conflict Resolution, Cape Town South Africa.
	Do No Harm: How Aid can support Peace or War, Mary B. Anderson, 1999.