Born out of the work carried out by the Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP), Positive Peace can be described as the attitudes, institutions and structures that create and sustain peaceful societies.
These eight areas, known as the Pillars of Positive Peace, were derived from the datasets that had the strongest correlation with internal peacefulness, as measured by the Global Peace Index, an index that defines peace as “absence of violence or the fear of violence”. The PPI measures the eight Pillars using three indicators for each.
The indicators represent the best available globally-comparable data with the strongest statistically significant relationship to levels of peace.
The 8 Pillars of Peace framework identifies key factors that contribute to peaceful societies.
- A well-functioning government
- A sound business environment
- Equitable distribution of resources
- Acceptance of the rights of others
- Good relations with neighbours
- A free flow of information
- High levels of human capital
- Low levels of corruption
Click here for more information about each of the 8 pillars of peace.
These pillars are interconnected and positively reinforcing, meaning that strengthening one pillar can strengthen others and vice versa.
The IEP does not specifically set out what interventions should be done for each of the Pillars, as these will very much be dependent on cultural norms and development path of a specific country. What is appropriate in one country may not be appropriate in another. What sets Positive Peace apart from other studies of peace is that its framework is empirically derived. The indicators chosen to measure each Pillar are based on the factors that have the strongest statistically significant with peacefulness and as such form both a holistic and empirical framework.
Microcredit Groups
During the annual microcredit meetings we started to notice that the microcredit groups which were performing better were more aligned to the 8 pillars of peace, while in the weaker groups there were usually 2 or 3 of the 8 pillars which were suffering. This tended to be around – equal distribution of resources, well functioning government and low levels of corruption.
We noticed in discussion and looking at each group’s loan book, that in the weaker groups the leaders of the group tended to be the main beneficiaries, especially in the early stages, of the loan pool and would have larger loans than other members of the group. This indicated that the leaders were using their position within the group to benefit themselves ahead of other group members.
We have created a couple of simple questions around each of the 8 pillars of peace to bring into discussion how each group handles each pillar without realising it. This has acted as a catalyst for each group to discuss how they function and improve how they operate as a group.
Fuel Saving Stoves
When discussing with the group what they think about the Fuel saving stoves everyone always agrees it is much better. We then ask them have they shared with non group members how to build a fuel saving stove and if not why not.
We have started to encourage each member of a microcredit group to share the knowledge they have learned about how to build a fuel saving stove with 2 other people who are not members of their group and help them build fuel saving stoves on the basis that those 2 people also share and help 2 other people to build a fuel saving stove. In this simple way we are looking to promote good relations with neighbours, by encouraging free flow of information, and build the level of human capital in the local community.
