Rethinking conflict transformation from a human rights perspective

This paper looks at the question of whether and to what extent the protection and promotion of human rights is necessary for efforts to address conflict and build peace. It argues that considering human rights and conflict transformation together deepens analysis of what is involved in moving from violence to sustainable peace. It is informed by the fact that the two are complementary and each contributes to a better understanding of the other by highlighting elements that are relatively under-explored in the theory and practice of each separate field.

The main focus of this paper is conflict transformation but the author asserts that considering the two together highlights the need to employ a holistic, multi-dimensional understanding of human rights. This paper comments about the published literature, proposes a framework for understanding human rights and conflict transformation and discusses some of the practical implications.

The paper concludes by pointing out the following areas for further research:

• the dilemma of how to facilitate a 'positive mutual accommodation' of state and non-state mechanisms in hybrid political orders, needs to be addressed, while grounding the resultant political order on a normative basis in line with international standards

• although conflict transformation emphasises the importance of local ownership, the interaction between the local and the international should also be given greater consideration

• more research and better practice is needed to clarify how structural change might be achieved and supported, and the scope for and limitations of external involvement in the change processes.