Peace talks elicit much public attention and are often touted as solutions to complex conflicts. The reality is, however, that many such conferences are not serious efforts to end the fighting. Moreover, even when talks do take place, they are often short-lived and do not produce sustainable political settlements.
Nevertheless, negotiated solutions to conflict are critical to the human need for an end to fighting. But how such negotiations are conducted is critical. The most effective approaches are those that seek to address the underlying causes of conflict and not just its immediate manifestations in violence and suffering. Specifically, successful peace processes prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable and those who have been excluded from political participation.
Civil society actors and other stakeholders are essential to these approaches. They can provide entry points for conflict parties to negotiate and can bring in new voices that are not always heard in official government negotiations. In addition, they can strengthen the emergence of formal government institutions in post-conflict states.
Peacebuilding practitioners have also been working to enhance the involvement of armed non-state actors in these negotiations, which are increasingly referred to as Track 1. But achieving truly meaningful participation among the diverse and sometimes informally organized interests of civil society can be challenging. It requires overcoming resistance and fears among negotiating parties, such as the risk of being cooped by the other side or watering down their demands to meet those of the powerful state.