Over the last century, the world faced two “wars to end all wars.” However, we have seen that conflicts and wars continue to affect a large amount of the population today. Just as the world and its inhabitants evolve, so do the conflicts that plague our society. Millions of people are displaced from their homes. An increased amount of people have died from conflicts in recent years. And there have been an increased number of conflicts over the last five years. For these reasons and others, conflict resolution and peacebuilding NGOs continue to research, analyze, and develop innovative ways to create positive change within conflict zones and create a lasting peace.
With the United Nations headquartered in New York City, there are many conflict resolution and peacebuilding NGOs within the city. For that reason, we can’t build a list highlighting all of the NGOs. But we can highlight a few of the NGOs for the impact that they have made. Here is a list of 5 of the NGOs who are changing the way we think about conflicts and how to address them.
International Crisis Group (ICG)
A twenty year old organization, the International Crisis Group is an independent organization working to prevent wars and shape policies that will build a more peaceful world. Crisis Group sounds the alarm to prevent deadly conflict. They build support for the good governance and inclusive politics that enable societies to flourish. They engage directly with a range of conflict actors to seek and share information, and to encourage intelligent action for peace. The ICG completes their work through field research, analyses of conflicts, and advocacy.
Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.
International Peace Institute (IPI)
The International Peace Institute (IPI) is an independent, international not-for-profit think tank dedicated to managing risk and building resilience to promote peace, security, and sustainable development. To achieve its purpose, IPI employs a mix of policy research, strategic analysis, publishing, and convening. With staff from more than twenty countries and a broad range of academic fields, IPI has offices facing United Nations headquarters in New York and offices in Vienna and Manama. IPI partners with regional organizations, think tanks, universities, and NGOs to conduct research, produce publications, and convene meetings in many parts of the world.
Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion of freedom and democracy around the world. They analyze the challenges to freedom, advocate for greater political rights and civil liberties, and support frontline activists to defend human rights and promote democratic change. Founded in 1941, Freedom House was the first American organization to champion the advancement of freedom globally. Freedom House acts as a catalyst for greater political rights and civil liberties through a combination of analysis, advocacy, and action. Our research and analysis frame the policy debate in the United States and abroad on the progress and decline of freedom. They advocate for U.S. leadership and collaboration with like-minded governments to vigorously oppose dictators and oppression. They amplify the voices of those struggling for freedom in repressive societies and counter authoritarian efforts to weaken international scrutiny of their regimes. They also empower frontline human rights defenders and civic activists to uphold fundamental rights and to advance democratic change.
The World Policy Institute identifies critical emerging global issues in an interdependent world and gives voice to compelling new global perspectives and innovative policy solutions. A non-partisan source of global policy analysis and thought leadership for nearly five decades, World Policy Institute focuses on complex challenges that demand cooperative policy solutions to achieve: an inclusive and sustainable global market economy, engaged global civic participation and effective governance, and collaborative approaches to national and global security. It seeks to introduce fresh ideas and new voices on critical shared issues -- like migration, climate change, technology, economic development, human rights, and counter-terrorism –that cannot be solved from traditional "foreign-versus-domestic" boxes.
Originally published October 24, 2017
