Aid Reduction and Local Civil Society in Conflict-Affected States: New Research and Stakeholder Dialogue

The effectiveness of peacebuilding and reconstruction efforts in conflict and post-conflict countries hinges on a variety of factors, including strong government, adequate resources, and a robust local civil society. While local civil society is often less prominent than local government or foreign donors, local civil society helps create the conditions that allow the efforts of these other actors to succeed. Key security objectives depend on local civil society. Democracy is facilitated by the communal trust and social networks civil society helps generate. Local civil society can provide essential input on the design of development initiatives and relief distribution, and project implementation can often be best carried out by local partners. More generally, civil society may play a key role in community resiliency, impeding the resumption of conflict.