Peace Dividends and Beyond: Contributions of Administrative and Social Services to Peacebuilding

This multi-partner United Nations study seeks to determine whether the PBF should increase its support to administrative and social services, and if so, to what types of programming. The study reviews current thinking and practices among United Nations agencies, funds and programmes alongside some of their partners in the areas of administrative services – specifically, the administrative (human and technical) capacities required to deliver services – and social services – including the areas of education, health (including water and sanitation) and food security. It proposes a framework for understanding these contributions and begins to identify promising practices and directions. Areas for expanding PBF support are identified in the process, and it is hoped that the review will help to strengthen United Nations programming in these areas in ways that serve peacebuilding.

The report argues that there is significant evidence to include administrative and social services amongst the menu of choices available to directly support peacebuilding in any given context. Finding the appropriate balance among the many peacebuilding priorities in any setting should ultimately be a country-driven exercise – one that is inclusive of a wide range of stakeholders at different levels, especially historically marginalized groups.