Conflict and security

Security and justice

To ensure lasting, sustainable economic growth, the eradication of poverty and hunger and our other development goals, we need to look beyond the immediate impact of conflict and violence in developing countries to the underlying causes.

One of the basic functions of government is the provision of security and justice for its citizens. Where these are absent, where insecurity and lawlessness, crime and lack of justice are widespread, then the result is often conflict.

DFID’s programmes aim to help the governments of developing countries build up their capacity to provide security and fair, accessible justice for all their citizens, especially the poor and marginalised.

Conflict and governance

Conflict is the pursuit of contrary or seemingly incompatible interests – whether between individuals, groups or countries.

In states with good governance, strong civil society and robust political and social systems, where human rights are protected, conflicting interests can be managed. Ways can be found for groups to pursue their goals peacefully.

Where there is poor governance, however, then grievances, social exclusion and competition for resources are more likely to become violent.

Examples of conflict

A key factor behind the war in Sierra Leone was the exclusion of young people by older men, urban elites and rural chiefs. Young people, lacking political voice, social and economic opportunities, and facing declining public services, started fighting.

The 1994 genocide in Rwanda was the culmination of years of resentment by the Hutu ethnic group at their exclusion from the power wielded by the minority Tutsi group. The long-running conflict in Sri Lanka is a result of some Tamils feeling excluded from power by the majority Singhalese community.

As these examples show, groups denied access to economic, political and other opportunities and unable to achieve redress through civil institutions, may believe they have little to lose from taking violent action.

Supporting justice and security

The best means to prevent conflict is for a country to have an effective state which provides free and fair justice, and physical security to all its citizens. DFID's 2006 White Paper commits the UK to working with developing country governments and other partners to improve security, and provide access to justice for all.

DFID is currently committing £190 million to fund security and access to justice programmes in 20 countries. The largest of these are in Nigeria and Sierra Leone. These initiatives have been able to directly improve access to justice for the poorest and most vulnerable.

DFID contributes to the UN Peacebuilding Fund which provides support to justice and security in developing countries around the world. The Fund is helping:

• in Burundi, to establish the Independent National Commission of Human Rights; build new local courts; promote national dialogue around peacebuilding and fight corruption;
• in Sierra Leone, to build the capacity of the Human Rights Commission and support the justice system to prevent delays in trials and to clear the backlog of cases. It is also helping to increase employment opportunities for young people by supporting enterprise creation, micro-finance, skills development and training;
• in Liberia, to support reconciliation between ethnic groups in Nimba County by building local capacity for resolving property disputes and by increasing employment opportunities for disaffected youth;
• in Cote D’Ivoire, to support implementation of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement by facilitating direct talks between the Government and the armed opposition;
• in the Central African Republic, to support the organisation of an Inclusive Political Dialogue between the government, political parties, armed opposition groups and representatives of civil society.

Links

• 'Development: Making It Happen' DFID's Annual Report 2008