Conflict prevention: putting the UK’s Building Stability Overseas Strategy into action

The UK Government must build on the momentum behind implementation of its Building Stability Overseas Strategy by encouraging wider adoption of its vision for conflict prevention, both across the UK Government and among other governments, multilateral bodies and civil society partners, say Hannah Wright and Shelagh Daley.

Since its launch in July 2011, the UK’s cross-departmental Building Stability Overseas Strategy (BSOS) has increasingly helped to shape the government’s approach to its work on conflict prevention. Shared jointly by the Department for International Development (DFID), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD), this strategy outlines a coherent approach to conflict prevention based on a progressive vision of ‘stability’.  While much progress has been made on implementing elements of the strategy since its launch, it will take concerted political effort to ensure that the approach articulated in the BSOS is translated across the UK’s engagements overseas.

The UK’s BSOS has been a positive step towards a coherent approach to conflict prevention which builds on some of the best available evidence for what works in preventing and reducing violence and instability. Arguably the most significant policy contribution contained in the BSOS is its progressive definition of ‘stability’, which is characterised by “political systems which are representative and legitimate, capable of managing conflict and change peacefully, and societies in which human rights and rule of law are respected, basic needs are met, security established and opportunities for social and economic development are open to all”. However, proof of its value will lie in how it is put into practice in the UK’s relations with conflict-affected and fragile countries.

Progress has been made on implementing some elements of the BSOS, including putting in place cross-departmental management structures and strengthening funding sources to support joint work. The challenge of uniting government departments with distinct working cultures and practices behind a single vision for conflict prevention should not be under-estimated. With this in mind, Saferworld has produced a short briefing which outlines recommendations for how the UK Government can build on the progress made so far to take forward the vision outlined in the BSOS in four key areas:

• Mainstreaming the BSOS approach throughout government. Work is needed to ensure that the progressive vision for promoting stability outlined in the BSOS is consistently applied across the work of government departments and reflected across relevant policy and programming, both in London and in conflict-affected countries.

• Increasing understanding of and buy-in to the idea of upstream conflict prevention. The third pillar of BSOS, which focuses on upstream conflict prevention, represents one of the strategy’s core policy innovations. Time and resources must be invested in ensuring that relevant officials share an understanding of what it means to put the idea of upstream conflict prevention into practice, and are rewarded, recognised and supported to prioritise this in their work.

• Mainstreaming a gender perspective. The UK Government recognises the importance of gender, peace, and security issues and has made significant investments in developing policy and practice in this area. It must now ensure that a gender perspective is mainstreamed throughout the UK’s peacebuilding policy and programming.

• Debate and scrutiny of BSOS implementation. The government has created a number of welcome opportunities for external consultation on the development and implementation of the BSOS. Further opportunities for debate on conflict issues and effective scrutiny by Parliament and civil society could help to increase the effectiveness of BSOS implementation.

In addition to this short briefing, Saferworld has also produced a more detailed assessment of BSOS implementation to date, which includes more extensive recommendations on a range of issues including how the UK Government can better enhance the impact of the BSOS through working with the EU, USA and emerging powers such as China to promote stability overseas.

Ultimately, the conflict prevention approach outlined in the BSOS is about improving the lives of women, men, boys and girls living in areas affected by violence and instability. It is now time to take this vision forward to build a more stable environment for all.

• Read the Saferworld briefing on Building Stability Overseas Strategy: the way forward

• For a more detailed review of BSOS implementation, read the Saferworld briefing Building Stability Overseas Strategy: challenges and opportunities

“The challenge of uniting government departments with distinct working cultures and practices behind a single vision for conflict prevention should not be under-estimated”

Hannah Wright and Shelagh Daley, Saferworld