Peace Agreements Are Like Marriages

Western donors, according to Belle Abaya of the Philippines, sometimes have the misconception that a peace agreement will automatically solve the underlying issues that cause conflict. In this clip from an interview in January 2011 in Washington, DC, Ms. Abaya suggests that a more lasting peace should be based on smaller instances of building trust, including development projects. Each small agreement then builds the foundation for a larger peace. Ms. Abaya suggests more women have an opportunity to get involved at the critical and less public level of working out details for such small agreements, not just focusing on being a part of negotiations at the formal and more public table.

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