ABSTRACT
This chapter correlates peace strategies such as the possibilities for the structural prevention of violence, conflict management and transformation with six stages of conflict. It explores the role of different actors in preventing violence, including governments, development agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the UN system. The chapter focuses on the importance of the right timing in response to conflict. In the stage of escalation to violent conflict there will be a serious limitation of options as well as a reduction in the types of responses and numbers of actors involved. The best timing for it would be intervention at the stage of dormant conflict. Some of the critical skills of INGOs are in high demand, such as constructive conflict resolution approaches and co-operative planning. In an emerging stage of conflict there are usually plenty of public threats by the aggressors and early warnings from the side of targeted groups and local NGOs.
