Public Group on Fragility and Crisis Situations

COMBATING THE DRIVERS OF CONFLICT BY STIMULATING GROWTH

Topic overview

SUMMARY

• A broad range of stakeholders need to be involved in promoting inclusive growth and jobs in situations of conflict and fragility.
• The public sector has an important role in promoting growth by supporting initiatives and creating an enabling environment.
• Providing jobs and livelihoods — even if just temporarily through public works — can build skills and prevent young men especially from joining conflicts.
• Restoring infrastructure can bring new opportunities for the local private sector to grow.
• Supporting growth and employment addresses the root causes of conflict and is part of the trajectory that links relief to rehabilitation and development.

Growth and job creation are important elements in a strategy to address conflict and fragility. Low income, poverty and youth unemployment are major drivers of conflict. Jobs provide income but are also essential in reconstructing society, restoring confidence and breaking the cycle of violence.

An enabling environment for growth and jobs can be encouraged by the public sector, but ultimately growth and jobs are reliant on the private sector. A vibrant private sector is an important actor with much to lose in conflict and thus with much reason to prevent and avoid conflict. A recent study isolated five key factors that constrain the private sector in fragile and conflict-affected states (Box 1). External support that helps overcome these factors will tend to support inclusive and sustainable growth.

This topic note looks at the case of Niger where a number of interventions were made to integrate youth into the employment market in the country’s volatile border areas.

To find out more and read the key issues and case study, Download this ninth note 

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