Principle 4: Enhancing legitimacy.
Enhancing the long-term legitimacy of peace processes - and of the actors involved in peacemaking - is a primary the objective for successful, sustainable and effective peace . Legitimacy is not static or given but emerges and is shaped simultaneously by how political settlements are arrived at, who was involved in designing the peace, what agenda for change it articulates, what it delivers to conflictaffected societies and communities, and what kinds of relationships it embodies. Peacemaking builds institutional legitimacy by transforming coercive capacity and personalised influence into formal and informal acceptance of transparent and agreed-upon laws, institutions and power holders. Peace processes and outcomes that support the effective participation of all social groups in public life, and in particular of women and other marginalised groups, are more legitimate. Ultimately, the goal is to generate sustainable political relationships and respect for the rule of law through tr...