Peace Advocacy and Dialogue as a Pathway to Peace

Myla LeguroCatholic Relief Services

What is peacebuilding?

PresentPresentDesired Desired futurefuture

Peacebuilding Activities

(Analysis)(Analysis)(Visioning(Visioning))

Everything in between the present Everything in between the present and desired futureand desired future

• Values consistent with endsValues consistent with ends

• process consistent with the endsprocess consistent with the ends

• Structures consistent with the ends Structures consistent with the ends

Jon Rudy, PeaceBuildingGlobal.com

Peacebuilding

PresentPresentDesired Desired futurefuture

Peacebuilding Activities

(Analysis)(Analysis)(Visioning(Visioning))

• PERSONALPERSONAL

•RELATIONALRELATIONAL

•STRUCTURALSTRUCTURAL

•CULTURAL CULTURAL

Jon Rudy, PeaceBuildingGlobal.com

Advocacy

• An organized political process to change policies, practices, ideas, and values that perpetuate inequality, prejudice, and exclusion.

• Efforts to strengthen citizen’s capacity as decision-makers and builds more accountable and equitable institutions of power.

• Promoting relevant social and political themes on the public agenda.

ADVOCACY

SPEAKING IN BEHALF OF THE VOICELESS (REPRESENTATION)

ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO SPEAK UP (MOBILIZATION)

SUPPORTING THE VOICELESS TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES (EMPOWERMENT)

(Mindanao Commission on Women)

ADVOCACY

STRATEGIC- need to do research and planSERIES OF ACTIONS- set of coordinated activitiesDESIGNED TO PERSUADE- use ideas or provide arguments that convince people

that the desired change is important and they will support it

ADVOCACY

TARGETED- aim persuasion efforts at specific people who have

the power to make our advocacy campaign successful

BUILD ALLIANCES- work with many stakeholders to increase the

impact of campaignRESULTS IN CHANGE- must result in positive change in the lives of the

people affected by the problem

Advocacy in Peacebuilding

• Agenda setting by local civil society actors (bringing themes to the national agenda)• Lobbying for civil society involvement in

peace negotiations• Creating public pressure • Broadening support and practice of

peace, peace process, culture of peace

PEACE Advocacy

1. Nonpublic advocacy – communicating with the political apparatus in private, bringing issues in peace talks through informal dialogues, diplomatic channels, or key political actors.

2. Public communication – claims and demands are made in public via demonstrations, press releases, petitions, statements, lobbying

LET US PRACTICE

Some Important Tools and Processes

Assessment and Analysis• Context Analysis• Stakeholder Mapping /Mapping of

Forces • Problem and Issue Identification and

Analysis• Research

Some Important Tools and Processes

Advocacy Planning• Advocacy Issue• Vision and objectives• Indicators of success• Key Messages• Target (primary, secondary)• Advocacy strategies

Peace Advocacy and Dialogue

Civil society and peacebuilding

• Protection• Monitoring• Advocacy• Socialization• Social Cohesion• Facilitation• Service Delivery

Civil society PEACEBUILDING ROLES

1. Protection of citizens against violence from all parties;2. Monitoring of human rights violations, the implementation of

peace agreements, etc.;3. Advocacy for peace and human rights;4. Socialization to values of peace and democracy as well as to

develop the in-group identity of marginalized groups;5. Inter-group social cohesion by bringing people together from

adversarial groups;6. Facilitation of dialogue on the local and national level between

all sorts of actors;7. Service delivery to create entry points for peacebuilding, i.e. for

the six above functions

Dialogue in the Context of Mindanao

Horizontal- Dialogue within each group- Dialogue with other groups

Vertical- Communities with government and other

important peace actors

DIALOGUE PURPOSE - VISION

Building a Vision for the FUTURE LONG-TERM

Negotiating a SOLUTION

Dialogue to UNDERSTAND well

Joint Fact-Finding Right Information Together

IMMEDIATE SOLUTION

IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING

ACCURATE INFORMATION

Dialogue –the Akido Principle

• Know yourself– What is my stand regarding the issue?– Why am I having this view (or feeling) of the issue?

• Go and meet the other– Share who you are – Listen to the other – Celebrate the similarities (Yehey!)– Wonder at the differences (Aha!)– A genuine conversation

• Plan the future together– Building a tolerant community

Mohammed Abu-Nimer

Process of Peaceful Dialogue• make a safe place• agree on the objectives of the dialogue• use correct/right appropriate skills in

communication• lay down all the cards• relationship centered• remain in the strength of disposition/ be firm in

your stand• be prepared to the new results/ changes

resulted from dialogue

Examples of Dialogue Initiatives

1. Interreligious dialogue formations/structures in various parts of Mindanao

2. Dialogue through peace trainings and workshops

3. Dialogue in concrete projects4. Dialogue in concrete negotiations between

conflicting parties

Beyond Intractability

Core group fornation

Core group fornation

Focus Group Discussions

Focus Group Discussions

Formation of BCPTF

IP Peace Summit

Formation of Moro core group

Moro Peace Summit

Key leaders’ meetings

Moro-Lumad Peace Summit

Lumad Process

Moro Process

Joint Process

Continuing grassroots peace process- local peace covenants

Moro – Lumad Dialogue Process

Bityara-Kallintad

Dialogue fails when:

• Not having the right attitude• Not the right timing• Not the right partner• Not enough preparation

Nurture creativity, inspiration, imagination and vision

Bless each other’s work

Peace as a goal and peace within the immediate reality