Photo credit: Ilyas Ahmed/UN

People and power structures

Governance is a multi-faceted concept that means different things to different people. At its most basic, it is concerned with managing the distribution of power and resources, and associated interests and grievances within society. ‘Inclusion’ is regarded as a key characteristic of good governance, along with other markers such as legitimacy, participation and accountability. The evidence suggests that the political inclusion of different groups within society in governance processes and structures is important for peace.

Our work

We work with partners to ensure processes and transitions to peace are accountable, inclusive and holistic, and sensitive to the risks of recurring conflict. We seek to amplify the voices of those who are historically discriminated against or marginalised from political power, and work to ensure that those aggrieved and excluded are part of solutions that are fair, accountable, and transformative. We scrutinise and transform power structures and we work with institutions to encourage inclusion, transparency and accountability.

This means working on political transitions, peace processes, constitutional reform and other relevant governance reforms – such as free and fair elections, decentralisation and anti-corruption efforts. It also means working with ‘institutions’, be they formal structures such as government ministries or multilateral institutions, or informal systems such as local-level dispute resolution mechanisms. Our interventions promote greater participation from communities, supporting informed civic activism and engagement in national consultation and dialogue processes.