PEACEBUILDING AND HUMAN SECURITY IN REFUGEE COMMUNITIES: UN, STATE, AND NON-STATE NETWORKS

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1 PEACEBUILDING AND HUMAN SECURITY IN REFUGEE COMMUNITIES: UN, STATE, AND NON-STATE NETWORKS Jeffrey Pugh, Ph.D Executive Director Center for Mediation, Peace, & Resolution of Conflict (CEMPROC) Assistant Professor of Political Science, Providence College

2 Refugees & Asylum seekers by country Asylum seekers Refugees assisted by UNHCR

3 Host population Migrant population Presence without legal recognition or access to rights

4 Vulnerability in the Invisibility Bargain Women fleeing from Colombia often continue being abused and are afraid to do anything because of their fear of others and from fear of being deported. Becoming a refugee is often an emotional blow, and it often affects people s self-esteem. -Ecuadorian social worker who works with the refugee population They believe that they do not have rights, they say we do not have the right to complain and since they are in such a poor condition of life, so precarious, I believe that more than one simply bears and accepts the violence. church worker

5 4 dimensions of Peacebuilding (R 3 P) Protection Rights Resources Recognition

6 What is the principal problem Colombians face in Ecuador? Principal problem (%)

7 Case Study I: Interagency Program on Peace & Development in the Northern Border Zone of Ecuador (PDP-FN)

8 Case study II: Enhanced Registration Joint initiative between GoE and UNHCR (with NGO partners/observers) Mobile registration brigades + public communication Legalized 27,000+ Colombians, more than doubled # of registered refugees in Ecuador

9 CEMPROC Breaking Destructive Cycles: Dialogue with Colombian & Ecuadorian Women

10 Effect of meaningful interaction with Ecuadorians on Colombians attitudes Positive perception No opinion Negative perception 10 0 No interaction Casual interaction Meaningful interaction

11 Governance Networks: State, UN, and Local buy-in, priorities, and sustainability are crucial Often, actor without government authority is more flexible to open political space and dialogue among invisible populations Dialogue is most effective when task-oriented toward shared problems, and incorporating R 3 P Key governance functions carried out by NGOs or UN don t necessarily erode, and may strengthen, the state NGOs *Primary advantages of interagency peacebuilding work that links state, NGOs, and UN system (general observations or specific examples from your experience include your agency) *Primary challenges/ drawbacks

12 UN Participant Contributions Opens up It leads to a more comprehensive & complementary intervention. This approach usually makes a greater impact toward peace writ large Interagency stakeholder cooperation eventually takes root There are often turf wars as well as competition over available resources. dialogue Despair on the part of the refugee if not allowed to participate/ contribute to daily life Interagency work is often an add-on to existing responsibilities, therefore it is not prioritized. A coordinator is critical for the success of any interagency cooperation. Resistance from UN agency or from states Sovereignty comes into question Different mandates Creation of working groups w/ all stakeholders Language barriers between states with different languages If allowed to function in all major aspects of daily life, infusion of new culture, foods, clothing, etc. Donor community pays attention While my experiences are limited, I can extrapolate that resulting problems of interagency peacebuilding are simple human problems, and once there is assimilation, theoretically biases are reduced

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14 Institutional networks

15 % of population living in poverty Urban Rural National Average

16 % of Colombians who have been victim of violent crime in Ecuador Ecuadorian Aggressor Colombian Aggressor Yes No

17 Colombian victim response after violent attack in Ecuador Ecuadorian Aggressor (n=45) Colombian Aggressor (n=12)