>U Mom Knows Best: Why Promoting Peace is More Important than Ever Before

Monday, January 31, 2022

Why Promoting Peace is More Important than Ever Before

 Peace and security are critical elements of human life. No nation can grow or develop economically without peaceful coexistence among its populations.  The modern world is quite complex, with new security challenges developing every day that keep big organizations and world leaders such as Gregg Roman on their toes. In most cases, fighting conflict is not the problem; addressing the root causes and drivers of conflicts is the biggest challenge.

 These conflicts have multiple drivers and often do not stop at the local borders. While there are expert peacebuilders, peacebuilding should be a collective responsibility as peace benefits everyone, directly or indirectly. Development, security, economic justice, and reconciliation are some of the reasons all of us should invest heavily in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding.  In this article, we will discuss three critical reasons why peacebuilding should be a culture.

When Lives are Lost, Development is Hindered

 In 2020 alone, there were 34 armed conflicts that affected four continents: Africa, Asia, America, and Europe. That means more than 1.5 billion people live in countries affected by violent conflict.  When there is no peace, infrastructure is destroyed, thousands of lives are taken away, and human rights are abused. There is no respect for the law, and no development project can be realized.

 While new organizations and institutions are being created to prevent and resolve these conflicts, the gap between those countries enjoying peace and those in conflict grows wider. Most developing countries, particularly in Africa, continue to adopt sustainable measures to prevent disputes, but they are met with new challenges such as unemployment, poverty, and substance abuse. If these measures fail to cure the main problems, diplomacy, dialogue, mediation, or active participation don’t work.

The Conflict has Lasting Effects

 The impacts of conflict are far-reaching. Countries that have experienced conflict before continue to face the same challenges and threats of war. There is a lot of tension, instability, and little growth in such countries. When it comes to economic growth, no government wants to invest or trade with a country beset by violent conflicts. For instance, countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, and Somalia continue to face the deadly consequences of peace throughout the years.  Other nations that have experienced violent conflict before, such as Rwanda, are still rebuilding 20 years after the genocide. The impact still remains a fresh sharp reminder of the value of peace.

 The main reason why conflict takes a long time to be resolved is the lack of resources to solve the root causes like poverty and the willpower of the affected to choose peace. Those forced to leave their homes due to war or persecution would rather stay where they’re than lead others into creating a healthy, peaceful environment for everyone. What is destroyed in one day takes many years of hard work to get. Violence and conflict cost the world more than 14 trillion each year.

The Military Alone Cannot Bring Peace

 Conflict affects all of us and touches everyone in different ways. Issues such as inequality, exclusion, and injustice are some of the commonly overlooked challenges that can quickly bring conflict. That’s how extremist groups crop up and radicalize over time. While military forces can be deployed to counter acts of violence, they can stop a fight, but they cannot end the conflict.

 In fact, they can, at times, complicate things. Underlying social, political, and economic issues require diplomacy and other conflict resolution strategies. Peace should be a personal choice. Everyone should be given an equal chance to complain or share ideas. Peacebuilders should ensure no unspoken issues are left behind before working on peace operations.

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