Negotiating Constitutional Principles
In addition to its engagement in peace processes, PILPG has 30 years of experience training civilians, civil society, and other parties on the substance and skills needed to most effectively represent their delegation’s interests in an international peace negotiation. This page offers resources on approaching the topic of constitutional principles or establishing a new permanent constitution during peace negotiations. Scroll through this page for: Background Reading, Guidelines & Best Practices, Expert Insights & Interactive Tools
Background Reading
There are many issues to be addressed during a peace negotiation, and many issues arise during the process that parties may not have the time or capacity to fully resolve during formal negotiations. Establishing a comprehensive legal framework for post-conflict governance is one of those tasks that parties may not have the time or capacity to fully resolve during formal negotiations. The chapter below from Dr. Paul R. Williams’ Lawyering Peace Book, addresses how parties have and can approach achieving changes to the constitutional structure of a state during negotiations.
Educational Resources
The following resources include a short video with accompanying speaker notes on making and designing a constitution and a link to a mini lesson regarding approaches to addressing post-conflict governance structure and constitution drafting processes during a peace negotiation.
Guidelines and Best Practices
The following handbook helps parties, mediators, and practitioners better prepare for drafting and implementing post-conflict constitutions.
Expert Insights
The following Expert Roundtable from PILPG’s Thought Leadership Initiative regarding the best practices in incorporating transitional justice in constitution-drafting processes. The video covers the challenges in integrating transitional justice into constitution-drafting processes, highlights lessons learned from various country examples, and provides recommendations to how local actors may best enhance the synergy between transitional justice and constitution-drafting within their country contexts.
Interactive Tools and Resources
The following mini negotiation simulation on constitutional reform in the Syria context, offers opportunities to put the knowledge acquired from this page on approaches to negotiating constitutional principles to the test.
