Databases for Researching Ceasefires
The PA-X Peace Agreement Database - The PA-X Peace Agreement Database is a database and repository of peace agreements from 1990 to date hosted by the University of Edinburgh. Agreements in the database are coded for content such as ceasefire agreements. PA-X provides a comprehensive dataset of peace agreements from 1990 to the end of 2018, capable of underpinning both quantitative and qualitative research. PA-X also publishes reports on various themes, including a spotlight report on ceasefires.
Peace Accords Matrix - The Peace Accords Matrix project hosts a database of peace agreements from 1989. It also has the largest existing collection of data on the implementation of peace agreements. Each peace agreement in the database has a dozen or more content pages that sort the relevant provisions into topics areas such as “ceasefires,” provide the language of the provision, and provide a detailed timeline of the implementation of that agreement.
SIPRI Multilateral Peace Operations Database - The SIPRI Multilateral Peace Operations Database offers information on all peace operations conducted since 2000, including location, dates of deployment and operation, mandate, participating countries, number of personnel, costs and fatalities.
The Uppsala Conflict Data Program - The Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) is the world’s main provider of data on organized violence and the oldest ongoing data collection project for civil war, with a history of almost 40 years. Its definition of armed conflict has become the global standard of how conflicts are systematically defined and studied.
The Rule of Law in Armed Conflict Database - The Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts project (RULAC) of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights is a unique online portal that identifies and classifies situations of armed conflict, provides information on the parties to these conflicts, and applicable international law. It aims to provide an independent and impartial classification of situations of armed conflict in the world based on open source information in a format that is accessible to a wide audience, including non-lawyers and non-specialists in international humanitarian law.
Blogs on Post-Conflict Constitutions
Inclusive Security Blog - Inclusive Security’s mission is to increase the participation of all stakeholders—particularly women—in preventing, resolving, and restoring after deadly conflicts.Inclusive Security maintains a blog on inclusive approaches to conflict resolution and peacebuilding and women’s involvement in peace processes. The blog has a topic page devoted to commentary on ceasefires.
The Olive Branch - The U.S. Institute of Peace’s blog, The Olive Branch, offers insight on USIP’s work in the world’s hottest conflict zones and highlights critical, timely issues from our in-depth publications. From written commentary to observations from the field to videos and photo essays, The Olive Branch delivers succinct examinations of some the most complex and pressing peace and security challenges. These posts represent the views of the authors and not those of USIP.
Foreign Policy - Foreign Policy is an American news publication, founded in 1970 and focused on global affairs, current events, and domestic and international policy. It produces content daily on its website, and in six print issues annually. Foreign Policy frequently comments on international ceasefires as they relate to U.S. foreign policy.
NGOs Working on Ceasefires
Ceasefire center for civilian rights - The Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights is an international initiative to develop civilian-led monitoring of violations of international humanitarian law or human rights; to secure accountability and reparation for those violations; and to develop the practice of civilian rights.
Nonviolent peaceforce - Nonviolence Peaceforce (NP) works with local communities to protects civilians in violent conflicts through unarmed strategies. NP advocate for the wider adoption of unarmed strategies to safeguard human lives and dignity. These strategies include. The activities of NP have ranged from entering active conflict zones to remove civilians in the crossfire to providing opposing factions a safe space to negotiate. Other activities include serving as a communication link between warring factions, securing safe temporary housing for civilians displaced by war, providing violence prevention measures during elections and negotiating the return of kidnapped family members. NP programs have taken place in Iraq, South Sudan, Philippines, and Myanmar.
International Crisis Group - International Crisis Group (ICP) aspires to be the preeminent organization providing independent analysis and advice on how to prevent, resolve or better manage deadly conflict. ICG combines expert field research, analysis and engagement with policymakers across the world in order to effect change in the crisis situations on which we work. ICG endeavors to talk to all sides and in doing so to build on our role as a trusted source of field-centred information, fresh perspectives and advice for conflict parties and external actors.
Inclusive Security - Inclusive Security’s mission is to increase the participation of all stakeholders—particularly women—in preventing, resolving, and restoring after deadly conflicts, including participation in inclusive ceasefires. Inclusive Security equips women to contribute effectively to peace processes, builds coalitions of diverse leaders who offer practical solutions to intractable conflicts, and provides research on why inclusion matters and guidance on how it can be achieved. Inclusive Security frequently publishes updates, articles, and reports discussing the concept of inclusive ceasefires.
Myanmar Peace Monitor - Myanmar Peace Monitor is a project run by the Burma News International that works to support communication and understanding in the current efforts for peace and reconciliation in Myanmar. It aims to centralize information, track and make sense of the many events and stakeholders involved in the complex and multifaceted peace process.
Interpeace: Constitution-Making for Peace Programme - The goal of Interpeace’s Constitution-Making for Peace Program is to support constitution-making processes that lead to a more durable peace. The program promotes the principles of local ownership, inclusion, gender equality, participation and transparency. The program supports local actors in the design and implementation of participatory and inclusive constitution-making processes. It also supports policies that promote the goals of the program. A core element of our work on constitution-making is to promote guidance and knowledge tools that are freely accessible to constitution-making practitioners.
Additional Material
CEASEFIRES: CORE ELEMENTS
The purpose of this memorandum is to identify the most common elements of ceasefire agreements. Ceasefire agreements include an introductory preamble and three core elements: (1) cessation of hostilities, (2) separation of forces, and (3) verification, supervision, and monitoring of the agreement.
Click here to read memo, Core Elements of a Ceasefire Agreement.
CEASEFIRE AGREEMENTS: COMPARATIVE STATE PRACTICE
The purpose of this memorandum is to analyze comparative state practice in constructing ceasefire agreements.
Click here to read the memo, Ceasefire Agreements: Comparative State Practice.
SRI LANKA AGREEMENT
The '“Sri Lanka agreement,” the Agreement on a Ceasefire Between the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and theLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, provides an example of a recent ceasefire agreement.
Please skim the agreement to gain an understanding of what a ceasefire may look like and what it may include.
CEASEFIRE DRAFTERS HANDBOOK
The Public International Law & Policy Group’s (PILPG) Ceasefire Drafter’s Handbook is a guide intended to effectively assist negotiators and drafters of ceasefire agreements in conflict situations. This Handbook draws from PILPG’s experience in ceasefire negotiations, as well as common state practice and a comparative analysis of over 200 ceasefire agreements from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.
Click here to read the full Ceasefire Drafter’s Handbook.
DISARMAMENT, DEMOBILIZATION AND REINTEGRATION
Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) has become an integral part of peacekeeping operations over the last twenty years. The objective of DDR processes is to increase security and stability in post-conflict settings in order for peace-building and recovery activities to take place.
DDR programs seek to support former combatants so they can become an active participant in the peace process, by removing weapons and break down military structures. The aim is to integrating the combatant socially, economically and politically into the society as well as supporting local communities in the peace building process.
Click here to access the Integrated DDR Training Group’s Website.
Click here to read the Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance’s publication on DDR.
HOW TO GUIDE: MONITORING AND EVALUATION FOR DISARMAMENT, DEMOBILIZATION AND REINTEGRATION PROGRAMMES
Through disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) interventions, UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) seeks to support peace processes and enhance security to facilitate recovery and development. During the transition from conflict to peace, UNDP supports the economic and social reintegration of ex-combatants. Further, UNDP works towards enhancing the stability of communities and states with program on community security. Support is provided to DDR program in close coordination with other partners in and outside the UN system. The How to Guide provides guidance on how to plan and manage better the M&E of DDR programs. The guide identifies simple, practical steps for DDR program planners to integrate M&E into DDR program design. In addition, it offers advice for DDR program managers and M&E staff on how to set up and run a DDR M&E system.
THE EVOLVING NATURE OF DDR
This study represents an important effort in analyzing new trends in DDR policy and practice while also capturing lessons in a manner that will be useful to policymakers and practitioners alike. In doing so, the study contributes to the operationalization of the Integrated DDR Standards (IDDRS), which now cover peace operations and non-mission settings. Some of the findings presented in this study go beyond DDR and will be useful in shaping the next phase of implementation of key system-wide initiatives, including on the Sustainable Development Goals, the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) Agenda, the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, as well as efforts to strengthen the nexus between humanitarian, development and peacebuilding efforts. Further, this study not only presents an opportunity for national authorities, the United Nations and other stakeholders to take stock of recent valuable DDR interventions, but also constitutes a roadmap which we can use to collectively strengthen our efforts to improve the effectiveness and impact of DDR in the future.
CEASEFIRE RATIONALES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CEASEFIRES IN THE MORO AND COMMUNIST CONFLICTS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Ceasefires are part of most contemporary peace processes, however empirical insight suggests that the characteristics of ceasefires vary greatly across conflict settings. This paper contributes to filling a research and knowledge gap about how different types of ceasefire come about through a comparative case study of ceasefires in the Moro and communist insurgencies in the Philippines. I argue that to understand differences in the characteristics of the ceasefires in these conflicts, it is important to consider the aims, ideologies and strategies of the conflicting parties and how this shapes their approach to a ceasefire. Following this, I suggest that ceasefires must be analyzed and understood with sensitivity to conflict issues and approaches to violence, as this contributes to an explanation of how ceasefire is used as a political tool and how it shapes the dynamics of conflict. Based on interviews and document studies, the article maps the characteristics of ceasefires in both cases over time and analyses the approaches to ceasefires of the parties to the conflict. Knowledge of how ceasefires come about and what shapes them can help both academia and policymakers draw more informed and accurate conclusions about their outcomes and effects.
GUIDANCE ON MEDIATION OF CEASEFIRES
In view of the wide spectrum of conflict settings worldwide, the Guidance provides a framework of basic building blocks that can be adapted to any given context. In referring to examples from around the globe, it refrains from making judgments on the success or failure of any given peace process. The Guidance is designed to support United Nations senior leader- ship and staff, mediators, and facilitators within and outside the UN, along with their teams, conflict parties, representatives of States and regional organizations, national and international non-governmental organizations, women’s groups and other stakeholders in peace processes.
Click here to read the United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs’ Guidance on Mediation of Ceasefires.
Speaker Notes
These speaker notes from a previous year introduce the topic of ceasefires, provide an overview of their core elements, and discuss how to negotiate ceasefires.
Click here to read Ceasefires Speaker Notes, Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
Decision Tree
This decision tree provides an outline of the questions parties must address and the types of decisions they must make when designing a ceasefire.