Paper short abstract:

Innovative local approaches not only strengthen the conflict-sensitivity of social protection but also actively support efforts to tackle the structural drivers of conflict and promote peace, both by enhancing social cohesion as well as boosting the supply and demand for effective governance.

Paper long abstract:

When the central government takes a defiant approach to humanitarian assistance or where peril on the ground complicates service delivery, gaps in aid from the traditional IO-driven regime have left affected populations vulnerable and unsupported. In the absence of these IOs, a new localised model for aid delivery that leverages the potential of social protection and locally-driven action to improve livelihoods and contribute to peacebuilding has become increasingly visible. With fragility increasing globally, it becomes even more imperative that external partners remain engaged during periods of instability and contribute to existing locally-led solutions that can lay the groundwork for sustainable peace.

Drawing on lessons learned from mutual aid efforts in Sudan, Myanmar, and Kosovo, we find that community-based delivery of basic, valued, and visible services results in more effective support for affected communities in the short and long term. Mutual aid groups leverage their informational and locational advantages, while their community-run nature produces built-in accountability measures. A growing evidence base also supports the claim that aid framed as the product of civic engagement through democratic processes can foster good governance in the future.