Conflicts command headlines…protecting peace, less so: The UN Peacebuilding Fund explained
Yet for the past 20 years, the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) has quietly been helping countries to avoid violence, recover from conflict and build more peaceful futures for their citizens.Today, it's the UN's main vehicle for investing in peace before crises spiral out of control.As the UN marks its first ever peacebuilding week, here’s what you need to know about the innovative Fund.Described as a “financial instrument of first resort”, think of the Peacebuilding Fund as the UN's emergency peace fund.
United Nations
Women in Kyrgyzstan have strengthened cooperation between ethnic groups through a farming project supported by PBF.
Created by UN Member States in 2005, it provides rapid financing to countries facing the risk of conflict or trying to recover from it. Unlike traditional aid programmes that can take years to get off the ground, the Fund is designed to move quickly when a window for peace opens.Its guiding principles have remained the same for two decades: it has to be fast, flexible and it must accelerate change and be nationally owned. Who does it support?The Fund works through governments, local communities, civil society organizations, women's groups, youth networks and alongside more than 20 UN agencies.Its reach is global. Over the last two decades, it has supported peacebuilding efforts in more than 75 countries and territories, from Sierra Leone and Colombia to Papua New Guinea, Kyrgyzstan and Haiti.Ultimately, its beneficiaries are ordinary people: communities rebuilding after war, young people seeking opportunities instead of violence, women mediating disputes and families hoping for a more stable future.Securing peace The Fund backs projects that help societies move away from conflict and towards peace.That can mean:Supporting peace agreements and political transitionsBringing divided communities together through dialogue and reconciliationRestoring essential services and local institutionsCreating jobs and economic opportunities in communities recovering from violenceSupporting women and young people to take leadership roles in peacebuildingIn short, it invests in the building blocks that make peace last.Why is it important?Peacebuilding works to avoid the escalation of local conflicts.By helping countries address tensions early, the Fund aims to prevent violence before lives are lost and communities are displaced.The Fund also fills a unique gap in the UN system. It can take risks, move quickly and support initiatives that other donors may be unable or unwilling to fund.As UN Member States have recognised, peace is not just about ending wars, it is about inclusive societies.
