Partners in Peace? : A Quantitative Analysis of Peacekeeping and Civil Society

Abstract: Various studies have shown the difficulty for peacekeeping missions to combat conflict-related sexual violence, including the abuse within their own ranks. Both policymakers and academics advocate for the inclusion of civil society in peacekeeping missions claiming that this can aid peacekeepers in this endeavour. However, there are no large-N studies examining this relationship. In this thesis, I aim to fill this gap by asking the research question: What impact does civil society have on peacekeeping missions’ ability to combat conflict-related sexual violence? I theorise that civil society inclusion can help reduce sexual violence by increasing knowledge of the local conflict dynamics and assisting with concrete projects. The theoretical argument is captured in two hypotheses where 1) civil society presence, and 2) broad peacekeeping mandates are two determinants of whether sexual violence likelihood will decrease. Using a sample of United Nations peacekeeping missions between 1991-2019 I test both hypotheses using logistic regression. The overall results generate weak support for the hypotheses. Nonetheless, there is an indication that combining civil society with broad mandates decreases the likelihood of government-perpetrated sexual violence. I conclude that more research must be dedicated to preventing future victims of war’s oldest crime.