Events

This event has ended; audio and photos are available. The U.S. Institute of Peace hosted the launch of the Public-Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade, a joint initiative by the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), on November 15, 2011, in collaboration with USIP’s Center for Sustainable Economies this initiative is part of a coordinated the effort to reduce trade in conflict minerals in the Eastern Congo and the Great Lakes region of Africa.

In October 2000, the United Nations Security Council passed landmark Resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security, which linked women’s experiences of conflict to the international peace and security agenda, acknowledging their peacemaking roles as well as the disproportionate impact of violent conflict on women. Ten years later, the U.S. Institute of Peace co-hosted a three-day Women and War conference focused on the varied experiences of women during wartime and how to make sustained progress toward international peace and security. The event featured an extraordinary coalition of national and international participants, including U.N. and U.S. government officials, the international diplomatic communities, military personnel, academics, civil society leaders, and practitioners in the fields of security, development, and conflict resolution.

This event celebrated the publication of Youth in Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Agents of Change by Stephanie Schwartz published by the U.S. Institute of Peace. Using three cases of post-conflict reconstruction—Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kosovo—this study goes beyond the well documented cases focused exclusively on child soldiers to examine the roles of the broader youth population and their impact on the reconstruction process. The panelists drew on their own experiences working with youth in conflict zones to distill best practices in addressing youth needs in areas of conflict and pinpointed what issues must be resolved as we look to the future.

Reducing violence and conflict triggers in the DRC requires an effective and lasting solution to the problem of displacement.  UNHCR has programs to register displaced persons, provide legal and protection assistance, in addition to assisting refugee and IDPs with basic needs such as shelther and non-food items.  Measuring and evaluating the impact of these interventions is critical, particularly in view of the worrying trends in areas like SGBV.  In light of these challenges, panelists at this event examined opportunities and limitations for international engagement in the humanitarian, social and economic sectors.  

This workshop aimed to inform members of the Democratic Republic of Congo diaspora and other stakeholders of ongoing development assistance programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), provide a forum for a frank exchange of ideas and identify avenues for more effective diaspora involvement in peacebuilding.