Course Description: Implementing Peacebuilding Activities
Course Code: UNAANSW104
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: UNAANSW010 – Introduction to UN Peace and Security
Target Audience
This course is designed for:
• Professionals interested in global affairs and international cooperation
• Corporate and organisational leaders seeking a better understanding of global governance
• Students studying international relations, politics, or global development
• Individuals seeking a practical understanding of how UN peacekeeping missions contribute to long-term peace
• People interested in the relationship between peacekeeping, institution-building and national recovery after conflict
• Participants wanting to understand the main peacebuilding tasks undertaken in multidimensional UN peacekeeping missions
Participants are expected to have completed UNAANSW010 – “Introduction to UN Peace and Security” before attending this course. That introductory course provides the broader foundation on the UN’s peace and security role, the evolution of peacekeeping, and the place of peacekeeping within the wider spectrum of peace and security activities, which will help participants better understand how peacebuilding tasks are implemented in mission settings
Course Overview
Peacekeeping missions are temporary measures, but many of their most important tasks are aimed at supporting the long-term conditions for sustainable peace. In multidimensional missions, peacekeepers do far more than monitor ceasefires or help provide security. They also contribute to peacebuilding by helping national authorities and communities address the underlying causes and consequences of conflict.
This session introduces participants to the main peacebuilding activities that may be mandated by the UN Security Council in multidimensional peacekeeping operations. These include mine action, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), security sector reform and governance (SSR&G), rule of law support, electoral assistance, and support to the restoration and extension of State authority. The course explains what these activities involve, why they matter to sustaining peace, and how different mission components and external partners contribute to their implementation.
Participants will explore the roles played by military, police and civilian components, as well as the importance of working with host governments, UN agencies, regional organizations, civil society and local communities. The session also highlights the importance of legitimacy, local ownership, confidence-building and inclusive engagement in successful peacebuilding. Particular attention is given to the role of civil affairs and the importance of engaging civil society in order to support political processes, strengthen community trust and sustain peace over time.
By the end of the session, participants will have a clearer understanding of how peacebuilding activities are integrated into peacekeeping missions, and why these activities are critical to moving from fragile stability towards lasting peace.
Learning Goals
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
• Identify the main peacebuilding activities undertaken in multidimensional UN peacekeeping operations
• Understand the different roles of mission components and partners in implementing peacebuilding tasks
• Explain how peacebuilding activities contribute to sustainable peace after conflict
• Recognise the importance of national ownership and integrated support in peacebuilding
• Understand the relationship between security, governance, rule of law and social cohesion in post-conflict recovery
• Find and interpret key information on mandated peacebuilding task areas in mission settings.
Key Topics Covered
• The role of peacebuilding within multidimensional peacekeeping
• Mine action and explosive hazard management
• Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR)
• Security sector reform and governance (SSR&G)
• Rule of law, including police, justice and corrections support
• Electoral assistance as a peacebuilding activity
• Support to the restoration and extension of State authority
• The role of civil affairs in peacebuilding and local engagement
• Working with civil society and community actors
• Confidence-building, reconciliation and social cohesion
• The contribution of different mission components and external partners to peacebuilding
Learning Outcomes
Participants will leave the session with:
• A stronger understanding of how peacebuilding activities are implemented in UN peacekeeping missions
• Greater awareness of the range of tasks involved in supporting post-conflict recovery and institution-building
• Insight into how military, police and civilian components contribute differently to peacebuilding objectives
• A clearer understanding of the importance of local ownership, legitimacy and community engagement
• A solid foundation for further study of peacekeeping, peacebuilding and post-conflict governance