2 min read
WHAT PARTICULAR CHALLENGE ARE YOU WORKING TO SOLVE WITHIN THE IMPACT SPACE?
Throughout my career, I worked to address the challenges that lie within SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. My background is in peacebuilding, at first by promoting effective dialogue between nuclear weapons policymakers to help end the Cold War through the Oxford Research Group, an NGO that I set up more than 40 years ago. Later, I became more interested in the grassroots elements of peace-building and set up an organisation called Peace Direct which supports local peace-builders in conflict areas. More recently, I read in Phenix Capital’s report published in 2019 that SDG 16 was the UN’s goal receiving the least amount of investment. This is not only surprising but also quite serious as all the other SDGs depend on peace such as education, health, and poverty alleviation. With Business Plan for Peace, I now aim to strengthen the private sector’s role in funding initiatives related to peace and justice by for example developing the first Development Impact Bond (DIB) focused specifically on SDG 16.
WHAT CHALLENGES STILL EXIST ON THE TOPIC?
The challenges linked to peace and justice are enormous. We are still investing astronomical sums into weaponry which continues to fuel wars. If just 5% of this capital was redirected towards peace-building efforts at the local level, it could bring about far quicker and greater results in terms of peace negotiations and agreements and alleviation of suffering.
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU IN WHAT YOU ARE DOING ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS?
I am inspired by the many extraordinary and talented people working in this field. For example, I was especially moved by Nelson Mandela’s integrity while working with him to set up The Elders. With this integrity, he persuaded his colleagues not to take up arms and effectively prevented a civil war in South Africa. Many of the local people that promote peace efforts across the globe have these same qualities.
WHAT HAS BEEN A HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER?
At the height of the Cold War, I was invited with a group of women leaders from all over Europe to the Kremlin. There I met with Mikhail Gorbachev and had a long exchange with him. Many people may not realise it now, but it took incredible courage to lead the process of a build-down of nuclear weapons. The agreement signed with other world leaders forced the reduction of the stocks of nuclear weapons by about 75% which meant that we were less in danger of nuclear war by accident.
WHAT IS STILL NEEDED FROM THE IMPACT INVESTMENT COMMUNITY?
I would like to put out a request to the impact investment community to look at the amount of investment there is in SDG 16 and identify ways that they could further support this important goal. What is needed is for some courageous investors to take the lead and show that preventing armed conflict will make our world safer and will also make it possible for the other SDGs to flourish. Please contact me at scilla@planforpeace.org if you have good ideas or would like to inspect our ‘Impact Bond for Peace’ document.
Business Plan for Peace main effort is on encouraging a change in policy and practice toward the prevention of violent conflict; providing learning opportunities on the main topics outlined in The Business Plan for Peace book; and enhancing awareness through public speaking events, the media, and marketing opportunities, of the fact that war is no longer necessary.
