The Decentralisation Program

for Peace and Democracy

 

 

 

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Decentralization Program

for Peace and Democracy

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برنامج اللامركزية

من اجل السلام والديمقراطية

 

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The Decentralisation Program

for Peace and Democracy

About DPD Program 

The Decentralisation Program for Peace and Democracy (DPD) is a research and policy initiative promoting peace, protecting communities, and strengthening democracy through inclusive, decentralised governance. We focus on conflict resolution, minority rights, and democratic development, offering evidence-based analysis and practical policy solutions for multi-ethnic and multi-religious states.

 

We believe decentralisation is more than a system of governance. It is a pathway to justice, pluralism, and lasting peace.

Why Decentralisation Matters

Around the world, many internal conflicts emerge where diverse communities feel excluded, marginalised, or threatened by centralised state authority. When ethnic or religious identities and political aspirations are suppressed, mistrust deepens, grievances accumulate, and societies become vulnerable to repression and violence, often escalating into armed conflict.

 

Two key principles of international law shape these dynamics:

 

  • The right to self-determination, which affirms the ability of peoples to protect their identity and shape their political future.

  • State sovereignty and territorial integrity, which protects the unity and stability of the state.

 

While these principles may appear to be in tension, comparative experience shows that decentralisation can reconcile them. Strong local governance enables communities to exercise meaningful autonomy while preserving the integrity of the state. This is evident across diverse cases shaped by different historical and political contexts, including Switzerland, Canada, the United States, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. In these cases, decentralisation has helped ease longstanding tensions and safeguard collective identities. In most, it has also contributed to advanced forms of democracy or created viable opportunities for democratic development over time.

 

At DPD program, we analyse these models to evaluate how effectively they demonstrate that peace and democracy are strengthened when power is shared rather than centralized in state capitals.

Our Purpose

The Program works to reduce the drivers of violent conflict by supporting political systems where all communities have a voice. When governance is inclusive and responsive, the risks of repression, mass violence, and instability decline.

 

Evidence from multiple cases indicates that decentralisation has contributed to:

 

  • Preventing mass atrocities by addressing exclusion and structural discrimination

  • Strengthening political participation from the local to the national level

  • Protecting ethnic, linguistic, and religious communities

  • Rebuilding trust in societies emerging from prolonged conflict

  • Creating democratic institutions that are resilient to authoritarianism

 

We promote models of federalism, autonomy, and self-administration that allow societies to manage diversity peacefully and equitably.

 

Our Core Principles

The Program's work is guided by six foundational principles:

 

1. Peace and Protection
Decentralisation reduces the risks of repression and mass violence by ensuring fair power sharing and strong local governance.

 

2. Democracy from the Bottom Up
Effective democracy is built through empowered communities, where local participation reinforces and legitimises national institutions. Although in some cases decentralisation has not immediately resulted in directly elected and fully functioning legislative bodies such as parliaments, it nonetheless lays a stronger foundation for their development than centralised authoritarian rule.

 

3. Diversity as Strength
Cultural, linguistic, and religious identity enrich national life. Autonomy structures safeguard this heritage.

 

4. Shared Power, Shared Stability
Balanced governance between central and regional authorities prevents conflict and reinforces national cohesion.

 

5. Learning from Global Experience
Comparative studies from Switzerland to Bosnia, Spain to Iraq inform policy design for diverse societies.

 

6. Self-Administration Transforms Conflict Regions
Local governance offers communities a peaceful alternative to authoritarian rule and prolonged conflict.

Our Mission

 

DPD Program advances research, policy engagement, and dialogue in three priority areas:

 

1. Decentralisation as a Foundation for Democratic Deepening
We examine how multi-level governance strengthens checks and balances and prevents authoritarian relapse.

 

2. Empowering Minorities Through Territorial Autonomy
Our research highlights how minority self-governance reduces grievances and supports long-term stability.

 

3. Designing Inclusive Governance for Post-Conflict States

We conduct applied research in fragile and conflict-affected countries, with a particular focus on Syria, where decentralisation can protect communities, build trust, and foster inclusive, pluralistic national institutions. We explore how decentralisation can support peaceful coexistence, political stability, and sustainable democratic development. 

 

Our Commitment to the Syrian Case

The future of Syria is an important part of our mission

 

We envision a Syria where diverse regions, including DAANES, which since January 2026 has been limited to the existing local administrative arrangements in Hasakah and Kobani, as well as Suwayda, the coastal region, and Wadi al-Nasara, are empowered through: 

 

  • Regional parliaments and councils

  • Linguistic, relgious and cultural rights

  • Local self-administration

  • Balanced relations with national institutions

 

Decentralisation can help protect identity communities: Kurds, Druze, Syriacs, Alawites, Christians, and others, while contributing to reconciliation and ending cycles of conflict, repression, and displacement.

 

We believe that a peaceful, democratic, and inclusive Syria is possible through shared governance.

WHAT WE DO

To advance our mission, DPD Program:

 

  • Conducts comparative and theoretical research

  • Publishes reports and academic studies, and submit policy briefs 

  • Organises conferences, workshops, and public dialogues

  • Engages civil society, policymakers, and international partners

  • Provides technical advice on federal, autonomous, and self-administrative model

  • Builds networks among decentralisation scholars and practitioners

Our Vision

We envision decentralised governance as a solution for conflict-ridden countries, helping to foster peace, protect minority communities, prevent mass violence, and build resilient democracies.

 

Across diverse contexts, including Syria, we believe societies thrive when power is shared, communities participate in governance, and identities are protected within a shared constitutional framework.