FMO Thematic Guide: Armed Conflict, Peace Processes and Forced Migrants

Wars and armed conflict are one of the main causes of forced migration. As the nature of wars has changed since the middle of the 20th century, especially in the post-Cold War era, civilians have become increasingly affected by these conflicts. Not only do civilians account for a majority of war casualties today, but they are also disproportionately affected by involuntary displacement, both internally and across borders. However, these refugees are not just passive victims whose needs have to be taken into account. They can also play a key role in subsequent peace processes and reconstruction efforts, as recent research into diasporic populations and transnational communities have started to emphasise. This thematic guide is thus an attempt to offer an introduction into the relationship between forced migration and the different stages of armed conflict: pre-conflict, conflict, conflict resolution and post-conflict.