Evaluating peace operations

This chapter examines a series of implicit or explicit decisions and their implications for determining the success or failure of a peace operation. Four decisions that make the task of evaluating the effectiveness of peace operations a complex one are outlined with respect to stakeholders, time perspectives, baselines, and mission types. The chapter then proposes a framework for evaluation and reviews the different criteria and associated indicators that have been used to evaluate peacekeeping success. In particular, it discusses the core goals of a peacekeeping mission, including conflict containment and conflict settlement, violence abatement, peacebuilding, and humanitarian assistance.