Post-conflict Zones Research Articles

UN Mission in Bosnia

This paper argues that the UN failed in its peace mission to Bosnia (UNMIBH), playing an actively detrimental role in the victims’ experience of sexual exploitation and human trafficking, and an insufficient role in holding accountable those who were at fault. The immediate response was intended for the benefit of the UN’s public image rather than the victims, and the Zero-Tolerance Policy that was later implemented made insufficient changes in the prevalence of abuse. This paper recommends implementing mechanisms to remove UN immunity from those who have committed such violent acts, such that they face consequences more serious than merely returning home. Other recommendations include expanded understanding and training regarding organized crime presence in post-conflict zones, more precisely defined measures regarding the accountability of private military companies, and an improved reporting mechanism for victims of sex crimes on peacekeeping missions. While this problem is certainly deep-rooted, tangible change must be made and experienced by those who depend on the UN.

Evolving Decision-Making: Exploring the Shift from Binary to Preferential Voting

Covid and Climate Change are telling us that we must all work together.But we cannot work well with each other, if we are forever taking decisions by voting (for or) against each other. By viewing problems in more detail, however, by not oversimplifying our controversies, and then by expressing our preferences on a range of, say, half-a-dozen options, cooperation and collective decision-making are indeed possible. Accordingly, this article first looks at a history of decision-making voting procedures, from the binary (either ‘Option X, yes or no?’ or ‘Option X or option Y?’), to the multi-optional or, better still, preferential; next, it critiques majority voting and considers some of the other, more sophisticated mechanisms, before concluding that a preferential points procedure is actually the most accurate. Finally, the text outlines the beneficial consequences that could accrue from developing such a non-binary political structure; majority voting leads to majority (sic) rule, whereas preferential decision-making could be is the basis of a quantum polity and real majority rule: a non-partisan polity of all-party power-sharing. Such a structure is often used in post-conflict zones, but could also be the basis of cooperation and consensus seeking in the UN’s efforts on Climate Change.

Transforming Care: Individual Social Work in Post-Conflict Zones for Children and Youth.

The significance of efficient social service provision has gained increased attention in war-affected regions following the Russia-Ukraine war conflict. The conventional method of establishing social services is currently facing criticism due to an increasing acknowledgment of the advantages associated with tailored and customised social work interventions, particularly in the context of children and young individuals. The article explores the notion of deinstitutionalization, emphasising its importance in post-conflict areas and emphasising the value of a personalised social work approach in promoting the welfare of children and young people impacted by the Russia-Ukraine war conflict. The present article is grounded in a comprehensive conceptual review of pertinent literature, encompassing books, journals, and related scholarly articles within the specific field of study. Research has endeavoured to ascertain the challenges and ramifications associated with the implementation of institutionalised social work practices. This study has also explored the potential pragmatic benefits of personalised social work interventions in areas of conflict, particularly focusing on children and adolescents. This article could also elucidate the key factors that should be taken into account while engaging with individuals, particularly children and young people, in regions characterised by war. The comprehensive endeavour would serve as a valuable resource for further examination, particularly in relation to the use of a personalised social work approach within the specific circumstances of recurrent invasions and civil conflicts.

Inbound, Outbound Disturbances and Supply Chain Vulnerability of Firms Operating in Post-conflict Zones: The Case of Somalia

Inbound, Outbound Disturbances and Supply Chain Vulnerability of Firms Operating in Post-conflict Zones: The Case of Somalia

Always take a look back. Ethics in post-conflict archaeology

AbstractThis reaction to the Paul Newson and Ruth Young paper entitled ‘Post-conflict ethics, archaeology and archaeological heritage. A call for discussion’ (Archaeological dialogues, 2022) supports the call for a discussion regarding archaeological ethics in post-conflict zones. Following the agreement on the fuzzy border between the state of ‘conflict’ and ‘post-conflict’, it reflects on the continuity between these two. Furthermore, the reaction adds an additional issue to the discussion, which is the ethical ground of ‘being above the conflict’. Applying a ‘holistic ethic’ approach, it reflects on the ethical assessment of archaeological practices performed by Russian archaeologists in the zones that were damaged during conflict, escalated due to the actions of the Russian government. A series of examples are shown to consider the complexity of ethical judgements in this particular case. Last but not least, the reaction claims that in some cases ethical judgements are possible and effective due to the convergence of numerous factors.

Can animal personalities save human lives? Evidence for repeatable differences in activity and anxiety in African giant pouched rats (Cricetomys ansorgei)

Scent-detection animals require an exceptional sense of smell as well as a unique set of behavioural traits. Regardless of species, there are specific characteristics that influence the animal's success in a detection career. However, few studies have tested these characteristics in species other than dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). APOPO, a global non-profit organisation based in Tanzania, trains giant African pouched rats (Cricetomys ansorgei) to save human lives by leveraging their olfactory abilities. The rats can detect explosives in post-conflict zones and serve as a second-line screening tool to sniff out tuberculosis (TB) in human sputum samples. The rats' scent-detection behaviours are influenced by a myriad of external (e.g., scent training) and internal (e.g., instinct) forces. Rats also present unique personality traits (repeatable behavioural differences among individuals across time and contexts) which likely contribute to their success as scent-detection animals. Considering a rat's personality traits and related cognitive styles when determining their scent-detection task assignment may improve training efficiency. We conducted open-field tests to characterise 25 rats' anxiety, exploratory, and locomotory behaviours. Exploratory and anxiety behaviours were repeatable across the year (exploratory: R = 0.38; anxiety: R = 0.30), indicating consistent personality traits. We also discovered female rats exhibited more exploratory behaviour than male rats. These results provide initial evidence for unique personalities in giant African pouched rats and support future investigations exploring if matching personalities to the specific demands of the scent detection task could bolster training.

Asimetrično delovanje nedržavnih naoružanih grupa u postkonfliktnim područjima

The acceleration of globalization has caused a series of negative political, security, demographic and socio-economic consequences in the world, causing the weakening and the collapse of some states, the appearance of various forms of expression of political and social unrest, as well as the strengthening of non-state actors, especially those who use violence to achieve their political, ideological and socio-economic goals. The operation of non-state armed actors, or groups, such as Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State, the Taliban, Hezbollah, Hamas, and Al-Shabaab, in post-conflict zones and areas of frozen conflicts, represents a significant political, security and social problem, at the national, regional and global level. Explanation of the nature and character of the non-state armed groups activities is the subject of consideration in this paper. The authors start from the hypothesis that the action of these actors is essentially asymmetric and largely based on the exploitation of the weaknesses of state and international entities. In this paper authors use the theoretical concept of asymmetry to explain the approaches, methods, techniques and tactics used by nonstate armed groups in an effort to maximize their strengths and exploit the weaknesses of a superior adversary. The paper presents a theoretical synthesis of extensive scientific and professional literature on the nature of the activities of non-state armed groups. Numerous scientific and expert analysis and research indicate that non-state armed groups use unconventional and irregular approaches and methods of warfare against a superior opponent, often transferring the conflict to non-military dimensions, in order to compensate their military inferiority and effectively use the enemy's weaknesses. Their activity is very present in post-conflict zones and zones of frozen conflicts, especially in areas where the nexus of criminal activities, conflicts and vulnerability prevails. The asymmetric action of non-state armed groups, in the mentioned zones, is based on challenging state control of the territory and population, through deep infiltration into the political system of the state, creating state-like political orders, violently challenging the state legitimacy by carrying out terrorist attacks, usurping and taking over legal economic and financial flows, as well as organizing various criminal activities.

Pandemics That Generate a New Grotian Moment in International Law

Pandemics, as international health crises, impact the world like the two great wars that the international community faced last century. This has been confirmed by Covid-19 once again for the last two and half years. Individuals, states, societies, and sectors across the world have been seriously impacted in many ways. International law has also inevitably had its share of this. The UN Security Council, the special body of the UN, has technically recognised pandemics threats to international peace and security (IPaS) since 2000. Accordingly, UN peacekeeping missions in the field have been employed to eliminate the effects of pandemics in conflict and post-conflict zones where pandemics occur or cannot be prevented. Additionally, the UN Secretary-General exceptionally established a health mission, namely UNMEER for the first time in the Organisation’s history in the fight against the Ebola pandemic, which requires a speciality beyond the capacity of classical UN missions in 2014. Presumably, this trend commenced by the Secretary-General will continue through the Council’s authorisation against future pandemics. Recognition of pandemics as IPaS threats and missions’ response to pandemics on the ground are significant developments which can be accepted as a turning point for the collective security system (CSS) of the UN and, thus, for international law. This paper argues that the transformation of international law due to pandemics is a new Grotian Moment, which is uniquely used to name transformative changes in international law in the scholarly literature.

Prevalence of pediatric surgical problems among east African refugees: estimates from a cross-sectional survey using random cluster sampling

ImportanceSurgery is a foundational aspect to high functioning health care systems. In the wake of the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, previous research has focused on defining the burden of surgical conditions among a pediatric population, however these studies often fail to include forced migrant or refugees. The goal of this study was to estimate the prevalence of pediatric surgical conditions among refugees in east Africa.MethodsWe used the previously validated Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS) that utilizes cross-sectional design with random cluster sampling to assess prevalence of surgical disease among participants aged 0 to 18 years in Nyarugusu refugee camp, Tanzania. We used descriptive and multivariable analyses including an average marginal effects model.ResultsA total of 1,658 participants were included in the study. The mean age of our sample was 8.3 ± 5.8 years. A total of 841 participants (50.7%) were male and 817 participants (49.3%) were female. A total of 513 (n = 30.9%) reported a history or presence of a problem that may be surgical in nature, and 280 (54.6%) of them reported the problem was ongoing or untreated. Overall, 16.9% had an ongoing problem that may be amenable to surgery. We found that increasing age and recent illness were associated with having a surgical problem on both our multivariable analyses.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first and largest study of prevalence of surgical conditions among refugee children in sub-Saharan Africa. We found that over 16% (one-in-six) of refugee children have a problem that may be amenable to surgery. Our results provide a benchmark upon which other studies in conflict or post-conflict zones with refugee or forced migrant populations may be compared.

Sustainable businesses development in post-conflict zones: a case in rural Colombia

PurposeFarmers in Colombia have faced economic instability due to a long-lasting armed conflict. An attempt to support the rural community has been through the creation of productive alliances – a strategic association between small-scale producers and anchor companies with the assistance of the private and public sectors. By closely examining the Association of Guarupay Palm Growers (ASOPAY)'s financial cash flows, this study investigates the challenges faced by small-scale agribusinesses in an emerging economy.Design/methodology/approachThis study addresses the situation of ASOPAY, an oil palm productive alliance formed by families displaced by the Colombian armed conflict and relocated in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains. By closely examining ASOPAY's financial flows, the article sheds light on the economic incentives enhancing the cohesion of the small-farmers’ association.FindingsA key finding is the critical role played by institutional efforts focused by promoting policies to enhance producers income. In addition, technological transfers made through technical assistance programs may improve the association's profitability by enhancing agronomic practices, while decreasing palm mortality and disease incidence.Research limitations/implicationsThe relatively small sample used in the study might rise concerns regarding the generalization of the outcomes. However, the authors implemented strategies to overcome these limitations by incorporating the inputs from experts on the oil palm supply chain in Colombia and from experts in rural development.Originality/valueTo the authors' knowledge, this is the first study analyzing the financial success of small farmers in post-conflict zones.

Analysis of a biorefinery with multiple raw materials in the context of post-conflict zones in Colombia: plantain and avocado integration in the Montes de María region

Analysis of a biorefinery with multiple raw materials in the context of post-conflict zones in Colombia: plantain and avocado integration in the Montes de María region

Voluntary non-formal teacher professional learning for democratic peacebuilding citizenship education: A participatory approach

This article presents a six-session course the author developed as an integral part of a doctoral research to explore two small groups of teachers’ initial understandings of democratic peacebuilding citizenship through eliciting their narratives of practice and their emerging understandings after voluntarily participating in this non-formal professional learning initiative. Another aim of the study was to explore how their involvement in the course facilitated their own professional learning. Teacher participants were from different private schools in two relatively contrasting contexts, one in the Greater Cairo Area in Egypt and one in the Greater Toronto Area in Canada. This course sets an exemplary participatory approach to inform future research in teacher professional learning for democratic peacebuilding citizenship education in post-conflict zones, societies transitioning out of violent conflict and relatively democratic societies.

Legal empowerment of the poor (LEP) in fragile and conflict affected areas (FCAS)

The United Nations Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor estimated i in 2008 that there were 4 billion people who lived outside the protection of the law. More recently, in 2019 it was estimated that 4.5 billion people are excluded from ii opportunities that the law provides . By 2030, 85% of those remaining in extreme poverty – some 342 million people – will be in Fragile and Conflict Affected Areas (FCAS), situations in which the rule of law is almost non-existent. For many of the excluded, the law is an abstraction or a form of punitive threat, not something that they can use to exercise their basic rights. The idea behind the inclusion of access to justice under Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16) on peace justice and strong institutions, was in part for legal empowerment of the poor (LEP), in conflict and post-conflict zones. The legal empowerment of the poor is rooted in a human rights-based approach in which markets and human rights interact. The four pillars of LEP are access to justice and the rule of law, and property, labour and business rights. It also admits the fact that every individual should have access to justice, which includes a due process of law and remedies to eradicate discrimination. This paper considers the special requirements for pursuing LEP in Fragile and Conflict Affected States (FCAS) such as legitimate politics, security, and rebuilding social and economic foundations.

Deformation of Armox 440T plates subject to buried explosive charge detonations: A benchmark for appliqué systems

Loading of vehicle undercarriages from the detonation of shallow-buried explosives remains a serious threat to life in conflict and post-conflict zones. One method to protect lightly-armoured vehicles is to retrofit them with appliqué armour, which must be strong enough to provide adequate protection, but light enough to maintain vehicle manoeuvrability. A key performance metric of this armour is its deformation under loading, which must be limited to avoid impact upon vehicle occupants. The high-strength steel Armox 440T is commonly used due to its high load capacity, strength-to-weight ratio, ductility and low cost: as other protection systems are developed, it would be of great benefit to compare their deformation against an Armox 440T benchmark. However, no definitive benchmarking study has been published to date, mainly due to the difficulties in ensuring repeatable loading from complex buried detonations.This paper presents experiments which underpin such a benchmarking study, building on the authors’ previous work to establish a methodology which produces very consistent loading from shallow-buried detonations. Tests were conducted with a range of explosive masses and plate thicknesses, with target plates secured in a purpose-designed frame to produce simple, consistent boundary conditions. Plate deformations captured by stereo high-speed digital image correlation were compared to a commonly-used low-cost peak deflection method. High-speed digital image correlation was found to make highly reproducible displacement measurements with a standard deviation of 2% of the mean. The low-cost method provided slightly higher variability up to 5% of the mean value, and measurements of peak deformation were systematically 20% higher, but in a consistent manner, with a low unit cost and without risk to expensive test equipment. The low-cost method therefore allowed the development of a multivariate regression relationship between deformation, charge size and plate thickness, which provides a benchmark for the assessment of future protection solutions.

Implementation of mental health services in conflict and post-conflict zones: Lessons from Syria.

ABSTRACTObjective:We describe the challenges confronted and lessons learned in implementing mental healthcare during the Syrian war to inform effective services for conflict-affected Syrian populations.Materials and Methods:We searched the academic and gray literature. We draw on the experiences of Syrian-American mental health professionals with nine years of experience providing clinical and programmatic mental healthcare in combat settings, siege, internally displaced person camps, and refugee camps.Results:Collaboration with nonprofessional personnel was essential due to the shortage of formally trained mental healthcare professionals in Syria. The use of psychological and diagnostic terms increased stigma, whereas asking about the patient’s identified problem, “suffering,” or “challenges” supported engagement. War-related trauma and horizontal violence commonly affect Syrian children, adolescents, and adults. Resilience and engagement were enhanced by sensitivity to patients’ dignity, religious acceptance, and faith.Conclusions:The Syrian war remains an ongoing public health and humanitarian crisis in which mental healthcare must adapt rapidly to specific needs and resources of the patient and community. Psychiatrists can increase the acceptability and efficacy of their care by being sensitive to Syrian patients’ experiences of horizontal violence, loss of dignity, stigma, worldviews in which religion and faith may be important sources of resilience, and culturally acceptable modes of communication.

PEACEBUILDING PRACTICES OF JAPAN: LESSONS FROM SRI LANKA

Peacebuilding involves a process that includes different roles and functions. It also ranges from a series of activities such as ceasefire and refugee resettlement to the development of revised economic reconstruction and a new government. International communities have significantly increased aid for prevention of conflict, rapid humanitarian aid and reconstruction in post-conflict zones. In the wide spectrum of peacebuilding, the Government of Japan which had been certain to dedicate to traditional development issues widened the activities beyond the development after 2002. That was the time to respond to the Sri Lanka conflict with the Japan’s policy on Consolidation of Peace. The aim of this paper is to examine the peacebuilding efforts of the Japanese government since 2002 in post-conflict Sri Lanka. The study adopts a descriptive nature through the use of a qualitative method. This paper will also scale the effectiveness of the Japanese peacebuilding efforts in Sri Lanka.

Cultural Concepts of Substance Use and Idioms of Distress in Male Syrian Refugees in Germany

Abstract Background The study of substance use disorder among communities affected by mass violence has not received equal attention as other health concerns. This has led to the majority of psychosocial interventions in post-conflict zones being unresponsive to substance use-related problems among refugees. This study focused on gaining an in-depth understanding of the lay discourses and cultural concepts around substance use among male Syrian refugees in Germany. Methods Purposive and convenience sampling strategies were used for the recruitment of participants. The interview schedule was piloted among experts prior to conducting fieldwork. Inclusion criteria were a recent arrival from Syria. The study utilized a qualitative methodology, consisting of semi-structured group interviews with a native-speaking professional translator. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analyzed using an inductive thematic approach. Results Participants were refugees aged between 18 - 60 years (n = 19). The narratives revealed three themes. Firstly, the characteristics of Syrian society featured particularly in the participants' narratives. Society's rejection of substance use, generally enforced through taboos (e.g. halal/haram) was described and placed in contrast to a more liberal German society. Easier access and an open attitude to drug use in Europe were seen as problematic by some. The social stigma attached to mental health issues was discussed in participant narratives. Stigma was interpreted as both a cause for the development of a disorder as well as an exacerbating factor. Family was perceived as a protective force against substance use and the development of disorders. Thirdly, substance use was understood as one strategy of coping with stress, experience of violence and displacement. Conclusions Substance use may be seen as both an expression and a product of social suffering caused by the experience of war and displacement.

Las Asociaciones Público Privadas (APP) para una educación de calidad en el marco de una Colombia en paz: revisión de literatura

El propósito de este artículo es presentar los avances, las tendencias y las contribuciones de las asociaciones público privadas (APP) para una educación de calidad, mediante un análisis y sistematización de los tópicos “Public-Private Partnership” y “Education” en revistas académicas indexadas en la base de datos Web of Science en el periodo de tiempo 2001-2019. Los resultados indican que este es un tema vigente, de gran interés para la comunidad académica y profesional, que se ha implementado con éxito en el desarrollo de infraestructura educativa, principalmente en países desarrollados y que puede ser aplicable en Colombia para el mejoramiento de la calidad educativa en el marco del proceso de reconstrucción del tejido social en zonas de posconflicto.

Transitional environmentality – Understanding uncertainty at the junctures of eco-logical production in Timor-Leste

Environmentality has proven an enduring framework for interrogating issues around environmental behaviours and discourse as a means of subject governance and citizen-making. However, its application often insufficiently reflects the temporal nuances of environmental (eco) logics as transient, emergent and differentiated amongst ‘citizens’. This is particularly the case in post-conflict zones of transition where the fluidity, friction and fractural nature of socio-political relations between state and subject are often overlooked. By examining community experiences in the establishment of Timor-Leste’s first national park, this article highlights the inadequate attention directed towards addressing these concerns. It proposes ‘transitional’ environmentality as a novel framework that first, better reflects the ever-transient nature of environmental behaviour and regulation; and second, recognizes the prevalence for this in post-conflict landscapes. Transitional environmentality emphasizes the temporal fragility of environmental authority structures and its potential for renegotiation of resource management between the frictions of the state and the subjects it seeks to make.

Smart management of the reconstruction process of post-conflict cities

PurposeCities lying within conflict zones have continually faced hardships of both war aftermath and long-term sustainable reconstruction. Challenges have surpassed the typical question of recovery from post-conflict trauma, preserving urban heritage and iconic elements of the built environment, to face issues of critical decision making, rebuilding effectiveness and funding mechanisms, leading to time-consuming processes that lack adequate consistent long-term management. Some approaches have explored methods of effective long-term city reconstruction management but have not fully developed comprehensive approaches that alleviate the management of such complex processes. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachThe authors devise an approach for the smart management of post-conflict city reconstruction. The authors focus on evaluation, strategic planning, reconstruction projects and implementation. The authors integrate building information modeling and geographic/geospatial information systems in a platform that allows for real-time analysis, reporting, strategic planning and decision making for managing reconstruction operations and projects among involved stakeholders including government agencies, funding organizations, city managers and public participants.FindingsThe approach suggested a smart management system for the reconstruction process of post-conflict cities. Implementing this system was shown to provide a multi-objective solution for post-conflict city reconstruction based on its interlinked modules.Research limitations/implicationsResults may lack generalizability and require testing on several cases to provide rigorous findings for different case studies.Practical implicationsImplications include developing smart management systems for use by city managers and government authorities in post-conflict zones, as well as bottom-up decision making by including participant citizens especially populations in the diaspora.Originality/valueThe approach offers an integrated platform that informs city reconstruction decision makers, allowing for strategic planning tools for efficient planning, monitoring tools for continuous management during and after reconstruction, and effective platforms for communication among all stakeholders.