Recent studies of community security and peacebuilding efforts have found that relatively inexpensive interventions can move the needle on measures of intergroup trust and social capital, even when far more intensive programs have failed to do so. For instance, where community-driven development and reconstruction interventions have delivered disappointing results in terms of rebuilding social capital, alternative, low-cost approaches—including translational justice and social contact—have emerged as promising channels for rebuilding social trust and cohesion following conflict. 

 

On October 4, in a session entitled "What do impact evaluations tell us about what works in peacebuilding, reconciliation, and dispute resolution?," Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) Policy Manager Aprille Knox, IPA Peace & Recovery Program Coordinator Nessa Kenny, 3iE Evaluation Specialist Ava Sonnenfeld, and Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP) Director of Learning and Evaluation Jessica Baumgardner-Zuzik presented emerging insights from impact evaluations on what works in peacebuilding, reconciliation, and dispute resolution and highlight existing evidence gaps. Drawing from IPA and J-PAL's recent evidence review, 3iE's evidence gap map, and AfP's violence reduction subsector review, this session showcased how rigorous evaluations can be a powerful tool for ensuring we are directing resources to the most impactful and cost-effective peacebuilding interventions.