Peace and Social Cohesion – Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

The quality of relations with others and across ethnic groups is poor and has deteriorated over the last years, with prevailing stereotypes, especially among men, having a direct negative effect on inter-personal solidarity across groups. Community events appear somewhat ineffective at fostering a sense of proximity between inhabitants in a given groupement. Few respondents are positive about the government's efforts to date to build peace, unite people, or improve security. Authorities at all levels and civil servants are rarely seen as acting in the interest of the population, with many perceiving them as a corrupted, self-interested group favoring the wealthy and powerful. Poverty reduction and economic development are crucial to enhance social cohesion, according to respondents. It is also an important factor to reduce corruption and subsequently improve services and trust in the state. This is a challenging proposition in a context of chronic poverty. Few peacebuilding efforts have focused on the critical need for employment opportunities and poverty reduction. The study highlights six areas that the Solutions for Peace and Recovery (SPR) project, as well as the government, the international community, and national and local agencies working in these regions should prioritize. First, there is an urgent need to address worsening relations in the community in general, and across ethnic groups, through education and outreach campaigns, as well as opportunities for joint engagement and activities. Second, the government, with the support of the international community, must develop effective and transparent mechanisms to address basic needs and develop services, especially in areas where services lag the provincial average. This should include reviewing the role of civil servants, the cost structure of the services they offer, and their payment, as well as confronting corruption in a transparent manner. Third, the efforts at improving access to services and citizen participation must in parallel strengthen accountability mechanisms to fight against corruption. Corruption is pervasive and has negative effects across multiple dimensions of social cohesion, leading to exclusions and undermining access to services and the satisfaction of basic needs. Fourth, the government must develop, with the support of the international community, transparent and inclusive mechanisms to encourage citizen participation and ensure that authorities at all levels are effectively consulting and taking into account the needs and priorities of the population. Fifth, greater police capacity and presence may be helpful for increasing security, with potential to develop good community policing relations that will improve levels of generalized trust in security actors and more generally, government institutions. Sixth, investing in economic development and poverty reduction is crucial to enhance social cohesion and reduce corruption, which will subsequently improve services and trust in the state. This requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of poverty and inequality, including the need for employment opportunities and access to basic services.