Building peace in Bougainville: measuring recovery post conflict

Abstract

State, Society & Governance in Melanesia ips.cap.anu.edu.au/ssgm This paper documents the socio-economic status of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and the extent of rebound in investment and access to services since the cessation of conflict there in 1997. Data on the level of income, the age profile of the population, the level of access to basic services, and levels of investment in residential housing were collected via a household-level survey that was administered in the four major urban centres. Analysis of these data shows that per capita income has rebounded to 40 per cent of the pre-conflict level; approximately half of the population is aged less than 20 years; and one-third of schoolage children are not attending school. These observations have value in assessing the extent of economic recovery following the installation of peace and the levels of public investment required for improving access to basic services.