Conflict

Conflict prevention and conflict sensitive approaches

Since the mid-1990s, academics and practitioners have highlighted the potential for development assistance and relief to have unintended impacts that worsen conflict. Donors have responded by improving their conflicts analyses and by developing conflict-sensitive approaches to working in conflict. The 1990s also saw increased donor focus on conflict prevention, and a diverse range of approaches to preventing disputes from becoming violent have emerged. Conflict prevention and conflict-sensitive approaches have considerable overlap and both require detailed political and socio-economic analysis and an awareness of how aid interacts with local dynamics. This page provides key resources in all these areas. It is designed to be used alongside the page on the conflict causes and dynamics.

Page contents

Where is a good place to start?

This paper traces the history of external developmental approaches to violent conflicts. It outlines the evolution of thinking and practice, including the 'Do No Harm' approach and conflict prevention agendas.

Uvin, P., 2002, 'The Development/Peacebuilding Nexus: A Typology and History of Changing Paradigms', Journal of Peacebuilding and Development, vol. 1, no. 1
The nexus between development and peace has become a central focus of development thinking and practice. What should the relationship between development aid and peace building be? This article from the Journal of Peace building and Development presents and critiques a typology of seven ways in which this interaction has historically been conceived.
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The following resource pack introduces theory, principals and provides practical guidance for external agencies on conflict-sensitive approaches.

FEWER, International Alert and Saferworld, 2004, Resource Pack on Conflict-Sensitive Approaches, FEWER, International Alert and Saferworld
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The cost effectiveness of conflict prevention 

The catastrophic personal, social, economic and governance costs of conflict demonstrate the importance of conflict prevention. A recent series of papers centred around the Copenhagen Consensus in 2004 – a project set up to prioritise a list of solutions to the world’s greatest challenges - presented the results of cross-country statistical analysis estimating the cost-effectiveness of conflict prevention.

Collier, P. and Hoeffler, A., 2004, ‘The Challenge of Reducing the Global Incidence of Civil War’, Copenhagen Consensus Challenge Paper
This paper, prepared for the Copenhagen Consensus, focuses on the challenge of reducing the incidence of civil war by looking at the costs and benefits of five different policy interventions. It argues that whereas some instruments would be radically uneconomic, some could offer remarkably large returns. Such interventions include international action to improve domestic governance of resource rents and curtailing rebel access to natural resource markets.
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International approaches to conflict prevention

Prevention can address all stages of conflicts, including stopping the onset of violence, diffusing situations of tension and crisis, containing existing conflicts, and preventing violent conflict from re-emerging. At all stages, this can include long-term measures to address the structural causes of conflict and to prevent societal conflict from becoming violent. The diverse and complicated causes of conflict make prevention extremely challenging. Approaches require thorough political and socio-economic analysis. This section provides resources on international approaches to conflict prevention. The approaches of donor governments can include designing aid to address the structural causes of conflict and joined-up approaches to a range of development, trade, foreign policy and security issues involving coordination across departments.

The following two documents provide recommendations for how donors can design development assistance that contributes to conflict prevention.

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2001, ' Helping Prevent Violent Conflict' OECD, Paris
The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) guidelines provide ways for donor governments to honour their commitment to conflict prevention as an integral part of the quest to reduce poverty. Based on experience provided by practitioners, they identify concrete opportunities for donor assistance in support of peace that include: democratisation; inter-community relations; education and cross-cultural training; human rights training; freedom and access to information; the reintegration of uprooted populations; the demobilisation of former combatants; and the restoration of a capacity for economic management.
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The OECD-DAC Conflict Prevention Network has also produced a series of short Issues Briefs on Preventing Conflict and Building Peace that highlight good practice and entry points in key areas including understanding conflict prevention and social drivers of conflict.

Sriram, C.L. and Wermester, K., 2003, ‘From Promise to Practice: Strengthening UN Capacities for the Prevention of Violent Conflict’, International Peace Academy, New York
Conflict prevention has risen to the fore of the United Nations’ policy agenda since the end of the 1990s. Despite the promise to move from a culture of reaction to a culture of prevention, there are significant shortcomings in the practice of preventing violent conflict. This report, published by the International Peace Academy, claims that the UN system should develop more conflict-sensitive programming by incorporating the regional and sub-regional dimensions of conflict. The UN should also recognise the role that development professionals play in responding to conflict.
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The UK Government has developed a joined-up approach to dealing with conflict-affected countries. The Global Conflict Prevention Pool and the Africa Conflict Prevention Pools are jointly managed by DFID, the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The following report evaluates the progress to date.

Department for International Development, 2004, ‘Evaluation of the Conflict Prevention Pools: Synthesis Report’, DFID Evaluation Report, London
How effective has the UK Governments approach to conflict prevention been through the Conflict Prevention Pools (CPPs)? What lessons have been learned and what recommendations are there for the way forward? This Evaluation Report, prepared for the Department for International Development, offers the first evaluation of the CPPs based on consultation between the various departments and conflict prevention teams.
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The Cabinet Office has produced the following paper mapping the causes of instability and developing a strategic response to prevention.

Prime Minister's Strategy Document, 2005, 'Investing in Prevention. An International Strategy to Manage the Risks of Instability and Improve Crisis Response', a PMSU Report to the UK Government, London.
How can the UK improve its strategic approach to countries at risk of instability? This paper from the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit outlines the challenges and risks of instability. It identifies practical steps the UK Government can take to improve its prevention and response strategies in partnership with other international actors. It argues that more effective action will require common or aligned strategic approaches across all countries and key international agencies.
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This study describes the peacebuilding activities of Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK.

Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2004, ‘Towards a Strategic Framework for Peacebuilding: Getting their Act Together’, Overview Report of the Joint Utstein Study of Peacebuilding, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The term peacebuilding entered the international vocabulary in 1992 through the UN Agenda for Peace. Peacebuilding attempts to encourage the development of the conditions, attitudes and behaviour that foster and sustain social and economic development that is peaceful, stable and prosperous. This Utstein study of peacebuilding was commissioned by the development ministers of Germany, The Netherlands, Norway and the UK. It contains a survey of peacebuilding projects with the aim of improving the implementation of existing policy.
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Different approaches to conflict prevention include promoting legitimate and equitable political, justice and security institutions, and supporting civil society organisations that promote peace or human rights.

The following paper urges for a focus on addressing horizontal inequalities in approaches to conflict prevention.

Stewart, F., 1999, 'Crisis Prevention: Tackling Horizontal Inequalities', Working Paper no. 33, QEH, University of Oxford
Civil wars not only cause huge amounts of human distress, but are also a major cause of low incomes. Hence, their prevention should be a central aspect of poverty reduction strategies. Yet in the past this has not been so. This Queen Elizabeth House working paper draws attention to conflict prevention.
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Reforming the security sector to promote legitimacy, accountability and human rights can be an important part of conflict-prevention strategies. More resources on this issue can be found in the Security and Development topic guide.

Greene, O., 2003, ‘Security Sector Reform, Conflict Prevention and Regional Perspectives’, Journal of Security Sector Management, Vol. 1, No. 1
What is the added-value of regional or sub-regional approaches to security sector reform (SSR) and conflict prevention strategies? This article, published in the Journal of Security Sector Management, argues that the UK government and other donors should assist in establishing or further developing regional and sub-regional SSR programmes due to the cross-border nature of many security challenges. Equally, donors should strengthen their ties with established regional mechanisms and institutions to facilitate links between SSR programmes and wider conflict prevention activities.
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The need to mainstream gender into conflict analyses is acknowledged, although much still needs to be done to ensure this is carried out. The following document presents an initial framework on how to ‘engender’ conflict early warning.

Schmeidl, S., with Piza-Lopez, E., 2002, 'Gender and Conflict Early Warning: A Framework for Action', International Alert, London
This paper is divided into two: part one offers a brief overview of definitions, processes and development of conflict early warning, and part two examines links between gender and early warning, and identifies areas where the integration of a gender perspective can improve existing models. By drawing on the experiences of a number of different conflicts throughout the world, a list of gender- sensitive early warning indicators are proposed for the purpose of verification and expansion. The paper concludes with a set of recommendations for future research and action, with particular emphasis on conducting empirical tests on the assumptions put forth.
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The following paper argues among other things that the causes of conflicts are so long-term that early warning approaches to conflict prevention are unlikely to be successful.

Nathan, L., 2004, 'The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse' The Structural Causes of Crisis and Violence in Africa, DESTIN Research Seminar Series, London School of Economics
Is external intervention in Africa successful in solving violent conflicts? Does it manage to address the structural causes of violence or does it exacerbate the problem? Are the “early warning” and “crisis prevention” approaches effective? This article explores these questions and adopts a radical stance by challenging the main approaches in conflict prevention and resolution. Focusing on examples from South Africa and Zaire, the article criticises the pattern of Western intervention in Africa and suggests a thorough examination of the structural causes of internal conflicts.
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This DFID-commissioned study asks whether service delivery can help prevent violent conflict.

Vaux, T. and Visman, E., 2005, Service Delivery in Countries Emerging from Conflict, Report for DFID
What is the role of service delivery in promoting social and political pro-poor change? How does it contribute to the avoidance of future conflict? How does it strengthen institutions in countries emerging from conflict? This report, by Bradford University, examines service delivery in Mozambique, Uganda, Cambodia and East Timor. It looks at the relationship between service delivery and violent conflict, showing how it changes. It tries to determine appropriate and sustainable service delivery systems.
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The following document provides a case study of how conflict was avoided in Ghana.

Hutchful, E., 2003, Pulling Back from the Brink. Ghana's Experience, in Governing Insecurity, Democratic Control of Military and Security Establishments in Transitional Democracies, Cawthra, G. and Luckham, R. (eds), Zed Books, London
How did Ghana avoid violent conflict during the 1970s and 1980s, despite a failing state, economic crisis and loss of state monopoly over institutionalised violence? This chapter has interesting implications for Drivers of Change analysis as it describes the combination of factors that allowed the state to reform and avoid the pattern of escalation of state repression and political violence common to many African countries' descent into conflict. A combination of particular state economic, political and security reforms and flexibility of the state in adapting its support base in response to stages in the reform process were important in achieving economic growth and conflict prevention. However there were limits to the success of the reforms, and Hutchfall also emphasises the role of Ghana's strong social networks and vibrant civil society in avoiding conflict.
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Conflict-sensitive approaches

In recent years, conflict-sensitive approaches to development, relief and peacebuilding interventions have been developed, which aim to minimise negative impacts and maximise support for the dynamics of peace. Conflict sensitivity involves thorough analysis of the context in which an intervention takes place, and of the interaction between the context, conflict or peace dynamics, and the intervention. Programming should be based closely on this analysis, and should adapt in response to regular monitoring and evaluation.

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 conducting analysis, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation and capacity building.

FEWER, International Alert and Saferworld, 2004, Resource Pack on Conflict-Sensitive Approaches, FEWER, International Alert and Saferworld
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The ECDPM's 2001 study of European Commission responses to conflict and fragile states generated the following set of lessons on timing, strategy, institutional arrangements and coherence.

Higazi, A., 2003, ‘Dilemmas And Definitions In Post-Conflict Rehabilitation, European Centre for Development Policy Management’, Maastricht
 What are the major dilemmas of post-conflict reconstruction, and how can the European Union (EU) respond? This paper from the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) discusses this question in the light of an ECDPM research project on assistance to six conflict-affected African countries. It argues there needs to be a higher tolerance of risk in post-conflict programmes and that flexibility, responsiveness and high levels of co-ordination are essential.
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This report offers insights into how interventions in conflict situations can help to transform regional war economies.

Studdard, K., 2004, ‘War Economies in a Regional Context-Overcoming the Challenges of Transformation’, International Peace Academy, New York
 What is the relationship between the regional dimensions of war economies and peacebuilding in post-conflict situations? This report, published by the International Peace Academy, argues that the failure to consider the regional dynamics of war economies undermines peacebuilding efforts. Policy-makers should distinguish between economic activities that pose a threat to peace processes and activities that contribute to social and economic stability. Certain informal regional economic activities that are presently ignored or criminalised should be incorporated into peacebuilding and reconstruction strategies.
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With the global resurgence of religion and religious conflicts, many analysts have also begun to consider the potential role of religion in conflict transformation. 

Smock, D.R. (ed.), 2006, 'Religious Contributions to Peacemaking: When Religion Brings Peace, Not War,' United States Institute of Peace, Washington D.C.
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What other resources are available on the GSDRC?

Thorough understanding of conflict causes and dynamics and the impact of development assistance is needed for programming to be conflict-sensitive in practice. With this aim, conflict assessment methodologies have been developed by donors such as the DFID, UNDP, USAID, and the World Bank. More information is available in the conflict assessments section of this topic guide.

Additional information resources

Conflict-Sensitive Approaches - FEWER/International Alert/Saferworld
This is a key resource pack on conflict sensitive approaches, developed through collaboration between the NGOs International Alert and Saferworld, and the FEWER network. 

Conflict Prevention Web
This is a USAID funded project for the Greater Horn of Africa Initiative. The website provides tools and strategies on conflict prevention for practitioners.

The OECD DAC Network on Conflict, Peace and Development Co-operation
The OECD DAC's CPDC, is an international forum working on conflict prevention and peacebuilding, involving experts from bilateral and multilateral development agencies, including from the UN system, EC, IMF and World Bank.

Do No Harm Project, Collaborative Development Action (CDA)
CDA is a US development consultancy firm, with an online web resource on the 'Do No Harm' agenda originally proposed by Mary Anderson in a seminal 1996 book. It is concerned with limiting the negative impacts of development and humanitarian interventions in conflict situations.

The European Union's Conflict Prevention and Civilian Crisis Management Page
This page provides an introduction and documents on the EU's policies in this area.

International Alert
International Alert is an NGO working to build lasting peace through capacity building, mediation and dialogue. It carries out advocacy and produces policy analysis, available on the website, covering the conflict aspects of themes such as business, gender, religious, and small arms and light weapons.

The International Peace Academy (IPA)
IPA is an independent, international institution aiming to promote the prevention and settlement of armed conflicts through policy research and development. IPA's Conflict Prevention webpage contains many online publications and workshop reports on donor approaches in this area.

Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict
The Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict is an international network of organisations working in conflict prevention and peacebuilding worldwide. One of its research programmes examines relationships between civil society, governments and the UN.

USAID Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation
The USAID's internal Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation has a website housing conflict assessments, an 'essential reading' list, and forthcoming toolkits and resources on conflict warning and analysis.

World Bank
The website of the World Bank Conflict Prevention and Reconstruction Unit includes online topic introductions, documents and information on World Bank activities.

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