Emergency Response and Post-Conflict Reconstruction

Peacebuilding is often viewed as irrelevant or difficult to think about during emergencies where the most important goal is to keep people alive. However, ways to connect short-term responses to longer-term development are emerging. You can begin laying the seeds for long-term peace even during an emergency.

For example, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Catholic Relief Services began laying the groundwork for interfaith cooperation during the war by working with Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish and Catholic organizations on emergency relief efforts. Similarly, in Indonesia, CRS worked with the Central Java Interfaith Emergency Program on emergency assistance. CRS also provided staff dealing with refugees from East Timor with education on conflict resolution to help in their day-to-day activities and conflicts occurring within the camp.