Facts and Figures
- The average cost of civil conflicts is estimated at $64 billion.
- For every $1 spent on conflict prevention, states spend some $2000 on weapons and military budgets.
- At the beginning of the 20th century 80% of deaths in wars were military...at the end of the 20th century 80% of deaths in wars were civilians.
- 50% of peace agreements do not hold if local populations are not involved in the peacebuilding process.
The Challenge
Worldwide we are confronted with countless human security challenges. The interconnected nature of today’s new threats demand no less than a global concerted effort at preventing violent conflict. It is our shared responsibility to reach beyond our borders, and to do what we can to achieve peace, security, and the non-violent resolution of conflicts. This challenge is a moral imperative, an economic necessity, a humanitarian must, and a political obligation for us all.
The Moral Imperative
It is intolerable that millions of civilians die from violent conflict at a time when the international community is capable of generating the political will to prevent it. It is unacceptable that so many of our children have to grow up in a climate of fear of violence and insecurity.Yet the response of the global community is often inadequate, too late, and as a result, too costly.
The Economic Necessity
Conflict preventive approaches not only save civilian and military lives, they constitute an astute financial investment. Conflict prevention is cost prevention. Preventive efforts cost less than post-conflict reconstruction and result in many thousand fewer casualties.
The Humanitarian Must
In a globalized world no country is isolated from the after-effects of violent conflict in another part of the world. Mounting frustration and desperation linked to the global recession is resulting in social unrest and rising instability across the globe. This is compounded by burgeoning population growth, rapid urbanization, increasing joblessness, resource insecurity, especially of food and water, environmental degradation, and climate change.
The Political Obligation
The international community must strengthen efforts to address conflict preventive approaches and human security issues. This includes safety from hunger, disease and repression, and protection from unexpected and violent disruption in the patterns of everyday life. This can only be done though the full mobilization of our collective means and efforts and through the proper allocation of resources towards conflict prevention.
