robust participation in all stages and institutional layers of peace-building will fail to yield tangible result for victims and broader civil society. The inclusion of victims can sometimes be dismissed as an indulgent luxury or even an obstacle to peace. However, while every context is different, empirical research and case studies suggest a strong linkage, if not a causal relationship between participatory peacebuilding and the durability of peace. Peace without justice seems doomed to fracture and collapse. Recognition and redress for past injustices, as well as a series of restorative measures for war victims are an essential component of a successful transition from conflict to peace. There are multiple reasons why victims contribute to building and consolidating peace, including: • Recognition and respect for victims’ grievances and suffering and inclusion of their demands and perspective helps victims’ reconciliation and broader national healing. • Victims inclusion creates greater legitimacy for peace negotiations, the peace agreement and the consolidation of peace. Victims involvement will help create viable mechanisms to mitigate and end their suffering. • Victims involvement makes the peace process more participatory and democratic, creating constituencies at the grassroots levels and contributes to harnessing community support to broader peace-building efforts. This is particularly true in a low trust environment where political parties lack legitimacy. • Victims inclusion creates an important component of an overarching framework to address the fundamental demands and grievances of victims, through restorative and retributive justice mechanisms, which are fundamental to enduring peace. • Creates strong incentives for not-repetition of abuses and conflict prevention, particularly to the degree that it fosters greater respect for rule of law, and moderates the behaviours of future conflict actors.