Sustainable Societies Africa

Justice and Peace

The sources of conflict in Africa are linked by a number of common themes and experiences. According to the UN Commission on Human Security (2003), causes of internal conflict include:

• competition over land and resources
• sudden and deep political or economic transitions
• growing inequity among people and communities
• increasing crime, corruption and illegal activities
• weak and unstable political regimes and institutions
• identity politics and historical legacies, such as colonialism

While these are different causes of conflict, there is a common human root to them all-the notion that violence is an acceptable behavior. Peace is elusive if there is not justice in a society. The pursuit of just solutions often requires concessions on the part of all parties, whether within a family, community, country, or region. Compromising is more difficult when there is as much poverty and resource scarcity as there currently is in Africa.