Conflict Prevention and Sustaining Peace

Developing effective strategies to prevent violent conflict and maintain peace dividends

UN Peacekeepers from Senegal

Preventing violent conflict and creating pathways for peace has been core to the UN’s work since its founding. UNU-CPR’s work in this area has ranged from in-depth, field-driven research in particular conflict and peacebuilding settings, to tracking transnational threats and risks and identifying ways that the multilateral system might respond to conflict risks. 

Our work seeks to identify both problems and possible solutions, addressing questions like: How is climate contributing to local, national or international conflict drivers and vulnerabilities? How do changes in transnational armed group patterns or geopolitical dynamics affect prospects for conflict mediation and mitigation? Are current models for peace operations and peacebuilding still fit-for-purpose? How can emerging technologies and practices contribute to conflict prevention and safeguards against the erosion of rights?  

We work with UN entities and bodies, regional organizations, Member States, and a range of civil society partners to identify the answers to these questions – and to lead the way in developing best practices and innovative approaches.  

Highlights

Blog Post

Countering transnational crime to secure peace

Transnational criminal networks pose a growing threat to peace and security. What measures can UN peace operations adopt in response?

16 Nov 2024

Blog Post

Local perspectives should shape multilateral responses to transnational organized crime

How multilateral responses to transnational criminal networks can be adapted to the realities of local communities for enhanced impact.

16 Nov 2024

United Nations General Assembly Hall

Assembly for peace

A digital handbook on the UN General Assembly's past practice on peace and security
Download Thematic Review

Projects

Project

2024 PBF Thematic Review: Synergies between Human Rights and Peacebuilding in PBF-supported Programming

Evaluating the Peacebuilding Fund's role in fostering synergies between human rights and peacebuilding.

30 May 2024

Project

Thematic Review on Youth, Peace and Security

Examining how the Peacebuilding Fund has contributed to realizing the "YPS" agenda over the past five years.

09 Feb 2024

Project

Countering transnational organized crime in conflict-affected states

Exploring past multilateral efforts to counter transnational organized crime in conflict-affected states and fragile states, and identifying more coherent and effective responses.

25 Jul 2023

Project

Stress Testing the UN’s Regional Prevention Approaches

This project was driven by the key question: How can the UN better integrate its regional prevention work to more effectively respond to major crises?

24 Jul 2023

Project

Thematic Review on Climate-Security and Peacebuilding

Identifying entry points and pathways for building peace and mitigating conflict in climate-affected and fragile environments.

24 Jul 2023

Project

Inclusion and Gender Sensitivity for Effective Peace Mediation

This project showed that women’s inclusion and gender sensitivity in peace mediation are inseparable but not interchangeable.

09 Feb 2022

News and Events

Event

The role of the General Assembly in strengthening peace and security

A hybrid side event scheduled during the Action Days leading up to the Summit of the Future

-

Event

Stronger Partnerships, Regional Prevention, and the New Agenda for Peace: A Dialogue Towards the Summit of the Future

Critical considerations for the upcoming Summit of the Future.

-

News

New Policy Brief Helps Financial Sector Address Crisis-Driven Modern Slavery Risks

Identifying the steps financial institutions can take to prepare for and address risks associated with crises and displacements.

06 May 2023

Event

Understanding Climate-Related Mobility in Contexts of Urbanization

This roundtable examined the challenges of climate-related mobility and processes of urbanization in the Global South.

-