We need effective peace policies now!

Solutions exist and need to be amplified

Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP)

Kauswagan’s ‘From Arms to Farms’ Programme

The Moriori Peace Covenant (Nunuku’s Law)

Key Features

• Longevity and Inspiration: FFor around 700 years, Nunuku’s Law has remained a guiding “Miheke” (untarnished treasure), inspiring future generations.
• Holistic Approach: Shapes all aspects of Moriori life, embedding peace, social harmony, and sustainable practices.
• Resource Sharing and Equality: Promotes fairness, dignity, and respect through shared resources.
• Art and Music: Celebrates creative expression as central to peace and identity.
• Active Non-Violence and Education: Promotes non-violence and educates on peaceful conflict resolution.
• Inclusivity: Applies peace principles to all ages, genders, and backgrounds.
• Future Generations: Ensures values are passed down to secure the Covenant’s continuity.

Achievements

• Cultural Revitalisation: Reclaiming Moriori culture with educational resources, cultural initiatives, and the Kōpinga Marae meeting centre.
• Environmental Conservation: Restoring ecosystems with 200,000+ native trees, protected bird species, permaculture, and species control.
• Historical Reconciliation and Repatriation: Addressing past injustices, reclaiming ancestral remains, and correcting histories through public education and exhibitions.
• Legal Settlements: Secured formal apologies, land returns, and reparations through the 2020 Deed of Settlement and 2021 Claims Settlement Act.
• Education and Advocacy: Co-founded the Aotearoa New Zealand Peace and Conflict Studies Centre (Otago University) and hosted international peace events.

Replication and Influence

The Well-being of Future Generations Act (Wales) 2015

Key Features

• Whole-System Approach: Fosters collaboration across public sectors, guided by seven interconnected well-being goals.
• Sustainable Development Principles: Defines in legislation that public bodies meet the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
• Application: Emphasises long-term thinking, prevention, integration, collaboration, and involvement in alignment with the SDGs.
• Independent Commissioner: Appoints a Future Generations Commissioner to advise, provide recommendations, carry out research and monitor progress.
• Legal Accountability: Enforces sustainable outcomes, with compliance monitored through audits and public reporting.
• Cultural Preservation: Protects Welsh culture, language, and heritage as vital to social cohesion and identity.

Costa Rica’s Abolition of the Army (1948) and Affirmation of Active Neutrality (1983 and 2014): A Clear Path to Regional and International Peace

Key Features

• Demilitarisation: Article 12 formally abolished the military as a standing institution in 1949. Although it allows armed forces to be re-established in extreme cases like invasion, this has never been invoked.
• Active Neutrality: The government enforces active neutrality with oversight provided by the Legislative Assembly and Supreme Court.
• Democracy and Internal Public Security: Internal security and public order are maintained by a police force under civilian oversight, preventing military involvement in domestic security.
• Bilateral and Regional Conflict Resolution: The policy manages bilateral and regional disputes through diplomacy and peaceful methods, emphasising non-military solutions.
• International Advocacy: The policy enables Costa Rica to lead and participate actively in global peace initiatives.
• Social Investment: Resources typically allocated to the military are redirected towards social infrastructure, education, economic development, and public health.
• Peace, Culture and Education: Peace education is integrated across all school levels, promoting a culture of peace, supported by institutions like the Costa Rican Institute for Neutrality, Peace and Democracy and the United Nations University for Peace.

Achievements

• Sustained Absence of Armed Forces: Costa Rica has maintained its military abolition despite external threats, such as Nicaragua’s 1955 invasion and the 2010 occupation of the San Juan Islands, resolving these conflicts diplomatically or through the International Court of Justice.
• Non-production of Weapons of War: The government has largely upheld its policy on the non-production of weapons of war. The Supreme Court annulled permits for thorium and uranium exports after a citizen-led case found they risked military use.
• Active Neutrality: Costa Rica consistently upholds neutrality, notably withdrawing from the US-led ‘Coalition of the Willing’ in Iraq after a citizen-led Supreme Court case forced the government to comply.
• Bilateral and Regional Conflict Resolution: The policy has effectively resolved regional conflicts through diplomacy, highlighted by Costa Rica’s role in the Esquipulas Peace Agreement and legal disputes with Nicaragua.
• Social Investment: Savings from abolishing the military have funded social development, with GDP growth rising from 1.31% (1920–49) to 2.44% (1951–2010), alongside improvements in social welfare, including one of Latin American’s highest life expectancies (77 years old in 2024).
• Legal Oversight: The Supreme Court upholds government accountability to neutrality and the right to peace through its rulings.

Replication and Influence

The Great Law of Peace of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy - Gaya•neñ•hsä•’gó•nah/Kaianere'ko:wa

Key Features

• Consensus-Based Governance: Decision-making occurs at clan, nation, and confederacy levels, ensuring subsidiarity and shared leadership.
• Role of Clan Mothers: Clan Mothers select and oversee Hoyane (Chiefs, Men of the Good Mind), holding them accountable for upholding the values of the Confederacy.
• Symbolism of Unity: The Tree of Peace represents harmony among the nations, and the Eagle serves as a protector against threats.
• Restorative Justice and Condolence Ceremonies: Conflict resolution emphasises healing and reconciliation over punishment.
• Sustainability and Resource Management: The "One Dish, One Spoon" is a treaty and guide between the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe/Anishinabel, it is symbolised by a Wampum Belt, that emphasises shared land use, mutual respect, and sustainable resource use.

Achievements

• Lasting Peace: Ended intertribal warfare.
• Model of Gender Equity: The Haudenosaunee system inspired early suffragists, including Matilda Joslyn Gage, in advocating for women’s political rights.
• Environmental Advocacy: The Confederacy remains active in environmental protection, opposing fracking and preserving sacred lands.
• Influence on International Law: The Haudenosaunee played a pivotal role in the creation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
• Democratic Influence: Elements of the U.S. Constitution, such as federalism and representative governance, were influenced by Haudenosaunee principles.

Replication and Influence

Supporting Bougainvillean-Owned Peace: The New Zealand-Led Pacific Partnership for Peace Monitoring and Mediation (1997-1998)

Key Features

• Light Intervention & Local Ownership: Bougainvilleans led their own peace process, with external actors facilitating but not imposing solutions.
• Unarmed Peace Monitoring: Upon the request of the Bougainvillean's the Truce Monitoring Group (TMG) entered without weapons, fostering mutual trust and preventing escalation.
• Cultural Sensitivity & Inclusivity: The process respected traditional reconciliation mechanisms, prioritised grassroots engagement, included culturally and gender-diverse personnel, prioritised local language skills, and advanced the role of women.
• Pacific-Led Regional Cooperation: New Zealand partnered with Fiji, Vanuatu, and Australia, to support Bougainville and Papua New Guinea. This provided a Pacific solution for a Pacific problem.
• Transparency: The TMG headquarters were fully open to the community, promoting accountability and trust.
• Women’s Leadership in Peacebuilding: Bougainvillean women played a key role in grassroots peacebuilding efforts throughout the war. Their inclusion in the Burnham Talks was a key step – with the women in attendance suggesting the unarmed intervention.

Achievements

• Laying the Groundwork for Peace: The Burnham Talks (July 1997) led to the first unified intra-Bougainvillean truce agreement and the peaceful release of six Papua New Guinean (PNG) hostages. This was followed by the Burnham Truce (October 1997) and Lincoln Agreement (1998), which secured a formal ceasefire with Papua New Guinea
• Locally Led Peacebuilding and Governance: Bougainvilleans secured lasting peace by taking ownership of disarmament, the ceasefire, and political negotiations. They went on to draft their own constitution, establish the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) in 2005, hold democratic elections, and conduct a successful referendum on independence in 2019, in which 97.7% voted in favour — with key cooperation from Papua New Guinea and support from their Pacific partners.
• Gender Representation Gains: Women gained increased roles in governance, including three reserved parliamentary seats and gender-equal community government structures.
• International Recognition: The peace process has become a model example for unarmed peacekeeping and light intervention.
• Continued Diplomatic Impact: In 2024, Sir Jerry Mateparae, former leader of the TMG, was appointed mediator by Papua New Guinea and Bougainville for ongoing independence negotiations—testament to the effectiveness and deep trust established by Sir Mateparae and the TMG.

Replication and Influence

The Nigeria National Action Plan on Youth, Peace, and Security (NNAPYPS)

Finland's Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan (2018-2021)

Key Features

• Human Rights-Based Approach: Followed a human rights-based approach, ensuring alignment with national laws like the Act on Equality between Women and Men and the Non-Discrimination Act.
• Collaborative Development: Developed inclusively through cooperation between ministries, civil society, researchers, and crisis management experts to ensure diverse and broad participation.
• International Legal Accountability: Strengthened its commitment to the WPS agenda through adherence to international legal instruments such as UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and the Istanbul Convention.
• Engagement of Men and Boys: Highlighted the importance of involving men and boys in advancing gender equality and peace efforts.
• Addressing Violent Extremism: Addressed violent extremism by recognising its gendered impacts and supporting the role of local women leaders in prevention and rehabilitation.
• Gender-sensitive Training and Crisis Management: Promoted gender-sensitive training and integrated crisis management, supporting Finland’s active role in international civilian missions.

Achievements:

• Increasing Women’s Leadership in Peace Processes: Enhanced women’s leadership in Nepal and Kenya. In Nepal, nearly 35,000 women have received capacity building and training for leadership roles through Finland’s collaboration with UN Women.
• Educational Impact in Crisis Zones: Between 2019 and 2021, Finnish-supported education projects in conflict areas reached nearly 1.1 million children and youth, with 48% of the beneficiaries being girls.
• Supporting Global Educational Reforms: Contributed to educational reforms in Ethiopia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Palestine, and Ukraine, leading to improved teacher status, more female educators and principals, and established continuous professional development systems.
• Leadership in Gender Equality and Crisis Management: By 2023, nearly 40% of its seconded crisis management personnel were women, up from 33% in 2019. In partnership with Spain, it has led efforts to boost women’s roles in EU missions, reinforced by joining the WPS Compact and co-chairing the Action Coalition on Gender Equality in 2021.
• Support for Women’s Mediation and Negotiation: Finland has enhanced women’s mediation roles in North Africa and the Middle East through training and networking, notably supporting Syria’s Women’s Advisory Board to develop unified negotiation strategies.

Replication and Influence:

Philippines’ Peace Education - Executive Order No. 570 (2006)

Key Features

• Integrated Curriculum Approach: Peace education is embedded in Values Education, Social Studies, and Citizenship Education within the K-12 curriculum.
• Mandatory Peace Education at Various Educational Levels: Peace education is integrated into primary, secondary, and higher education, with dedicated curriculum components and mandatory university courses.
• Teacher Training & Capacity Building: Educators receive specialised training on conflict resolution, human rights, and intercultural dialogue.
• Non-Formal Learning & Community Engagement: Extends peace education to out-of-school youth and conflict-affected communities through NGO partnerships.
• Legislative & Institutional Support: Strengthened by inter-agency coordination, particularly through DepEd, CHED, and OPAPRU.

Achievements

• Widespread Adoption: Over 10,000 schools implement peace education, reaching 12 million students annually.
• Violence Reduction: A 34% drop in students' perception of fighting at school following the implementation of peace education interventions.
• Teacher Training: 50,000 teachers trained in peace education methodologies.
• Higher Education Integration: Mandatory peace education courses introduced in higher education, particularly in Mindanao State University’s 11 campuses.
• Curriculum Institutionalisation: Peace education embedded in the 2023 MATATAG curriculum, with designated modules in Social Studies and Good Manners and Right Conduct.
• Policy Coordination: The Annual Peace Education Summit strengthens inter-agency collaboration and policy integration.

Replication and Influence

Rwanda Peace Education Programme (2013)

Key Features

• Curriculum Integration: Peace and Values Education is embedded in Rwanda’s Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) across all levels of education.
• Narrative-Based Learning: Survivor testimonies, workshops, and interactive methods reinforce empathy, historical awareness, and reconciliation.
• Collaborative Design: Developed in partnership with the Aegis Trust, the Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace (IRDP), and the Rwandan government to align with national peacebuilding objectives.
• Youth Engagement: The Youth Champions Initiative trains young leaders to promote reconciliation in their communities and support Kwibuka, Rwanda’s annual genocide commemoration.
• Accessibility and Inclusivity: Printable and downloadable resources ensure peace education reaches schools with limited internet access, and training for educators enhances delivery, particularly for vulnerable groups.

Achievements

• National Curriculum Integration: PVE is now a mandatory component of the CBC, embedding peace education in all Rwandan schools.
• Broad Outreach and Training: Outreach education workshops were conducted with more than 10,000 people in 19 communities. Over 7,500 students were trained at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, as well as 1017 teachers. 32,417 Youth participated in a National Art Exhibition showcasing their artworks created during peacebuilding workshops.
• Strengthened Social Cohesion: Educators report improved trust, dialogue, and conflict resolution skills among students.
• Capacity Building: 536 young leaders have been trained as Youth Champions, fostering grassroots peacebuilding efforts.
• Archival Improvements: Enhancements in genocide documentation and education have expanded access to historical resources.
• New Training Efforts: In 2025, Aegis Trust rolled out two key initiatives: the ASPIRE programme, which trained 1,280 pre-service teachers to promote peace and social cohesion in education, and the Peace Ambassadors Network (PAN) which trained 1,500 participants, brought together peace ambassadors and reinforced existing peace initiatives in Rwandan schools and communities.

Replication and Influence

Switzerland’s Active Neutrality Policy

Key Features

• Military Neutrality and Active Diplomacy: Switzerland safeguards its sovereignty by remaining neutral yet actively mediates international disputes, both publicly and confidentially. Swiss diplomats are trained for behind-the-scenes mediation and shuttle diplomacy, which has substantial impact despite often going undocumented.
• Leadership in Warfare Law: Switzerland advances International Humanitarian Law, especially regarding civilian protection, shaping global standards in warfare.
• Humanitarian Commitment: Swiss policy emphasises substantial, impartial humanitarian aid, supporting peace and stability globally.
• Good Offices and Peace Support: The Swiss Foreign Office, through its unique ‘Good Offices,’ provides logistical and diplomatic support to facilitate peace talks, including mediation, shuttle diplomacy and safe, neutral venues for disputing parties.
• UN Peacekeeping Participation: While prohibited from war engagement, Switzerland supports neutral UN peacekeeping efforts and, as of 2024 was active in five peacekeeping missions.
• Adaptive Policy Framework: Regular updates ensure the policy aligns with evolving global dynamics.

Achievements

• Conflict Mediation: Switzerland has mediated over 50 international conflicts, including the Evian Agreements (France and Algeria, 1962), the Colombian Peace Process (2012–2016), the Libyan Political Settlement (2020), and the Sudan Conflict Ceasefire (2023).
• Advancement of International Humanitarian Law: Switzerland has significantly shaped laws of war, being instrumental in initiatives such as the Geneva Conventions and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
• Humanitarian Aid Leadership: Providing approximately $5 billion USD annually, Switzerland champions global humanitarian aid.

Replication and Influence

Qualitative Research & Expert Interviews

• Policy Maker Informants: Provided insights from the perspective of the government or organisation responsible for the policy, offering knowledge of its origins, intentions, and implementation.
• Civil Society Informants: Assessed the policy’s impact on the affected community, with an understanding of community needs and how effectively the policy addresses them.
• Academic Informants: Contributed expert analysis on the policy's technical aspects and comparative strengths or weaknesses, based on their academic credentials and peer-reviewed research.