Publications

What are the different identities and positionalities represented within the KOFF platform? What impact do they have on existing conflicts and peacebuilding? This à propos issue engages with the demands for decolonization, racial and gender justice and how they have affected the work, power dynamics and values of KOFF organizations.

en | de | fr | take a look at all à propos

How can our organizations cope with the shrinking spaces for civil society? This à propos issue provides an overview of the current space left to civil society and the approaches and methods used by KOFF organizations and their partners to create new spaces or defend existing ones.

en | de | fr | take a look at all à propos

This Policy Brief summarizes the reflections and recommendations of Swiss civil society and its partners on the question of how socio-economic barriers, and the conditions under which care work in particular is performed, hinder women’s participation in political and peace processes in Switzerland and abroad. It sheds light on three care-related obstacles to women’s participation: the underfunded care economy, the overburdening of women through care work and gender roles that promote stereotypes that “naturalize” and devalue the provision of care and hence minimize women’s predisposition to feel confident enough to participate in political processes.

Read the Policy Brief (en)

Humanitarian, development, peace, and human rights organizations provide crucial support to local civil society organizations and the general population in Central America. However, KOFF organizations report in this issue of à propos that the growing levels of authoritarianism and corruption in the region, particularly in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala, are compromising their work.

en | de | fr | take a look at all à propos

Over the past years, KOFF members have experienced and examined what it means when the space for civil society shrinks. At the same time, many organizations and individuals around the world have adapted old and developed new strategies and approaches to continue their work for peace, against all odds. The upcoming roundtable will highlight the creative, persistent, and innovative ways in which civil society «makes space» for peacebuilding.

December 1, 9:30am

read the synthesis

What can we learn from previous peacebuilding projects to make our work more effective in the future? Are we devoting enough (safe) space and time for self-reflection within the peacebuilding sector? Are we creating opportunities for sharing experiences and recommendations with our peacebuilding peers?

Read more in our November edition!

en | de | fr | take a look at all à propos

The care economy - which predominantly relies on women's work - is in a constant state of crisis. This is a barrier to political participation for anyone active in this economy. This booklet explains how socio-economic barriers, and care-work in particular, hinder women's participation in political and peace processes and offers recommendations on how Swiss policy can address this problem and thus increase the potential of its Women Peace and Security agenda.

Read the booklet (en, de, fr) and register for the Virtual Conference “Centering Care in Women, Peace and Security” ( 21 September 2021, 1.45pm-4.45pm).

What are the biggest hurdles we currently face regarding mis/disinformation? What impact can digital technologies make in promoting peacemaking and preventing conflict?

In the third KOFF roundtable of 2021, panelists from four areas of peacebuilding discussed the challenges of mis/disinformation and ways forward - the discussion is reflected and summarized in this synthesis.

read the synthesis

How does Switzerland advocate for peace? Who determines peace policy? What has changed in recent years? What priorities should Switzerland set in its future peace policy in the future? And how does the Swiss candidature for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council play into this?

These and other questions came up at a KOFF Roundtable in May 2021 - the discussion is reflected and summarized in this synthesis.

read the synthesis

When addressing migration in peacebuilding, not only people on the move are relevant, but also people who are affected by some sort of negative migration outcome or involuntary immobility. There is great need for regular migration routes, for a broadened ability to migrate, and for a decriminalization of migration in general.

This was discussed in a KOFF Master Class back in February 2021. The conversations, insights, and concepts that were brought up during the Master Class, are critically reflected in this article.

Read the critical reflection