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Peace
A complex, long-term and multi-layered process, in which it is possible to identify steps towards peace and measure the decrease of violence and increase of justice. The multi-layered character of peace means that not only governments but also stakeholders at all levels of societies are responsible for it.
Peace education
The process of acquiring the values and knowledge and developing the attitudes, skills and behaviour to live in harmony with oneself, with others, and with the natural environment. It aims to reduce violence, support the transformation of conflicts, and advance the peace capabilities of individuals, groups, societies and institutions.
Peace process
A series of talks, agreements and activities designed to end war or violence between two groups. Peace processes may include formal and informal mechanisms, and involve a multitude of actors often over a long period.
Peacebuilding
A generic term to cover all activities intended to encourage and promote peaceful relations and overcoming violence. A long-term process that seeks to positively alter structural contradictions, improve relations between the conflict parties and encourage overall constructive changes in attitudes. It may also refer to activities connected with economic development, social justice, reconciliation, empowerment of disadvantaged/strategic groups and humanitarian support.
Radicalisation
A process of adopting ideologies set apart from mainstream thinking, sometimes going to the roots or perceived pure understandings of religion or politics. Often referring to individuals.
Reconciliation
Strives to provide a common frame of reference for societies to acknowledge the past, creating space for individual/national restoration and healing by changing the nature of the relationship between the conflicting parties as part of a long-term communal relationship-(re-)building process.
Social grievance
The perception of a socially defined group that it suffers from systematic inequality, exclusion, lack of opportunity to satisfy basic needs, and other disadvantage. Social grievance is often at the root of conflict. When groups mobilise, they may take violent or non-violent action to address social grievance. Conflict transformation and peacebuilding support groups and mobilisers in choosing non-violent means while taking grievances seriously.
Violence
Harmful and damaging behaviour of a physical, structural or cultural nature, which prevents human beings from reaching their full potential.
Violence prevention
Acknowledges the issues at stake in conflict, yet implements short-term to long-term measures offering alternatives to direct, structural and cultural violence and limiting the use of force, often in places seen as particularly vulnerable.
Gender
Gender refers to socially constructed characteristics, norms, behaviours and roles associated with being a woman, man, or person of different sexual orientation and gender identity expressions. As a social construct, gender varies from society to society and can change over time.