View previous stories
	Egalitarian Principles - the Foundation for Sustainable Peace by Martti Ahtisaari UN University - UNU-WIDER Finland   The 17th WIDER Annual Lecture was held on 19 September in Helsinki, Finland. The lecture was delivered by Nobel Laureate Martti Ahtisaari who explored the role egalitarian principles can play in conflict resolution, peacebuilding and development.   Each year, the United Nations University -World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) hosts the WIDER Annual Lecture, which is delivered by an eminent scholar or policy maker who has made a significant contribution in the field of economics of development and transition. In 2013 the WIDER Annual Lecture was given by President Martti Ahtisaari, Nobel Peace Prize Winner (2008), and Member of the Group of Elders.   The international community has made some progress in ending violent conflict and bringing a measure of peace to a large number of nations. Yet today conflicts still rage in many parts of the world and societal tensions are tangible and even increasing in many countries. The forces of democratization are strong, but so too are those pulling nations back to instability and conflict. Development in all its forms can contribute to strengthening the prospects for peace.   A large part of this must be the reduction of inequality. Citizens have to be fully included in the building process of an egalitarian society. Martti Ahtisaari, draws on his wide and continuing experience through the Crisis Management Initiative, the United Nations, and bilateral diplomacy to reflect upon a fundamental question: how can conflict resolution, development progress and egalitarian principles be brought into closer harmony for the benefit of all?   The lecture was followed by further discussion of the topic by Mr Ahtisaari, a panel of development practioners, and the audience. The programme also included the screening of an exclusive interview with Economist and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen.   http://www1.wider.unu.edu/AL17/article/video-wider-annual-lecture-17-president-martti-ahtisaari Visit the related web page
	Peace and stability must be at the heart of the global development agenda by Helen Clark United Nations Development Programme   This week, as world leaders gather at the UN headquarters in New York to discuss, among other topics, a new global development agenda. The body"s eight millennium development goals, which include the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, expire in 2015, giving UN member states the opportunity to shape the future of development. They also have the chance to position peace and stability at the centre of the debate.   In countries marred by conflict and disaster, development tends to focus on promoting economic growth and progress in specific social sectors such as health and education. Fundamental issues for lasting peace and stability – rule of law and justice, good governance, social cohesion, economic and environmental sustainability – are often left at the margins.   To my surprise, I often hear arguments against including peace and stability in a new global development agenda. One of the most common of these arguments is that building long-term peace and stability is separate from the work of long-term human development. In fact, peace and stability do not fall outside of the boundaries of development. The two must go hand in hand.   Violence not only claims lives, but also unravels the very fabric of society, leaving schools and hospitals destroyed and a devastated population suffering the physical and psychological toll. If we look at the facts, nine out of 10 countries with the lowest human development index have experienced conflict within the past 20 years, and about 40% of fragile and post-conflict countries relapse within a decade.   Another argument I often hear is that mixing peace and security efforts with development work can compromise national sovereignty. The reality is that early action to address the root causes of crisis, such as social inequality or low access to justice and security, is key to preventing brewing tensions from escalating into full-blown conflict. Waiting for the security council to intervene under "exceptional circumstances" may prove too late for many thousands of people.   While armed violence and conflict continue to take lives, destroy infrastructure and deplete employment opportunities, their most destructive force lies in derailing states and societies from their long-term development goals and prospects for a better future.   * Helen Clark is the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourperspective/ourperspectivearticles/2013/09/26/-peace-and-stability-must-be-at-the-heart-of-the-global-development-agenda/ http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=46433&Cr=women&Cr1=peace
	View more stories