Learning Objectives
How can international networks help parliament handle conflict?

After studying this unit you should be able to:

• Appreciate that professional regional and international parliamentary associations provide a venue for parliamentarians to focus on issues beyond the domestic;

• Identify ways in which parliamentarians can use parliamenty association to promote conflict prevention;

• Understand how parliamentarians can participate in international initiatives sponsored by multilateral development agencies to reduce poverty and improve development.

Introduction

There is a growing recognition that parliamentarians, as direct representatives of the people, have a regional, and sometimes international, role to play in peacebuilding.  Traditionally, parliamentarians’ focus has been limited to representing their constituents within parliament on any number of issues, but predominantly domestic topics.  More recently, parliamentarians are finding that they are able to represent the interests of their constituents in forums outside parliament, which have not traditionally been within parliaments’ purview, such as international initiatives and processes sponsored by multilateral development agencies.  Furthermore, by looking beyond their lawmaking and accountability functions, and working with parliamentary colleagues across international borders, parliamentarians can make contributions to peacebuilding and conflict prevention either in their own countries or regionally, through encouraging dialogue, building confidence and facilitating peer to peer learning. 

By forging informal networks or participating in regional and international parliamentary associations, parliamentarians can have an impact on regional or international issues.  Such forums or associations promote dialogue among parliamentarians from different countries and serve as an excellent peacebuilding and conflict prevention model, especially when disputes cross international boundaries.  Parliamentary associations are uniquely qualified for this purpose, as those involved have specific knowledge about how parliaments work and the strengths and limitations of parliaments.  Similarly, formal regional institutions promote dialogue, build confidence and facilitate learning between members of a region, while helping to mediate disputes and provide a neutral space for dialogue.

Parliamentarians across regions face similar hurdles when using their position and the institution itself to manage conflict and build peace.  One aspect of peacebuilding is developing relationships between actors who can then work together to avert escalation of conflict, building on the trust that exists between them due to their similar professional standing.  Parliamentarians are able to forge regional relationships amongst themselves in three ways: