ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the role that civil society groups might play in efforts to foster peace in countries experiencing civil war. We argue that the timing of civil society engagement with the peace process is central to determining the form of its influence. In the context of negotiations to bring a peaceful end to conflict, the involvement of civil society groups is likely to have a negative influence by delaying progress, reinforcing societal divisions, and creating unrealistic expectations. In contrast, we anticipate that civil society participation should prove beneficial after a settlement has been reached and the process of agreement implementation is initiated. We suggest that the most effective role that civil society groups may play in the context of implementation is as service providers to the population, offering assistance in attaining goods such as education and health care. By providing access to a tangible peace dividend, civil society groups may most effectively advance the goal of fostering a stable and enduring peace.
