Understanding Positive Peace: A Systems-Based Framework for Sustainable Societal Flourishing
033. The Eight Pillars of 'Positive Peace'
The concept of peace is often narrowly interpreted as the absence of war or direct violence. However, such a definition — commonly referred to as negative peace — fails to capture the complex socio-political and economic conditions that underpin lasting stability and human flourishing. In contrast, positive peace offers a more comprehensive and constructive paradigm, encompassing the attitudes, institutions, and structures that create and sustain peaceful societies.
Developed and popularised by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the Positive Peace Framework provides a robust, empirically grounded model for understanding and promoting peace as more than the cessation of conflict. It represents a shift from reactive, crisis-based responses to violence towards proactive, systemic approaches to building resilience, inclusion, and justice. For changemakers working across diverse contexts — from grassroots activism and education to public policy, non-profit leadership, coaching, and social enterprise — the framework offers both a diagnostic tool and a roadmap for strategic intervention.
Theoretical Origins and the Evolution of Positive Peace
The term positive peace was originally coined by Norwegian sociologist Johan Galtung, a foundational figure in peace and conflict studies. Galtung (1969) distinguished between negative peace (the absence of overt violence) and positive peace (the presence of conditions that eliminate the root causes of conflict and foster human potential). Positive peace, in this formulation, is not merely about avoiding war but about constructing systems that promote equity, justice, and the full realisation of rights and opportunities for all.
The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) is a global think tank dedicated to shifting the world’s focus from conflict management to peacebuilding and positive development. Founded in 2007 by Australian technology entrepreneur and philanthropist Steve Killelea, the IEP has been instrumental in promoting a deeper understanding of the social, political, and economic factors that foster peaceful societies. Central to its contribution is the production of rigorously researched peace reports and indices, underpinned by a commitment to empirical measurement and evidence-based analysis. Among the most influential of these contributions is the Positive Peace Framework, a conceptual and practical model that identifies the conditions necessary for sustainable peace.
The IEP produces several landmark reports annually, each offering unique insights into the dynamics of peace, conflict, and resilience. These include:
The Global Peace Index (GPI): The GPI ranks 163 countries according to their relative levels of peacefulness based on 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators. It measures three domains: ongoing domestic and international conflict, societal safety and security, and militarisation.
The Positive Peace Report: This report delves into the structural factors underpinning peaceful societies, offering a complementary perspective to the GPI by focusing not merely on the absence of violence but on the presence of the attitudes, institutions, and structures that sustain peace.
The Global Terrorism Index (GTI): Providing a comprehensive summary of the key global trends and patterns in terrorism, the GTI offers an evidence-based resource for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners working to counter violent extremism.
The Ecological Threat Report (ETR): Recognising the growing impact of ecological risks on global stability, this report analyses threats such as food insecurity, water scarcity, and natural disasters, and their relationship to societal resilience.
Each of these reports draws extensively on statistical modelling, empirical analysis, and system-wide data, reinforcing the IEP’s mission to ground the study and promotion of peace in robust, transparent methodologies.
The Eight Pillars of Positive Peace
While Galtung laid the conceptual foundation, the IEP operationalised and expanded the concept through the development of the Positive Peace Index (PPI), which identifies eight interdependent pillars that support peace and resilience across societies. Drawing on extensive global data, the IEP’s model provides a quantifiable and actionable structure for assessing and strengthening peace beyond traditional security metrics.
According to the IEP, Positive Peace is sustained through the interaction of eight core pillars. These pillars do not operate in isolation; rather, they form a holistic, interconnected system in which progress in one domain can reinforce gains in others. Each pillar supports a resilient society capable of managing conflict non-violently, ensuring sustainable development, and enabling human flourishing.
1. Well-Functioning Government
A well-functioning government is characterised by transparency, accountability, inclusiveness, and effective service delivery. It ensures that public institutions operate in the public interest and uphold the rule of law. When governance is predictable and trustworthy, citizens are more likely to engage constructively and resolve disputes through institutional mechanisms rather than violence.
For changemakers: Strengthening government responsiveness—through civic education, policy advocacy, or participatory decision-making processes—is essential. Even at a grassroots level, building relationships between communities and local authorities can enhance legitimacy and public trust.
2. Sound Business Environment
An inclusive and stable economic environment fosters employment, innovation, and long-term development. A sound business environment depends on regulatory fairness, property rights, infrastructure, and a culture of entrepreneurship.
For changemakers: Social enterprises, cooperatives, and community development initiatives play a critical role in building economic ecosystems that are equitable and sustainable. This pillar also calls for ethical models of growth that prioritise social and ecological wellbeing alongside financial return.
3. Equitable Distribution of Resources
Peace is undermined when access to essential resources such as education, healthcare, employment, and housing is uneven. Equitable distribution fosters social cohesion and reduces grievances that can fuel unrest or systemic marginalisation.
For changemakers: Whether working in policy, education, or entrepreneurship, efforts to address inequality must focus not only on access but also on outcomes. This includes recognising intersecting forms of disadvantage and supporting redistributive policies and practices that centre justice and dignity.
4. Acceptance of the Rights of Others
A peaceful society requires the recognition and protection of fundamental human rights, including political, cultural, and religious freedoms. Societies where rights are upheld tend to exhibit lower levels of violence, stronger institutions, and higher degrees of inclusion.
For changemakers: Whether through legal reform, advocacy, or public education, defending human rights is a foundational component of peace work. This pillar invites critical engagement with structural injustice and the reimagining of systems that have historically excluded or oppressed.
5. Good Relations with Neighbours
Positive peace is influenced not only by internal dynamics but also by external relationships. Good relations between ethnic, religious, or geographic groups—and between states—reduce the likelihood of conflict and encourage cooperative solutions to shared challenges.
For changemakers: Projects that promote intercultural dialogue, cross-border collaboration, or reconciliation processes are integral. This pillar also invites changemakers to critically address xenophobia, racism, and other barriers to trust between communities.
6. Free Flow of Information
This pillar reflects the importance of a media environment in which information is freely available, reliable, and reflective of diverse perspectives. Free and independent media enable citizens to make informed decisions and hold power to account. Misinformation, censorship, and propaganda, on the other hand, contribute to polarisation and unrest.
For changemakers: Supporting community media, facilitating public dialogue, or engaging in political education are ways to strengthen information ecosystems. In the digital age, promoting media literacy and combating disinformation are crucial peacebuilding strategies.
7. High Levels of Human Capital
Investing in people—through education, health, and skills development—is essential for peace. A well-educated and healthy population is more adaptable, productive, and able to contribute meaningfully to society.
For changemakers: This pillar speaks to the importance of empowering individuals through capacity-building, mentorship, and access to opportunity. Educators, coaches, and social entrepreneurs are particularly well-placed to unlock latent human potential and disrupt cycles of disempowerment.
8. Low Levels of Corruption
Corruption undermines institutional legitimacy, distorts resource allocation, and exacerbates inequality. It erodes public trust and increases the likelihood of political instability and violence.
For changemakers: Transparency initiatives, watchdog journalism, and institutional reform are key areas of engagement. Even small-scale efforts to increase accountability—such as community budgeting or ethical procurement—can contribute to more resilient institutions.
Applications and Relevance for Changemakers
The Positive Peace Framework has profound implications for those working to drive change at local, national, or global levels. Its systems-based approach aligns well with the integrated and intersectional strategies employed by changemakers across sectors.
1. For Grassroots Activists
Positive peace legitimises activist efforts that address root causes of injustice — such as poverty, racism, gender inequality, and climate change — rather than merely reacting to symptoms. Activists can use the pillars as a language and structure for advocacy, coalition-building, and framing demands in terms that resonate with policy-makers and funders.
2. For Educators and Coaches
In teaching and coaching, the framework provides a multidimensional lens for exploring personal, social, and systemic transformation. It can guide critical pedagogy, help learners contextualise their experiences, and support the development of civic responsibility, resilience, and ethical leadership.
3. For Social Entrepreneurs
The IEP’s model underscores the importance of inclusive economies and sound institutions in achieving long-term impact. Social enterprises that promote decent work, access to services, or environmental sustainability are directly contributing to multiple pillars of positive peace. The framework also aids in impact measurement and systems thinking.
4. For Policy Practitioners and Advocates
Policy-makers and non-profit leaders can apply the Positive Peace Pillars to assess gaps, design integrated solutions, and coordinate across departments or sectors. Whether addressing youth disengagement, housing insecurity, or mental health, situating interventions within a Positive Peace framework helps ensure they are preventive, not merely reactive.
5. For Funders and Philanthropic Organisations
Positive peace provides a theory of change that prioritises structural transformation, social cohesion, and institutional legitimacy. Funders can use the framework to assess the systemic impact of grants, support long-term capacity-building, and foster cross-sector collaboration
Implementing Positive Peace: A Strategic Systems Approach
The Positive Peace Framework is not merely theoretical; it is designed for practical implementation across sectors and scales. Whether designing grassroots initiatives or national policies, changemakers can employ this framework to:
Design Projects: Identify structural strengths and deficits in communities using the eight pillars as an assessment tool. This enables the design of targeted, sustainable interventions that address root causes rather than symptoms.
Inform Policy: Promote systems thinking in policy design by focusing on interlinked drivers of peace — such as low corruption, sound business environments, and equitable resource distribution.
Build Shared Language: Facilitate inclusive dialogue by offering a common framework that allows diverse stakeholders to assess, understand, and co-create peacebuilding solutions.
Integrate Across Sectors: Align humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts (HDP nexus) by applying a holistic, data-driven framework that ensures interventions are coordinated, comprehensive, and forward-looking.
The Positive Peace Framework provides changemakers with a structured yet flexible model for advancing systemic change. It shifts the focus from reactive, crisis-based responses to proactive, resilience-oriented transformation. By working across the eight pillars — each reinforcing the others — social change agents can contribute not only to the prevention of conflict but to the construction of societies where all people have the opportunity to thrive.
Implementing Positive Peace is a collective endeavour. It requires cross-sectoral collaboration, cultural sensitivity, and a commitment to equity and sustainability. By integrating the framework into project design, policy advocacy, education, and dialogue, changemakers can help build a world where peace is not simply the absence of violence, but the presence of justice, opportunity, and hope.