Humanitarian Principles → A conflict sensitive approach
A conflict sensitive approach
A conflict sensitive approach identifies, and takes account of, issues within the local context and affected population that can aggravate existing or potential conflicts.
Conflicts are dynamic and have many causes such as poverty, discrimination or injustice e.g. contested access to limited services or resources; inequality amongst ethnic, religious, or political groups.
Insurgents may seek funds / food for survival but this can be taken over by powerful / political interests e.g. looting, blockades, ransoms, illegal trading.
Humanitarian assistance presents a significant risk to aggravating conflict through the diversion or manipulation of aid supplies.
Approaches that address the underlying causes of conflict:
- promote human security, respect for human rights, political/judicial reforms;
- tackle inequality, exclusion, and discrimination to prevent grievances arising;
- combine peace building, sustainable development, and strengthening civil society with short term humanitarian relief.
Approaches that address the underlying causes of conflict:
- Promote human security, respect for human rights, political / judicial reforms;
- Tackle inequality, exclusion, and discrimination to prevent grievances arising;
- Combine peace building, sustainable development, and strengthening civil society with short term humanitarian relief.
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A conflict sensitive approach
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How to achieve this |
- Understand the context you are operating in.
- Understand the interaction between your programme and that context.
- Apply this knowledge to avoid negative impacts (do no harm) and maximise positive impacts.
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- Carry out and regularly review a conflict analysis.
- Link the conflict analysis with the project cycle for your intervention.
- Plan, implement, monitor and evaluate your programme in a conflict sensitive way – including making changes to avoid negative impacts.
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Conflict analysis
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Analyse the context
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Map other responses
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Design your strategy
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- Research country’s history
- Analyse security, political,economic and social issues
- Identify conflict actors
- Identify conflict trigger factors and possible outcomes, power of grievances and greed and opportunities for peace
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- Identify interests and policies of international and local security, political, financial, social and development agencies
- Consider whether they are a cause of or response to, the conflict.
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- Consider supporting a common approach.
- Adjust interventions in line with analysis
- Support security, political, economic and social reforms tackling the causes of conflict.
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Do No Harm
Humanitarian assistance given without consideration of conflict sensitivity can increase the risk and incidence of violence, waste limited aid resources and leave those affected worse off as a result of your intervention.
Adopting a conflict sensitive approach does good - not harm - by:
- Decreasing the levels of, or potential for, violence
- Reducing the risk of death or injury to beneficiaries and humanitarian workers
- Minimising lost or wasted resources through trouble shooting or corruption
- Reducing the risk of project delays, closure or early withdrawal
- Promoting rapid recovery and sustainability
This page was last updated on 17 June 2011