Alert 2023! Report on conflicts, human rights and peacebuilding

Executive Summary

Alert 2023! Report on conflicts, human rights and peacebuilding is an annual report analyzing the state of the world in terms of conflict and peacebuilding based on three main axes: armed conflict, tensions, gender and peace and security. The analysis of the most relevant events in 2022 and the nature, causes, dynamics, actors and consequences of the main scenarios of armed conflict and social and political tension around the world allows for a regional comparative vision and also allows identifying global trends and elements of risk and preventive warnings for the future. Furthermore, the report also identifies peacebuilding opportunities or opportunities to scale down, prevent or resolve conflicts.
In both cases, one of the main objectives in this report is to make available all the information, analyses and identification of warning factors and peace opportunities for decision-makers, those intervening for the peaceful resolution to conflicts, or those giving a greater political, media or academic visibility to the many situations of political and social violence in the world.

As for the methodology, the contents of this report mainly draw on a qualitative analysis of studies and information made available by many sources –the United Nations, international organizations, research centres, communication media or NGOs, among others– as well as on field research in conflict-affected countries.

Some of the most relevant conclusions and information in the Alert 2023! report are listed below:

• Thirty-three armed conflicts were reported in 2022, a slightly higher figure than the previous year. Most of the armed conflicts were concentrated in Africa (16) and Asia (nine), followed by the Middle East (five), Europe (two) and the Americas (one).

• For the first time in a decade, high-intensity armed conflicts accounted for more than half (52%) of all cases worldwide.

• Russia’s invasion of Ukraine increased the number of international conflicts (9% of the total) in 2022, although most armed conflicts were internationalised internal ones (79%).

• 30% of the armed conflicts in 2022 reported higher levels of violence than the previous year.

• Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered one of the two international armed conflicts in the world in 2022, setting off high-intensity violence, a serious humanitarian crisis and global repercussions in several different areas, such as the global rise in fuel and food prices and food insecurity.

• Following the trend reported in previous periods, Africa was home to the largest number of armed conflicts globally. The continent registered 16 cases, representing 49% of the total, although the percentage of high-intensity cases was slightly reduced.

• Asia continued to be the only region in the world with internal armed conflicts, except the conflict in Ethiopia (Oromia) in Africa. The three armed conflicts of this type, in the Philippines (NPA), India (CPI-M) and Thailand (south) accounted for one third of the cases in the region.

• OCHA warned of the development of the largest global food crisis in modern history caused by conflicts, climate shocks, the threat of global recession and escalating global insecurity.

• During 2022, the use of sexual and gender-based violence against civilians by state and non-state armed actors, and especially against women and girls, continued to be reported.

• During 2022, there were 108 socio-political crises reported around the world. The crises were mainly concentrated in Africa (36) and Asia and the Pacific (33), while the rest took place in the Americas (16), Europe (12) and the Middle East (11).

• Half the cases identified in 2022 got worse compared to the previous year.

• Not only did the number of crises clearly increase in 2022, but their average intensity also grew compared to the previous year.

• 23 of the 33 armed conflicts that took place in 2022 occurred in countries with a low level of gender equality, while three occurred in countries with a medium-low level of gender equality.

• 24 of the 33 ongoing armed conflicts occurred in countries where ILGA had documented the implementation of legislation or policies criminalising the LGBTQ+ population.

• The use of sexual violence was reported in Haiti, the Ethiopian region of Tigray, South Sudan, and in Ukraine in the context of the Russian invasion.

• Two peacekeeping missions, MONUSCO and MINUSCA, accounted for 90% of the allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse.

• In 2021, 45,000 women were murdered by their partners or family members, which represents 56% of the total number of female homicides worldwide.

• Alert 2023! identifies five opportunities for peace in Ethiopia; Venezuela; Colombia; Yemen; and in relation to the promotion of prevention and dialogue.

• The report highlights six risk scenarios regarding including the tension between DRC and Rwanda the instability of the transitional processes of Sudan and South Sudan; extreme gender discrimination in Iran and Afghanistan; Molvoda; and North Korea and South Korea.