Peacebuilding in post-conflict societies: a study of nongovernmental organisations in Yendi

Abstract

Socio-economic development is viewed as a pre-requisite for improving the living standards of people in the developing world. Internal peace and stability are indeed indispensable conditions for any progress towards meeting the national development objectives of developing countries. However, violent intra-state conflicts since the 1980s have been major impediments to the development of many countries in continental Africa south of the Sahara. This has resulted in homelessness, economic stagnation, unemployment, widespread poverty and cycles of conflicts in affected societies. Northern Ghana frequently experiences destructive conflicts relating to land and chieftaincy succession disputes which negatively affect the region’s developmental advances. This study examines how non-governmental organisations (NGOs) contribute to building peace for broad-based development. The research reveals that peacebuilding NGOs, alongside the state agencies and international community, play important stabilisation role in post-conflict societies due to their neutral, non-profit and non-partisan status.