Violent Conflict - Bringing the Real Threat into Focus (Chapter 5)
Author(s)
United Nations Development Programme
Abstract
This chapter looks at the human development challenge posed by violent conflict. The first section outlines the changing nature of conflict and examines the human development costs. It shows how the nature of conflict has changed, along with the geography of conflict: wars between states have given way to conflicts within borders, with poor countries figuring more prominently. The second section looks at some of the structural weaknesses affecting states that are prone to conflict. These range from weak capacity to provide basic services to contested legitimacy and deep horizontal inequalities. The third section turns to questions of what rich countries can do to enhance human security. The fourth section explores the transitions from war to peace to security and the facilitating roles of aid and the private sector. The final section highlights what the international community can do to build collective security. While this is a large agenda, it focuses on four areas: aid for conflict-prone countries, market interventions to deprive conflict areas of finance and arms, the development of regional capacity, and reconstruction.
