As part of our flagship PeaceFIELD projects, a research consortium including ISDC and 3ie is studying the effectiveness of pro-peace interventions in a variety of conflict settings. One of these is Darfur, Sudan. We are happy to announce that the results of this evaluation have now been released in an Impact Evaluation Report and accompanying Learning Brief.
Starting in early 2020, the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) allocated nearly $20 million to projects across the five states of Darfur. The goal of the projects were to support peace by enhancing good governance, strengthening local institutions’ abilities to resolve conflicts peacefully, and creating conditions in which communities had physical security and access to basic services – with a particular emphasis on resolving the land conflicts of displaced people and returnees.
Project implementation was carried out by a consortium of UN agencies: FAO, IOM, UNDP, UNHCR, UNHABITAT, and UNICEF.
The PeaceFIELD evaluation of these projects highlighted several key outcomes.
- Reducing Land Conflicts: Through targeted interventions, the project has successfully reduced land conflicts, fostering peace and stability in the region.
- Empowering Local Peace Committees: Residents have reported increased effectiveness of local peace committees, leading to more harmonious conflict resolution.
- Boosting School Enrollment: Children in implementation villages are now more likely to be enrolled in formal schooling, paving the way for a brighter future.
- Improving Service Delivery: Residents are experiencing higher satisfaction with services, including administrative and sanitation services, enhancing their quality of life.
- Empowering Women: An exploratory finding suggests that women in implementation villages are gaining a stronger voice in local decision-making processes.
Taken together, these findings suggest that, by addressing the root causes of conflict and supporting local institutions, the interventions have contributed to fostering sustainable peace and development in Darfur.
About PeaceFIELD
The Peacebuilding Fund Impact Evaluation, Learning, and Dissemination (PeaceFIELD) initiative conducts impact evaluations of projects supported by the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), builds capacity to conduct impact evaluations on PBF-supported projects, and disseminates key evaluation findings. Launched in January 2021, the initiative is a collaboration between the International Security and Development Center (ISDC), the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), and the Peace Building Support Office (PBSO). Generous support for PeaceFIELD is being provided by the German Federal Foreign Office for the initiative and by Global Affairs Canada for the Darfur impact evaluation. The views expressed in this report are of the authors and not necessarily those of PBSO, ISDC, 3ie, IOM, German Federal Foreign Office or Global Affairs Canada.
