Establish context

Political Context

It is important to be aware of the political situation in the location of interest because the government is a restricting factor when it comes to peacebuilding, especially if your work opposes the government’s political agenda. If this is the case, your organisation might struggle to gain legitimacy or collaborate with government agencies. On top of this, if there is a high rate of political corruption, the general public and peacebuilding organisations might hesitate to trust the government and its institutions. The corrupt practices of the government could also get in the way of your work – sometimes intentionally and illegitimately – through acts such as lobbying against your cause.

On a less pessimistic note, the government might simply lack awareness on the issue your organisation wishes to address. In this case, you can attempt to get them on your side by consistently trying to contact them or collaborate with them. It is important to be persistent to establish strong connections with the government – ‘Persistence is to be annoying, don’t let them forget your name’ (Alice Langton, Australia).

When your organisation is youth-based, governments hesitate to work with you – this is because they think youth do not yet have enough knowledge or experience about life. The way around this is, again, through persistence. You must build trust by proving your organisation to them and emphasising the importance of youth participation in their policies. This approach can be strengthened if you provide examples of your work and previously successful youth-based policies – show, don’t tell.

Socio-economic Context

The social and economic state of the location of interest affects the functioning of your organisation and its objectives. Economic inequality, varying education levels in the community, and lack of transportation opportunities were some economic and infrastructural challenges brought up by the interviewees. These factors have their respective drawbacks. For example, the consequences of inequality might mean that some people cannot prioritise anything other than survival: ‘It is difficult to go and tell somebody who is hungry about peacebuilding, someone who does not have food to eat’ (Jarvis Kao Ndong, Cameroon). In terms of transportation, there might be difficulties accessing rural areas – this factor raises the question of whether you will work on-site or remotely, both of which can be effective.

In countries that require peacebuilding, an environment of social unrest is common. Different ethnic/national identities’ perspectives on each other and their past conflicts might bring about a hostile environment. In these environments, violence and conflict will likely be reproduced cyclically: ‘Today, if you do not forgive your father's killer, tomorrow his son will destroy you if he becomes strong, and after that, your son will destroy one of them. This ugly wheel will continue to spin and it is clear that it will not end well’ (Fahim Farwak, Afghanistan). It is imperative to be aware of the narratives each group believes (about themselves and others) to be able to address these sensitive social settings appropriately. In these situations, survival itself might be a privilege for some people.

Personal Context

Some interviewees stated that having the ability to help – especially in peacebuilding – brings about a responsibility to do so. For your efforts to be grounded in reality, you must know where you are located in regards to the community you wish to help. Are you a member? How does your financial and educational situation compare to the people you want to help? Are you any different in terms of age, gender, sexuality, race, religion, etc.? All of these factors bring about differences in privilege that you should be aware of. One interviewee – Katrina Leclerc from Canada – said that one of her biggest challenges as a highly educated, straight, white, cis woman is pinpointing her positionality: ‘Where is my space in this? And how do I enable space for others? And how do I make sure that my voice is not being heard over those who are part of those communities [LGBTQIA+ youth, racialised youth, disabled youth]?’ Katrina touches upon why it is imperative to know your positionality while peacebuilding: to ensure that you don’t speak over marginalised people – you can be the person providing them with a platform or method of speaking, but you should not speak for them. Being aware of your positionality can ensure that the help you offer is respectful and realistic, meaning you can form truthful bonds with the community and help them more effectively.