Conflict Sensitivity and Peacebuilding

Do No Harm Key lessons from the Do No Harm Project*   Every intervention becomes part of the context. All contexts have “dividers” and “connectors”. All interventions worsen or improve them. Actions and behaviors have consequences Details of interventions matter. Realization that development and humanitarian interventions can have negative impacts on the affected population emerged in the 1990ies. Evidence pointed to how interventions could in fact do harm by exacerbating tensions and conflict dynamics. This was mainly due to the limited understanding of local realities by development and humanitarian actors. This concern led to the ‘do no harm’ principle and the concept of conflict-sensitivity. Since then, it has become an a * Mary Anderson: “How aid can support peace – or war”, 1999

Conflict sensitivity refers to the capacity of an organization to: ● Understand the context in which it operates; ● Understand the interaction between the organization's interventions and the context; and ● Act upon the understanding of this interaction, to (a) avoid negative impacts (do no harm) and (b) maximize positive impacts. ● Constantly reflect on the implications of its interventions – Reflective Practice Interaction Outer circle is the context analysis Inner project circle represents the project cycle of the intervention Diagram 3 represents the assessment of the interation between context and the project This refers to the two-way relationship between an intervention and the context in which it is situated, ie the impact of the intervention on the context and the impact of the context on the intervention. Negative / positive impacts These describe the above interaction, in terms of its contribution to exacerbating or mitigating violence or the potential for violence. * Diagram from CRS

Conflict Sensitivity in practice Conflict analysis as basis for planning, management Tune programme to analysis Assess identity of organization, staff, and partners Be aware of staffing issues in management decisions Participatory mechanisms in programmes Conflict sensitivity assessment ex post

Peacebuilding: Definition A multidimensional range of measures to reduce the risk of a lapse or relapse into conflict by addressing the causes and consequences of conflict and to strengthen national capacities at all levels for conflict management Source: SG report 2009 Whereas conflict sensitivity can be viewed as the “minimum standard” for development and humanitarian interventions in all conflict-affected contexts peacebuilding is a more explicit effort to address the root causes of conflict and violence and support local capacities for peaceful management and resolution of conflict. In other words, PB represents an intervention into conflict dynamics- it is NOT neutral or impartial and involves a greater degree of social transformation. Just doing development programming in conflict affected contexts is not peacebuilding. They may overall make a contribution to more peaceful conditions—IF conflict sensitive—but this calls for a more systematic approach. Example: boreholes – village A and B

Conflict Sensitivity versus Peacebuilding Comparison: Conflict Sensitivity and Peacebuilding Conflict Sensitivity Peacebuilding Definition: The ability of to: Understand the context in which it is operating, particularly intergroup relations; Understand the interactions between its interventions and the context/group relations; and Act upon the understanding of these interactions, in order to avoid negative impacts and maximize positive impacts. Definition: Peacebuilding involves a multi-dimensional range of measures to reduce the risk of a lapse or relapse into conflict by addressing both the causes and consequences of conflict, and strengthening national capacities at all levels for conflict management in order to lay foundations for sustainable peace and development. Aim: Work IN the context of conflict to prevent negative and, if possible, maximize positive impacts of programme on conflct and violence factors Aim: Work ON conflict to explicitly reduce conflict causes and factors to contribute to the foundations for sustainable peace Application to Programmes: All programmes of all types (humanitarian or development) in all sectors, at all stages of violence and conflict (early/latent factors, open conflcit, post-conflict) must be conflict sensitive Application to Programmes: Integrated into development programmes in all sectors, at all stages of violence and conflict. Can serve as an explicit overall goal or objective for a programme, depending on context and the results framework. (Peace dividends can be an indirect result from humanitarian action [early recovery approach]). [1] Adapted from A distinction with a Difference: Conflict Sensitivity and Peacebuilding, CDA Collaborative Learning [1] Adapted from A distinction with a Difference: Conflict Sensitivity and Peacebuilding, CDA Collaborative Learning Projects, 2009.

Peacebuilding: Peace Dividends Visible, tangible results of peace, which might not necessarily address underlying causes of conflict but address consequences of conflict. Help create incentives for non violent behaviour, reduce fear, and begin instilling confidence in affected populations, in their communities and in the legitimacy of the institutions Source: SG report 2009 Resource: PBF review Peace dividends do not necessarily address the underlying causes of conflict, but are nonetheless vital actions that address the consequences of conflict. They help create incentives for non-violent behaviour, reduce fear and begin instilling confidence in affected populations in their communities and in the legitimacy of their institutions that are delivering services Back to school, immunization days, any renewed or improved access to services.

Peacebuilding Dimensions SG report 2009: peace dividends + role of operational agencies Basic social services and peace dividends: CFS, life skills, peace education, back-to-school, community management of services Safety/Security: Mine risk education, child combatants, police/peacekeeper training Core Government Functions: Capacity development at ministerial, subnational levels Economic: Youth, life skills, livelihoods, social protection Political/Reconciliation: Youth empowerment, peace education Source: adapted from SG report 2009 The SG report brings new dimensions to PB: for UNICEF, to important statements: recognition of the role of peace dividends/social services as well as of the role of operational agencies, particularly because of dual mandate: before, during and after/entry points/partnerships/knowledge of the context. This will only apply if we ensure our interventions are based on strong conflict analysis, at least conflict sensitive and increasingly, as with support of the PB and education programme, actively promoting peace and addressing conflict drivers/issues. The SG report on immediate aftermath of conflict identifies five priority areas for interventions. They are all relevant to UNICEF and define entry points for potential PB interventions. UNICEF does do interventions in these areas, sometimes by default rather than design, and in no way as a systematic approach.

Integrating PB into UNICEF Ensure appropriate attention is given to children and women in national and global peacebuilding efforts (national plans, UN/ inter-agency strategies, policies and frameworks) Identify conflict and violence factors affecting children in Conflict Analysis so that responses can be developed accordingly In order to make that approach systematic, a few strategies can be pursue: Ensure appropriate attention

3 principal directions for programming All strategies and programmes informed by conflict analysis All strategies and programmes should be conflict sensitive A more explicit and systematic approach to peacebuilding, where appropriate Whenever an intervention of any sort enters a context it becomes part of the context. No intervention is seen as neutral by people in the context.   All contexts are characterized by “dividers” and “connectors”. We can analyze a context in terms of dividers and connectors. This analysis is done better by teams. This analysis needs to be iterative, being done on a regular schedule.