What Works in Preventing Election Violence

What Works in Preventing Election Violence

Monday, October 22, 2018

By: Jonas Claes;  Inken von Borzyskowski

Drawing on extensive field research in Kenya and Liberia around the 2017 elections in those countries, this report uses local survey data to evaluate the effectiveness of seven prevention measures thought to reduce the risk of election violence. Its recommendations, directed primarily to the international community but offering...

Type: Peaceworks

Global Elections & Conflict

Ukraine’s Elections Could Turn Violent—This is How to Prevent It

Ukraine’s Elections Could Turn Violent—This is How to Prevent It

Thursday, December 20, 2018

By: Artem Miroshnichenko

Ukraine is facing a busy election season in 2019, with presidential elections on March 31 and parliamentary elections scheduled for October, amid a challenging security context. Many Ukrainians expect turbulent and “dirty” elections with increased tension during the campaign periods, and between Election Day and the likely presidential run-off.

Type: Analysis

Global Elections & Conflict

Preventing Election Violence in Liberia

Preventing Election Violence in Liberia

Thursday, September 7, 2017

By: Inken von Borzyskowski

Liberia will hold presidential and legislative elections on October 10. The run-up to the vote has been primarily peaceful, and the country has engaged in ongoing efforts to prevent election violence. This Peace Brief, based on USIP research, assesses the risk of election violence and the scope of violence prevention efforts, and provides recommendations for ongoing prevention.

Type: Peace Brief

Global Elections & ConflictDemocracy & Governance

New European Institute of Peace Prepares for Debut

New European Institute of Peace Prepares for Debut

Monday, March 3, 2014

In times of slow economic recovery, and historically low levels of political trust, the creation of a new peacebuilding organization in Europe offers a rare and unexpected opportunity for optimism on the continent. On February 18, seven countries signed the charter establishing a European Institute of Peace, or EIP, based in Brussels.

Type: Analysis

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

Responsibility to Protect Weighed Down by Misconceptions

Responsibility to Protect Weighed Down by Misconceptions

Friday, August 16, 2013

To the limited extent policymakers in Washington, D.C. are familiar with the Responsibility to Protect, the principle is frequently dismissed as “a U.N. thing” or “something the Canadians came up with.” Ever since the concept was first introduced in 2001, the U.S. response has remained lukewarm, even though heads of state and government unanimously endorsed the principle at the 2005 United Nations World Summit, the U.S. among them.

Type: Analysis

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

'Never Again' Isn’t Enough

'Never Again' Isn’t Enough

Monday, April 7, 2014

By: Jonas Claes

The 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide offers an opportune moment to reflect on the horrific events of 1994, and honor the countless victims and survivors who still carry the collective trauma of mass murder. Remembering these deliberate efforts to extinguish an entire ethnic community should not only give us pause, but also encourage our atrocity prevention community, including humanitarian and peace organizations around the world, to rethink how such failures of humanity can guide us ...

Type: Analysis

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

Preventing Conflict in the "Stans"

Preventing Conflict in the "Stans"

Friday, April 23, 2010

By: Jonas Claes

Several destabilizing dynamics persist throughout eastern Central Asia, such as weak governance, poor social and economic conditions, ethnic tensions and religious militancy. While these differ in kind and scope in each country, some conflict drivers are transnational in scope, such as energy insecurity and environmental degradation.

Type: Peace Brief

ReligionEnvironmentGlobal PolicyEconomics

Walking a Fine Line: Holding Elections Amid Peace Processes

Walking a Fine Line: Holding Elections Amid Peace Processes

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Elections that are organized amid a peace process can either destabilize or pacify a conflict. The vote can put significant pressure on a peace accord, as Colombia is experiencing today, or it can integrate formerly warring parties into the political process, as in Nepal’s 2008 Constituent Assembly elections. The timing of elections in relation to peace processes, as well as the inclusivity of the process itself, are critical in determining whether peace or conflict prevails at the polls.

Type: Analysis

Global Elections & ConflictPeace Processes