The Veterans Peace Initiative (VPI)©TI/Teun Voeten

• Increasingly, both governments and international organizations recognise that veteransdeserve recognition and appreciation• Importantly, it is more and more recognised that veterans can be effective agents of

change, drawing upon their experience, skills and extensive networks• The provision of proper capacity development support in the field of Peace andSecurity can equip veterans, and their organisations, to become effective agents ofchange, and thus, contributing significantly to the solution of conflicts in theircommunities, countries and internationally• In addition, an increased set of skills could facilitate many of them to find meaningful

jobs and with positive social impact after their military career, something that remainschallenging in many countries around the word

Lets look at some relevant frameworks

Background

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©TI/Irma Specht ©TI/Irma Specht

Responding to complex risks in complementary ways• This is a joint effort by the United Nations and the World Bank Group to work together

in new ways across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus in countries affected by fragility, conflict and violence.• The initiative builds on growing recognition that humanitarian, development, and

peacebuilding efforts are complementary and need to reinforce each other, to respond to volatile situations around the world. • Applying this to reintegration and veterans concerns – this would be a call to

complement the Health and Welfare support with empowerment in terms of skills, power to advocate for rights, jobs and indeed security in the broadest sense of the word

The Humanitarian-Development-Peace Initiative (HDPI)

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The human security approach was introduced in the 1994 global Human Development Report (HDR). The 1994 HDR was more specific, listing seven essential dimensions of human security:• Economic security• Food security• Health security• Environmental security• Personal security• Community security

Applying this to veterans means a more holistic view to their security, and includes security in their communities. They can be supported to play a key role in this.

Human security for veterans

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On 19 December 2016, the Declaration on the Right to Peace was ratified by the plenary of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in a majority vote by its Member States (Resolution A/71/189). Article 1 of the resolution states that, “Everyone has the right to enjoy peace such that all human rights are promoted and protected and development is fully realized.” This provision entitles all human beings to the benefits that stem from the three UN pillars: Peace, human rights and development.

The right to peace

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSxSKAI7om0

Veterans for Peace

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• Reintegration only works if nationally, locally and individually owned• Those to be reintegrated should participate in designing the support• Veterans are the best councillors for other veterans due to past history• In reintegration the community needs to be consulted and become active partners• Having lived the conflict and violence –veterans often become messengers of peace• Full reintegration means social, economic and political reintegration• Some of the better high level international professional have a veterans background• Success stories work send powerful messages and encourage others• Reintegration of female veterans remains unsatisfactory • The focus should be on empowerment!

Lessons learned in reintegration

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• The World Veterans Federation has developed, in close cooperation with TransitionInternational, a global capacity development programme called the “Veterans PeaceInitiative”• The aim of the VPI is to foster the desired capacities of veterans and their organisations

in the area of Peace and Security in its broadest sense• The VPI wishes to achieve this by organising series of training in 10 countries, followed

by coaching, and support to local veterans’ organisations• Within this training framework veterans are regarded as peace messengers• All the support will be tailor-made

What is the Veterans Peace Initiative?

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1. Preparing veterans for advisory services in the field of Peace and Security, in their own countries and abroad

2. Creating a pool of advanced veteran experts and trainers in the field of Peace and Security, which will impact narratives in the countries of the participants and within their veteran’s organisations

3. Giving veterans knowledge of the relevant structures, organizations, processes, a wide range of topics in the area of peace and security, and skills in consultation, advice, training and mediation

4. Providing a platform for consultation, knowledge, exchange and especially an entrance to a veteran network in the area of advice on Peace and Security

5. Coaching graduates of the trainings in 10 countries to be effective in their role6. Capacitating veteran organisations to better support their members and to improve their

communication, contributing to a more positive perception of veterans and their organisations 7. Providing opportunities for veterans to use their unique experience, boosted by knowledge from

the courses

Objectives of the Veterans Peace Initiative (VPI)

The first phase of the VPI has been made possible by the financial support of the Dutch “V-fonds” and it consists of:• The development of a robust media and communication strategy to disseminate and

promote the ideas of the VPI• A Training of Trainers which will take place in May in the Netherlands, aiming to create

an international pool of advanced experts and trainers in the field of peace and security• The development of country plans - for initially 10 countries

The first phase

@TI/Teun Voeten

• The VPI will develop a robust communications and public information strategy and materials on VPI. It aims and to increase the knowledge of and recognition for the role and importance of veterans for their countries in the field of Peace and Security• The communication plan will include an online platform where former trainees and

trainers can meet and share experiences and opportunities • The aim of this plan is also to increase the knowledge of the importance and impact of

the training programme to the general public in the Netherlands and the veteran’s organisations globally• The plan will include a resource mobilisation strategy for the 10 countries

Media

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• The goal of the TOT is to create a pool of senior trainers (veterans) who could then provide the trainings and coaching in the 10 countries • This group will then design the 10 country programmes• During the two-week ToT, selected participants will be both trainers in their area of

expertise as well as students learning from each other, complemented by some external experts.

• The TOT will be supported by the Barcelona International Peace Centre

Training of trainers (TOT)

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The VPI taining will consist of 5 modules:

Module 1. Introduction to peace and security Roots of conflict, stabilisation and conflict transformation, human rights and international law, Sustainable Development Goals and the UN system, Rule of law in conflict, access to justice and transitional justice, migration and durable solutions, governance and decentralisation in conflict, Local Economic Development and economic initiatives for peace and Gender in conflict)

Module 2. Strategies and tools to enhance securityDisarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR), Security Sector Reform (SSR), Community Violence Reduction (CVR) and community security approaches, Community Based Reintegration and Security (CBRS), release and reintegration of children associated with armed forces and groups, and youth programming in conflict, peace and security)

Training of trainers (continued)

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Module 3. Violent extremismIntroduction to Violent Extremism(VE), prevention of VE, counter terrorism and foreign fighters, rehabilitation in and after detention, reintegration of people being accused of belonging to a “terrorist organisation”, and deradicalization)

Module 4. Competencies and communicationResearch in conflict – design and interview techniques, resource mobilisation, job and career paths in Peace and Security, veteran’s reintegration and organisations, mediation and dialogue, and communications and Public Relations (PR)

Module 5. Training skillsMuch attention will be paid to soft skills such as training, leadership and presentation skills

Training of trainers (continued)

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For this initiative we are looking for:

• Candidates for the ToT from various countries, while impact in the Kingdom of the

Netherlands (with inclusion of the Caribbean territories) will be ensured by

continuously making the link with Dutch veterans and their institutions

• Interested countries and veterans organisation who would like to be one of the 10

countries where the VPI will be implemented

• Donors and sponsors for the next phase of the VPI

Please come and see me to discuss

Your potential roles and support

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Thank youIrma Specht

www.transitioninternational.com