From: The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) site
Building a Pathway to Peace
“Where there is extreme inequality, oppression, marginalization, corruption, or resource scarcity, there is potential for conflict and violence.
Too often, these roots of conflict are not addressed until it is too late. Policymakers only pay attention after violence breaks out, often focusing on mitigating the damage and minimizing casualties. Following ceasefires and elite-driven peace processes, the seeds of violence often remain, dormant, waiting to grow again.
Peacebuilding is the critical tool in addressing the seeds of conflict and breaking cycles of violence at the local level. Peacebuilding is a long-term, often generational process that addresses the underlying causes of violent conflict by resolving injustices in nonviolent ways. It works to transform cultures and institutions that generate violent conflict, such as oppression, marginalization, gender inequality, and corruption, to enable sustainable peace to take root…”