Enhancing Parliaments’ Roles in
Peacebuilding and Democratic Governance
Strong parliaments have vital contributions to make to peacebuilding and democratization. After conflict, however, parliaments are weak in relation to the executive branch, armed groups and other non-state actors. Building enduring peace and democracy requires timely and dedicated support to parliaments’ development. As UNDP’s Guidelines for the International Community on Parliaments, Crisis Prevention and Recovery elucidate, the international community needs to increase its support to, and liaison with, parliaments in conflict-affected countries. Otherwise, investments in elections and transitional processes risk being undermined
UNDP and its partners have embarked on an initiative to highlight the importance of representative institutions in conflict and post-conflict situations. A year-long research process has shown that parliaments are often marginalized by peacebuilding endeavors, usually to the detriment of democratization. At the same time, parliaments, MPs and parliamentary forums have, in many situations, played a crucial role in conflict prevention and resolution. More information on this initiative is available in the project overview.
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