ANNUAL REPORT 2007-2008
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Peacebuild—Paix durable gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada through
the Canadian International Development Agency.
July 2009
Peacebuild – Paix durable
1, Rue Nicholas Street, #1216, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7B7, Canada Tél: (613) 241-3446 Fax/Téléc: (613) 241-4846
www.peacebuild.ca
Executive Director’s message
For Peacebuild, 2007-2008 saw a substantial surge of expanded program activity and planning. This was due in large part to an increase in financial support from the Cana- dian International Development Agency, supplemented by contributions from the De- partment of Foreign Affairs and Internatioal Trade, as well as OXFAM Canada, other Peacebuild member organizations and individuals, the International Development Re- search Centre, and Rights and Democracy.
A full complement of staff, which included Secretariat administrative and communica- tions staff and Secretariat and externally-located Working Group support staff, infused the organization with new personnel with a range experience and skills and deepened capacities for administrative and programming support
that had been very limited in the past and regularly undone by annual lapses in funding and consequent losses of staff.
At the heart of network activity on a day-to-day basis were Working Group examinations of issues such as gender- based violence, community development and corporate social responsibility, assessment of small arms trade issues, examination of reintegration issues and the preventive as- pects of United Nations norms such as Security Council Resolution 1612 on children affected by armed conflict and Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.
CIDA funding also permitted a comprehensive operational review and development of a five-year strategic plan, details of which can be found elsewhere in this report. In January 2008, work began on an Emerging Issues project funded by DFAIT that involved further development of programming frames and options indentified in the strategic review process.
Despite the high level of activity and concerted efforts to avert another financial and pro- gramming gap, end-of year funding difficulties arose once again. Over 100 Canadian and international organizations and individuals involved in peacebuilding activities, among them a who’s who of Canada’s most prominent non-governmental organizations operating internationally, formally expressed their support for Peacebuild and called on the government to renew its financial support for the network, a plea that was ultimately successful.
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2007-2008 Program Highlights
During the past year, the Peacebuild Web site was redesigned and updated so as to be more accessible and to facilitate an easier exchange of information, not only with and be- tween members, but with the general public as well. The Web site featured an interactive forum on peacebuilding issues, as well as a series of podcasts carrying the views of ex- perts in fields relevant to the network. As a means to reach out to new or potential younger member and non-members, a youth section was created, containing informa- tion on student memberships, conferences and publication opportunities, internships, and a listing of university programs in peacebuilding. Initial responses of users were very positive. A long-term member sent along a message stating: ‚Just wanted to let you know that the public face of Peacebuild looks superb – great job.‛
Building on the findings of an operational review, a five-year Strategic Directions docu- ment, Peacebuild’s first, was produced. It drew on five focus group discussions based in various parts of the country (Montreal, Halifax, Waterloo and two in Ottawa) as well as a series of consultations with members and staff in Ottawa. The document was unani- mously approved by members at the Annual General Meeting on November 30, 2007. A two-year Business Plan and Communications Plan were subsequently developed in early 2008. The Strategic document was widely distributed to members and other stake- holders and formed the basis, along with detailed inputs from all five Working Groups, for funding proposals to CIDA and Foreign Affairs.
The information-sharing and policy development activities of the Afghanistan Reference Group (ARG) and the Sudan InterAgency Reference Group (SIARG) are prime exam- ples of network processes that augmented the capacity of NGOs and the Government of Canada to assess and respond to violent conflict. Working Group explorations among NGOs, independent experts and government officials of gender-based violence, commu- nity development and corporate social responsibility in the violence-plagued Niger Delta, assessment of small arms trade issues, examination of reintegration issues and the preventive aspects of United Nations norms such as Security Council Resolution 1612 on children affected by armed conflict and Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security are all further examples of knowledge-generation and knowledge-sharing aimed at better understanding and responding to violent conflict.
In January 2008, Peacebuild organized a workshop in Ottawa on the reintegration of children affected by armed conflict to increase awareness, to identify good practices and to further en- gage members of the Forum, including DFAIT and CIDA, in improving policies and programs related to reintegration processes. The project was the result of collaboration between the
Children and Armed Conflict Forum and the Peace Operations Working Group, as well as Saint Paul University and its Con- flict Studies Program. A paper commis- sioned by CIDA helped to frame the dis- cussions during the workshop. A total of 122 participants attended the event. Infor- mal feedback was collected during the event and more than a dozen e-mails were received after the workshop from partici- pants, all stressing the quality of the pres- entations, the usefulness of the event and the importance of the ideas aired. Many indicated they gained knowledge from the presentations and were eager to pursue the initia- tive with actions and follow-up. Gender was a key theme that was discussed throughout the workshop, with a particular panel specifically dedicated to examining the particular chal- lenges faced by girls in their reintegration experience.
Virtually all Canadian humanitarian, development and peacebuilding NGOs working in or on Afghanistan became involved in the Afghanistan Reference Group, established by Peace- build’s POWG. The number of joint activities involving dozens of Canadian NGOs increased sharply once the network was es-
tablished. Participants benefited from improved access to govern- ment representatives and regular fora for information exchange and joint planning. In October 2007, the network was invited to meet with the Independent Panel on Canada’s Future Role in Afghanistan (Manley Panel), submitted recommenda- tions to this panel, testified before the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and
International Development, met with key government representatives, and established a regu- lar dialogue with CIDA’s Afghanistan Task Force.
Highlights continued...
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Highlights continued...
The Conflict Prevention Working Group collaborated with the Gender and Peacebuild- ing Working Group to host a roundtable in Ottawa to promote dialogue on the role of and challenges to the acceptance and implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women and peacebuilding in post-Taliban Afghanistan. Four keynote speakers (two from Afghanistan, one from Canada, one from the US) and 33 other participants, including members of CIDA’s Afghanistan Task Force, and 26 from civil society organizations, discussed areas of tension and coincidence with religion, tradi- tional norms and established institutions. It was expected that with follow-up activities this meeting would be a step towards increasing the capacity of participants from govern- ment, academia and civil society in strategic planning, program delivery and monitoring around UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in Afghanistan’s specific Islamic context.
This was also an effort to strengthen the capacity of the community of practice to engage in substantive policy dialogue and development on the women, peace and security agenda.
The Small Arms Working Group program of work fo- cused on two areas. First, the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms (UN PoA), a landmark document that provides a framework and a follow-up process for national, regional and global action to control small arms. Monitoring imple- mentation of the PoA is essential to ensure that states con- tinue to move towards full implementation and maintain momentum on small arms issues. The second area was ex- amining the relationship between development program-
ming (including gender considerations) and the reduction of armed violence. Practitioners from the arms control/disarmament and development communities have increasingly rec- ognized the links between progress in development and the reduction of armed violence.
To control the spread of small arms and lessen violence the social, cultural and economic conditions that drive the demand for weapons have to be dealt with by the arms control/
disarmament community. At the same time, development planners recognize that gains in development are jeopardized by high levels of armed violence in many countries. The two -pronged focus of the SAWG Program was successful in strengthening capacity and coor- dination of Canadian actors on small arms issues through the various events convened and ongoing communication with SAWG members. It also brought together different pol- icy communities: arms control/disarmament and development.
The Peacebuilding and Human Security Dialogue, a quasi-annual, NGO-government event which aims at increasing community of practice awareness of and understanding of peacebuilding and conflict prevention issues, did not take place in the 2007-2008 fiscal year as planned. Discussions were held with DFAIT officials in the fall of 2007 and again in December and January regarding co-organizing the dialogue or a series of dialogues.
During this period there was a change of Ministers at Foreign Affairs, as well as of offi- cials involved in the putative planning discussions. In effect, no agreement was reached to move ahead and, in January, Peacebuild was informed that DFAIT no longer felt there was sufficient time to co-organize the event before the end of the fiscal year. With the per- mission of CIDA, funds budgeted for the event were reallocated to a scenario-building workshop focused on Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
Strategic Directions
On the heels of the network’s Operational Review, carried out in July and August 2007, Peacebuild developed a Strategic Directions document and a draft Business Plan. The the Operational Review surveyed the internal dynamics and working culture of the network and the Strategic Directions document sought to provide a broad framework of five-year objectives.
The strategy document resulted from a consultative process that assessed the collective in- terests, needs and strengths of the membership, and aimed to strike a balance between the call for clarity of direction, more effective leadership, support and facilitation on the one hand, and the benefits of self-direction, flexibility and creativity, on the other.
The document situates the network in a continuously evolv- ing policy environment, and speaks to the need to proactively address the changing nature of destructive conflict as a net- work. It also advances a set of aspirations, reflecting a consen- sus and recognized need to see the network become more sta- ble and influential. It speaks to members’ recognition of Peacebuild’s value-added as a catalyst for dialogue, knowl- edge synthesis and collaboration amongst constituents of the peacebuilding community, and its role in identifying and bridging the policy gaps between Peacebuild members and the Government of Canada.
The document is divided into three sections, beginning with a description of the identity of the network, followed by a discussion of its activities and focus areas.
Peacebuild’s identity is rooted in its definition of peacebuilding, which is flexible and com- prehensive, yet offers operational guidance and form. It captures the diversity of members’
activities, and their understandings and applications of peacebuilding. It accounts for the shifting ground of peace and conflict work in an increasingly interconnected world, while acknowledging the primacy of the local and the importance of context. Peacebuild’s iden- tity is also defined by the diversity and collective expertise of its membership, while the network’s goals, organizing principles and niche speak to its members’ desire to broaden and deepen the scope, capacity and overall policy influence of the peacebuilding constitu- ency in Canada and internationally.
Looking to the future, Peacebuild endeavours to support members’ efforts related to five themes deemed to be of greatest priority in the contemporary and developing field of peacebuilding:
1. Trends in organized armed violence
2. Contested concepts around ‚security‛ and ‚peacebuilding‛
3. State and civil society capacities to prevent and resolve conflict 4.
Identity, communities and conflict
5.
Peacebuilding policies and mechanisms
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Emerging Issues
Over the course of the development of Peacebuild’s five-year Strategic Directions Docu- ment, consultations with network members reaffirmed a strong interest in exploring the role and innovative possibilities for peacebuilding vis-à-vis the changing nature of armed conflict, and governance and democratization processes. Within these two broad themes, Peacebuild members further refined the network’s long-term direction, identifying five pri- ority areas:
Trends in organized armed violence;
The contested concepts around ‘security’ and ‘peacebuilding’;
State and civil society capacities to prevent and resolve conflict;
Identities, communities and conflict; and, Peacebuilding policies and mechanisms.
Given these five priority themes, set against the two broader interests of the changing nature of armed conflict, and governance and democratization, Peace- build launched its Emerging Issues pro- ject in early January 2008. One of the pri- mary goals of the Emerging Issues Project was to work with network members and other experts to generate and articulate new evidence, analysis, as well as policy and programming options related to the themes and areas of interest listed above.
Other goals included generating foreign policy input and contributing to policy develop- ment processes with partners such as the Canadian Red Cross and Liu Institute for Global Issues, who were also exploring emerging issues.
Peacebuild’s Emerging Issues Project was part of a larger process of network development, and sought to tap into and deepen the expertise, and research and strategic capacities of the network.
This initial exploration resulted in the following four reports:
Governance, Democratization and Violent Conflict;
Youth, Gender and the Changing Nature of Armed Conflict; and
Governance, Democratization and the Revisioning of Gender, Youth and Power;
Religion, Violent Conflict and Peacebuilding.
Each provides an overview of key points or issues, advances conceptual frameworks, and identifies research areas and opportunities for action.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY 2007-2008
AUDITORS’ REPORT To the Members,
Peacebuild – Paix durable
We have audited the statement of financial position of Peacebuild – Paix durable as of March 31, 2008 and the statements of operations, changes in et assets and cash flows for the year then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Organization’s manage- ment. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards.
Those standards require that we plan and perform an audit to obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial statements are free of misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
In our opinion, these financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Peacebuild – Paix durable as at March 31, 2008 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles.
Ottawa, Ontario Signed: OHCD LLP
December 17, 2008 Ousely Hanvey Clipsham Deep LLP
Licensed Public Accountants
PEACEBUILD – PAIX DURABLE PROJECT EXPENSE
During the year expenses were made in the following project and program areas:
2008 2007
Secretariat $ 263,705 $ 162,378
Emerging Issues 64,849 -
Annual Dialogue - 15,487
Ethiopia 8,780 160
Iraq Roundtable - 2,507
Sudan - 75
Working Groups
Children and Armed Conflict 105,613 19,398
Conflict Prevention 34,493 40,781
SIARG 536 -
Gender and Peacebuilding 90,650 116,064
Peace Operations 53,914 38,000
Small Arms 24,307 47,394
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STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AS AT MARCH 31, 2008
2008 2007
REVENUE
Contributions - DFAIT $ 107,317 $ 405,391
Contributions - IDRC 6,831 38,797
Contributions - CIDA 479,958 -
Contributions – Rights and Democracy 1,560 -
Contributions - OXFAM 24,639 -
Contributions - other 926 -
Membership fees 8,905 9,622
Other 2,564 188
632,700 453,998
EXPENSE
Salary and benefits 155,548 120,396
Grants - 69,894
Rent 21,734 18,691
Contracts 6,050 55,745
Travel and meetings 132,529 50,638
Purchased services 272,512 46,090
Professional fees 24,971 15,562
Communications 7,868 26,065
Executive committee - 671
Office 17,465 7,051
Professional development - 906
Telephone 6,429 4,095
Research - 26,440
Amortization 1,741 -
646,847 442,244
NET REVENUE (EXPENSE) FOR THE YEAR
$ (14,147) $
11,754
Peacebuild – Paix durable
Organizational members
CANADEM
Canadian Council of Churches
Canadian Council for International Coop- eration
Canadian Friends of Burma
Canadian Friends Service Committee Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution Canadian International Institute of Applied
Negotiation
Canadian UNICEF Committee
Canadian Women for Women in Afghani- stan
CARE Canada
Centre for International Policy Studies Centre for Military and Strategic Studies,
University of Calgary
CHF-Partners in Rural Development CUSO
Civilian Peace Service Canada Development Workshop Educating for Peace
Foundation for International Development Assistance (FIDA)
Group of 78
Human Rights Internet
Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, Conrad Grebel University College International Bureau for Children’s Rights Kashmiri-Canadian Council
Mennonite Central Committee Canada Oxfam Canada
Partnership Africa Canada Pearson Peacekeeping Centre Physicians for Global Survival Plan International Canada Inc.
Project Ploughshares Science for Peace
Solidarity Committee for Ethiopian Politi
cal Prisoners (SOCEPP-Canada) The Bah{’í Community of Canada
Unitarian Universalists United Nations Of- fice
War Child Canada
World Federalist Movement - Canada World Vision Canada
Individuals
Eric Abitbol Larissa Adameck Paulos Asrat
Juan Antonio Blanco Lorne Braun
Gordon Buay Margaret Capelazo Yvan Conoir
Adam Davidson-Harden Tag Elkhazin
Robbyn Evans Moctar Fall Martin Fischer Ross Francis Debbie Grisdale Benyam Haile Hruy Essam M. Hamed Don Hubert Saskia Ivens David Jackman Joanna Laskey Joanne Lebert Corey Levine Flora MacDonald Mahmoud Masaeli
Irene Remilekun Ogouma Gerry Ohlsen
Rena Ramkay Stephen Rimac Riccardo Rossi-Ricci
Jean-Pierre Mulago Shamvu Ian Smillie
Vijaya Sripati Beth Woroniuk
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