Peacebuilding in Cities: Building Safe, Inclusive and Resilient Urban Spaces

Across the Global South, cities are growing at an unprecedented pace. Many of these growing cities are located in fragile states or societies affected by or emerging from conflict. What are the features and dynamics of these fragile cities and what strategies have been successful in preventing violence and building peace in urban spaces?

• People are migrating into urban areas in unprecedented numbers in parts of the Global South, a growing share of the population is living in fragile cities characterized by instability, a lack of infrastructure and access to public services, violence and poverty as well as high disaster risk.
• Cities play an important role for peace and stability, and how to build safe, inclusive and resilient cities is becoming a growing concern for peacebuilders and experts in urban development. Addressing fragile cities requires a whole-of-society approach including formal and informal institutions, improving physical infrastructure and change of attitudes and behaviour.
• Major adjustments are needed to allow for more effective international city-level initiatives by multilateral institutions. Any international engagement should consider the effects on and the contributions of local institutions and populace, while strengthening its capacity of analysis, planning and financial assistance at urban level.