social cohesion perspective to adress fragility

1. A social cohesion perspective to
address fragility

2. Fragility analysis
• A state capacity to navigate through period of
instability is based on two factors :
– the capacity of its population to cooperate and
– the ability of the institutions
• Many fragility analysis focus on the social
contract and vertical state-society relationship
(institutional approach) undermining the
factors shaping the horizontal dynamics within
society (societal approach)

3. Social cohesion
• Social cohesion is based on the social capital of
individuals, i.e. their ability to interact with others
to the benefit of society as a whole.
• Better equiped to navigate through instability
(South Korea)
• Resilient state can rely on strong social bonds,
trust & informal institutions
• Somaliland versus Somalia
• Tunisia versus Syria / Libya
• South Africa

4. Social contract & social covenants
Social contrat Social cohesion
State buidling Society building
Government coexistence
Power and how it is to be handled within
a political framework
How people live together despite
differences
Laws and their reinforcment Values we share
Used of potential cohersive force Moral commitments, values we share &
the ideas that inspire us to work together
for the sake of the common good

5. For UCLG, social cohesion is grounded
on five axes:
• Belonging as opposed to isolation, which refers to
the notion of common values, identity and sense
of commitment;
• Inclusion, as opposed to exclusion, which refers
to equality of opportunity
• Participation, as opposed to non-commitment;
• Recognition, as opposed to rejection, which
refers to respect and tolerance in pluralistic
societies;
• Legitimacy, as opposed to illegitimacy, which
refers to institutions

6. Public policy of social inclusion

7. What can DP/outsiders do ?
• Complements social contracts with social
cohesion to gradually build trust
• Focus on society-society relationship
• Outside mediator to gradually build trust, bring in
more parties, find creative solutions and
compromises & design new ways of governing
• Technical assistance for institutional reforms
• Similar countries experiences to deal with
challenges (context specific)
• Support respect of the agreement and rule of law

8. Questions
• How can DP support social cohesion ?
• What are the challenges in supporting social
cohesion ?
• Can decentralisation helps to strenghten social
cohesion ? More scope to leverage social
cohesion (asymmetrical federalism)
• Sharing of experiences on social cohesion?
• What can DeloG do ?