A/HRC/28/76 12. International humanitarian law makes a distinction between an international armed conflict, whenever there is resort to armed force between two or more States, and noninternational armed conflicts, which are protracted armed confrontations between governmental armed forces and one or more non-State armed groups, or between such groups only. The armed confrontation must reach a minimum level of intensity and the parties involved must show a minimum degree of organization.6 Peacebuilding 13. The term emerged in the 1970s in the work of Johan Galtung, who called for the creation of peacebuilding structures to promote sustainable peace by addressing the root causes of violent conflict and supporting indigenous capacities for peace management and conflict resolution. Since then, the term has covered a multidimensional exercise and tasks ranging from disarming warring factions to rebuilding political, economic, judicial and civil society institutions.7 Post-conflict dialogue 14. A methodical approach, focused on the importance of bringing an armed conflict to an end and moving to a peacebuilding programme. The establishment of dialogue with the other party to the conflict is a part of reconciliation and peacemaking processes. Representatives of the most vulnerable groups and affected people should be involved in such dialogue. Post-conflict situation 15. A situation in which open warfare has come to an end. Such situations remain tense for years or decades and can easily relapse into large-scale violence. They generate enormous development challenges for the communities affected and for international actors, in vital sectors as security, justice, economic policy, education, media, agriculture, health, and environment.8 Rebuilding institutional infrastructure shattered during conflict is as important as, if not more important than, physical infrastructure.9 Post-conflict reconstruction 16. A generic term referring to the rebuilding of society in the aftermath of a conflict. Physical infrastructures have to be repaired or rebuilt, governmental institutions have to be reformed, psychic traumas of civilians and combatants have to be treated, the economy has to be restarted, refugees to be repatriated, reconciliation between belligerents has to be initiated, justice to be delivered. Efforts of this type require sustained support from the international community. Post-conflict recovery 17. The long-term rebuilding of a society in the aftermath of violent conflict. It includes political, socioeconomic and physical aspects, such as disarming and reintegrating combatants, finding durable solutions for internally displaced persons, reforming 6 7 8 9 See the ReliefWeb Glossary of Humanitarian Terms (available from http://reliefweb.int/report/world/reliefweb-glossary-humanitarian-terms) and International Committee of the Red Cross, “How is the term “Armed Conflict” defined in international humanitarian law?”, opinion paper, 17 March 2008 (available from www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/article/other/armed-conflict-article-170308.htm). See Peacebuilding and the United Nations (www.un.org/en/peacebuilding/pbso/pbun.shtml). Gerd Junne and Willemijn Verkoren, eds., Postconflict Development: Meeting New Challenges (Boulder, Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2005). Lakhdar Brahimi, “State building in crisis and post-conflict countries”, seventh Global Forum on Reinventing Government. Building Trust in Government, June 2007, Vienna. 5