Halving Global Violence with Innovative Coalitions and Resources
On May 4th, during the 2021 Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development themed ‘Promoting Peace in the Age of Compound Risk’, Pathfinders hosted a panel discussion titled “Halving Global Violence with Innovative Coalitions and Resources”.
Moderated by Pathfinders Director Liv Tørres (@livtoerres), the virtual session featured as speakers Fiorella Salazar, Minister of Peace and Justice, Costa Rica (@fiorella_s_r), Óscar Escobar, Mayor of Palmira, Colombia (@SoyOscarEscobar) and Amb. Rüdiger Bohn, Deputy Federal German Government Commissioner for Disarmament and Arms Control (@GermanyDiplo).
Discussions centered around strategies, tools, and needed resources for violence reduction in different parts of the world. Participants noted the importance of working in tandem with multiple groups, connecting diverse networks, such as GENSAC and Peace in Our Cities, and coalitions like the Alliance for Multilateralism, to mobilize action on violence reduction. Likewise, panelists highlighted the importance on focusing on prevention — a better investment than paying for the destructive and massive costs of violence and conflict. Indeed, prioritizing investment and providing resources for global violence reduction — not only in conflict, but also urban and interpersonal violence — was likewise put forth as a sine qua non condition for ambitious violence reduction efforts, such as Pathfinders’ Halving Global Violence by 2030.
Participants noted that the underlying causes of violence and crime need to be addressed in innovative ways, including active involvement of local and national governments, civil society and private sector, in a ‘whole of government plus whole of society approach’. Promoting evidence-based solutions was deemed essential in delivering on the promise of reducing violence and implementing SDG16.
Watch the full recording of the event here.
Following the panel, the next milestone for Pathfinders’ violence reduction efforts is the initial meeting of the Halving Global Violence Task Force, a virtual Wilton Park convening on 15 and 16 June. The Task Force, composed of global leaders and experts, will include co-chairs from Costa Rica and Switzerland, members heading UN agencies or offices, and civil society organizations from several continents.
