Chapter 1 - Understanding violent conflict

Conflict sensitive development

There has been greater focus in recent years on the links between conflict, peace, security and development.  Not only is development seen as an integral aspect of security, conflict resolution, management and peacebuilding; but there is also recognition that humanitarian and development policies and activities can cause harm. The recent emphasis on conflict sensitive development largely emerged as a result of the stark realisation after the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 that prior development aid had reinforced the politics of exclusion and repression in the country.

Conflict sensitivity is an overall term to describe different efforts, methods and tools for working in conflict-prone and conflict-affected areas, with the aim of (1.) reducing the risk that aid unintentionally contributes to the escalation or sustainability of violent conflict (‘Do no harm’); and (2.) contributing to peacebuilding.  It involves thorough analysis of the context in which an intervention takes place; and of the interaction between the context, the intervention, and conflict or peace dynamics. Programming should be based closely on this analysis, and should adapt in response to regular monitoring and evaluation.

Conflict and peace academics and practitioners emphasise that ‘avoiding harm’ and ‘doing some good’ does not automatically contribute to peacebuilding. In order to impact on peacebuilding, it is necessary to link conflict sensitive programming with a broader national and international peace strategy; and to collaborate with relevant actors outside the field of development, including political and diplomatic actors.  Collaboration may also need to extend to parties to the conflict, including armed non-state actors (see ‘negotiating with non-state armed groups’ in conflict negotiation).  

It is also necessary to recognise that post-conflict recovery and peacebuilding strategies are not inherently pro-peace. Democratisation planning and processes for example, which form part of many post-conflict international interventions, require a comprehensive understanding of existing indigenous governance norms and approaches. This can help to ensure that interventions do not entrench existing inequitable and unjust power structures, or entrench identities in a way that produces tensions (see ‘power sharing’ in the peace agreements section, and the governance programming section of this guide).

Conflict sensitivity: overview, approaches and programming

Paffenholz, T., 2009, ‘Understanding the Conflict-Development Nexus and the Contribution of Development Cooperation to Peacebuilding’, in Handbook of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, eds., D. J. D. Sandole, S. Byrne, I. Sandole-Staroste, and J. Senehi, Routledge, Oxon and New York, pp. 272-285
How does development cooperation contribute to peacebuilding? This chapter examines connections between conflict, security, peace and development. It summarises: (a) research debates about the causes of armed conflict; (b) discourse in the development community on conflict and peace and (c) the influence of these debates and discourses on development cooperation in conflict-affected contexts. Development policies should be an integral part of the peacebuilding agenda. But transfer from research to policy has largely ignored the complexity of development in conflict situations and the contribution of development to peacebuilding.
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Goodhand, J., 2006, ‘Working “in” and “on” War’, in Civil War, Civil Peace, eds. H. Yanacopulos, and J. Hanlon, Open University in association with James Currey, Oxford and Ohio University Press, Athens, Ohio
Individuals working ‘in’ or ‘on’ war cannot be considered as neutral actors because their decisions have an impact on war itself. This chapter argues that those who intervene in conflict situations need to think of themselves less as project managers and more as change agents who understand and influence the conflict. Interveners need to look beyond the traditional project-based approaches and engender a strategic shift from ‘development as delivery’ to ‘development as leverage’.
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Anderson, M., 1999, 'Reflecting on the Role of Aid' in Do No Harm: How Aid Can Support Peace - or War, Lynne Rienner Publishers, USA, pp. 145-147
How does the micro level of warfare relate to the macro level? What is the appropriate relationship between outsiders and insiders in conflict areas? This chapter reflects on the experiences of aid workers in order to understand the challenges faced by development agencies in conflict settings. International agencies need to find a way of insisting that appropriate political actions are taken, while remaining non-political in providing aid.
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Barbolet, A., Goldwyn, R., Groenewald, H., and Sherriff, A., 2005, ‘The Utility and Dilemmas of Conflict Sensitivity’, Berghof Research Centre for Constructive Conflict Management, Berlin
Should conflict-sensitivity just be about tools and methodologies? How can the concept be applied more broadly? This paper explores new directions in conflict sensitivity. Conflict sensitivity is an investment in learning about the conflict context and a responsibility to act on that learning. It has relevance beyond traditional humanitarian and development sectors, to government, the private sector and peacebuilding. Whilst operational guidance is an important aspect of conflict sensitivity, it should not come in the form of a 'one-size-fits all' approach. A more encompassing approach - that goes beyond tools and methodologies - is needed.
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SDC, 2006, ‘Conflict Sensitive Programme Management’, COPRET Team, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Bern
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Paffenholz, T., 2005, 'Peace and Conflict Sensitivity in International Cooperation: An Introductory Overview', International Politics and Society, issue no. 4, pp. 63-82
Peace and conflict sensitivity has successfully entered the mainstreaming agenda of development donors and agencies and there has been a tremendous institutionalisation and conceptualisation of the topic. In practical terms however, a co-ordinated system for peace and conflict sensitive aid implementation remains a long way off. This article explores the gap between rhetoric and practice and identifies some of the challenges ahead.
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Conflict sensitive guidance

FEWER, International Alert and Saferworld have pioneered approaches to conflict sensitivity, and have developed a pack for external agencies. This pack covers theory and principles, as well as practical guidance on conflict sensitivity planning and implementation.

FEWER, International Alert and Saferworld, 2004, ‘Applying Conflict Sensitivity at Project and Programme Level’, Chapter 3 in Resource Pack on Conflict-Sensitive Approaches, FEWER, International Alert, Saferworld, London
How does designing and implementing projects and programmes in areas of existing or threatened conflict differ from more straightforward development contexts? This chapter provides tools for incorporating conflict-sensitivity into project and programme planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E).
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FEWER, International Alert and Saferworld, 2004, 'Integrating Conflict Sensitivity into Sectoral Approaches', Chapter 4 in Resource Pack on Conflict-Sensitive Approaches, FEWER, International Alert, Saferworld, London
What is meant by sectoral approaches and how can conflict sensitivity be incorporated into their development and implementation? This chapter argues that assistance to a country or sector will have an impact (either positive or negative) on conflict risks and dynamics particularly in countries which are affected by, or at risk of, violent conflict. It is therefore imperative that this assistance be implemented in a conflict-sensitive way.
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FEWER, International Alert and Saferworld, 2004, 'Institutional Capacity-building for Conflict Sensitivity', Chapter 5 in Resource Pack on Conflict-Sensitive Approaches, FEWER, International Alert, Saferworld, London
How can practitioners begin the process of mainstreaming conflict sensitivity into an organisation? All practitioners at all levels are both impacted by, and can impact, the development of their institution’s capacity for conflict sensitivity. This chapter explores how to mainstream conflict sensitivity in a systemic way, using a six-step framework.
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Other sections of the resource pack are available online:

FEWER, International Alert and Saferworld, 2004, Resource Pack on Conflict-Sensitive Approaches, FEWER, International Alert and Saferworld, London
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Aid for peace and peace and conflict impact assessment

‘Do no harm’ and Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA) are tools that are used to evaluate the impact of external activities in the context of conflict, in terms of minimising harm and promoting peacebuilding.  They involve conflict analysis, conflict sensitive project planning, conflict monitoring, and impact assessment.

Focusing on a specific set of tools, however, has been critiqued for limiting the reach and utility of conflict sensitivity. Paffenholz and Reychler introduce instead the ‘Aid for Peace’ framework, which is a set of unified and inclusive methodologies that can be used by a broad range of different actors for all sorts of interventions.  The framework consists of: analysing the peacebuilding needs of the conflict-affected country; the relevance of the planned or existing policy, programme or projects to these needs; the existing or possible conflict risks; and the potential positive and negative effects of the interventions on the conflict dynamics and peacebuilding process.

Collaborative for Development Action (CDA), 2004, 'The Do No Harm Handbook (The Framework for Analyzing the Impact of Assistance on Conflict)', The Collaborative for Development Action Inc, Cambridge, MA
How does development assistance interact with conflict? How can assistance be provided without it being misused to pursue political and military advantage? This handbook offers a framework for addressing these issues. It aims to help assistance workers deal more effectively with the complexities of providing assistance in conflict contexts.
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Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, 2007, ‘Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment: Methodical Guidelines’, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
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Paffenholz, T., 2005, 'Third-Generation PCIA: Introducing the Aid for Peace Approach', Berghof Research Centre for Constructive Conflict Management, Berlin
How can the Aid for Peace approach help to address the questions surrounding the debate on Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA)? The Aid for Peace approach is a multi-purpose and multi-level process that facilitates the planning, assessment and evaluation of peace as well as aid interventions in conflict situations.
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Paffenholz, T. and Reychler, L., 2007, ‘Planning and Evaluating Development and Humanitarian Interventions in Conflict Zones’, Part 3 in Aid for Peace: A Guide to Planning and Evaluation for Conflict Zones, Nomos, Baden-Baden, Germany pp. 71-127
What is the best way to introduce peace and conflict sensitivity to development and humanitarian programmes? This study provides a guide to planning development and humanitarian interventions in conflict zones. It suggests that while peace and conflict sensitivity has been successfully mainstreamed as a topic of discussion, the international community has not yet arrived at an automatic, systematic peace and conflict sensitive aid policy and operational implementation. There needs to be a systematic link between the analysis of the conflict and peacebuilding environment and the implementation of interventions. The theory of conflict transformation should combine with professional operational requirements for programme planning.
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Case studies and lessons learned

World Bank, 2005, 'Toward a Conflict-sensitive Poverty Reduction Strategy: Lessons from a Retrospective Analysis', Report no. 32587, World Bank, Washington
Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSPs) have become the primary tool for articulating a vision for growth and poverty reduction in nearly 60 low-income countries. Some 15-20 of these countries are affected by conflict, and other conflict-affected countries are still to begin the process. In what ways do PRSPs in conflict-affected countries take account of their particular contexts? To what extent have assessments of the sources of conflict and the ways they interact with poverty informed the strategies? This report aims to contribute to more effective poverty reduction in countries affected by conflict by analyzing these questions.
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International  Alert, 2008, 'Building a Peace Economy in Northern Uganda: Conflict-sensitive Approaches to Recovery and Growth' Investing in Peace, Issue No. 1, International Alert, London
How can policymakers create and support an effective economic recovery strategy in northern Uganda? This first issue of 'Investing in Peace' recommends that policy-makers and implementers adopt more conflict-sensitive approaches to their efforts to contribute to the economic recovery of the region as a part of the overall peacebuilding strategy. Conflict sensitive approaches suggest that all humanitarian and development assistance should be designed so that they intentionally contribute to successful recovery, rather than inadvertently prolonging conflict. Combining conflict sensitive approaches with political economy analysis results in peacebuilding strategies that aim to address underlying power disparities and vulnerabilities.
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International Alert, 2007, 'Peacebuilding in Eastern DRC: Improving EU Support for Economic Recovery', International Alert, London
How can economic activities help to address the factors that undermine sustainable peace? This report centres on economic recovery in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Efforts are needed to promote job creation and shared income-generating opportunities, as well as to address the drivers of conflict and fragility, if long-term economic recovery is to be realised. In order to ensure that assistance contributes positively to transformational peacebuilding, donors must be prepared to bear high transaction costs, particularly in terms of staff on the ground and longer time frames.
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Barron, P., Diprose, R., and Woolcock, M., 2007, 'Local Conflict and Development Projects in Indonesia: Part of the Problem or Part of a Solution?', World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, no. 4212, World Bank, Washington
Are local conflict and development projects in Indonesia part of the problem or part of the solution? This paper argues that development projects are capable of stimulating as well as reducing conflicts. Those projects that have explicit and accessible procedures for managing disputes arising from the development process are much less likely to cause conflict.
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CECORE, REDROC, Saferworld, and YODEO, 2008, ‘Water and Conflict: Making Water Delivery Conflict-Sensitive in Uganda’, Saferworld, London
How can conflict-sensitive approaches (CSA) enhance development? This report documents how two water development projects in Uganda became more conflict-sensitive and, as a result, benefited recipient communities. CSA can deepen beneficiary participation and community ownership of development projects. More practical work is needed on implementing CSA within different sectors, and on understanding how best to adapt conflict-sensitive development to different levels and types of conflict.
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