THE RIGHT TO PEACE: How 2018 Global Peace Index enhanced 55 countries' nationals interest on security, peace

In the next few minutes, people and civil societies will mark the end of this year’s International Peace Day, having explored ‘the right to peace’ as the celebration’s theme. In this piece, analysis of people’s interest in peace, conflict and security from January to September, 2018 by the Infoprations indicates that 2018 Global Peace Index's ranks of 55 countries, where people sought knowledge on the three issues, contributed to the interest.

“The global community is celebrating the International Day of Peace today.  The day is observed on 21 September every year.  The International Day of Peace was first celebrated in 1982. It is recognized by United Nations. It has been declared by the United Nations General Assembly a day "devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples."

The Global Peace Index, which was released earlier this year, says “the global level of peace has deteriorated by 0.27% in the last year, marking the fourth successive year of deterioration. Ninety-two countries deteriorated, while 71 countries improved.”

The Index adds that everyone is now living in a world where the tensions, conflicts and crises that characterised the last decade remain unresolved, most especially in the Middle East, resulting in less peaceful world.

Meanwhile, Infoprations’ analysis establishes that nationals of the less peaceful countries sought knowledge on security than peace and conflict. This is an indication that they understood conflict and elusive peace in their countries which did not call for significant interest in them (conflict and peace), but on the need to be secured. The result specifically shows that the less peaceful the countries, the less people had interest in seeking knowledge about peace. A 36.7% reduction in understanding peace was found. On the other hand, one score of each country increases people’s interest in knowing security by 28.4% while it only encouraged them to seek knowledge on conflict by 2.1%.

One of the striking results from the analysis is New Zealanders’ interest in security more than peace despite being ranked 2^nd most peaceful country in 2018. Sixty-two percent of the searches on peace, conflict and security were on security. Russia was ranked 154^th, indicating less peaceful country out of the 163 countries ranked for 2018. Seventy-five of total searches on peace, conflict and security from the country were also on security.

Credit: Google Trends, Infoprations Analysis 2018

Analysis further reveals that the Global Peace Index led to seeking knowledge about security, conflict and peace by 70%, 8% and 22% respectively. From the insights, it has become imperative for the global leaders and other concerned stakeholders to find lasting solutions to the elusive peace across the world, particularly in the Middle East and part of Africa. There is a need to resolve issues related to socioeconomic and political imbalances which typically necessitate militarization and armed conflict in the world.