Often described as the UN’s “financial instrument of first resort,” the PBF was established in 2005 to provide rapid support to countries at risk of conflict or emerging from crises. Unlike traditional aid programmes, the fund is designed to move quickly, delivering flexible financing at moments when early intervention can prevent violence from escalating.
Over the past 20 years, the PBF has supported peacebuilding efforts in more than 75 countries and territories, working alongside governments, civil society groups, youth networks and over 20 UN agencies.
Officials said the fund’s focus is on strengthening the foundations of lasting peace rather than responding after crises have already escalated. The fund backs a wide range of initiatives aimed at stabilising societies and rebuilding trust.
These include supporting peace agreements and political transitions, strengthening public institutions and restoring basic services in fragile contexts. The PBF also invests in community-level programmes, promoting dialogue between divided groups, creating economic opportunities and encouraging local ownership of peace processes.
Officials said the approach reflects a broader shift in international policy, recognising that sustainable peace requires inclusive societies and not just the absence of conflict.
A key feature of the fund is its focus on grassroots actors, particularly women and young people. The PBF has become one of the UN’s largest funders of women-led peacebuilding initiatives, supporting community mediators, negotiators and organisations working to prevent violence and rebuild communities.
Projects have included efforts to help survivors of conflict-related violence seek justice, as well as initiatives to strengthen women’s leadership in political and community spaces.
The fund’s work spans multiple regions and contexts. In Sierra Leone, it supported post-conflict recovery and peaceful elections. In Papua New Guinea, it helped enable the Bougainville referendum to proceed without violence.
In Central America and Central Asia, projects have focused on reconciliation, land disputes and community cooperation, while in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the fund has supported reintegration of former combatants.
Since its creation, the PBF has invested more than $2 billion across over 1 100 projects, reflecting increasing demand for prevention-focused support.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
