Overview Of Conflict Sensitive Planning

From Peacebuilding

Contents 1 Purpose 2 Time 3 Participants 4 Materials 5 Process 6 Note 7 Handout – 5 Steps to Conflict Sensitive Planning

Purpose

• To introduce conflict sensitive planning;
• To help participants link conflict sensitive planning to what they already do.

Time

At least 60 minutes.

Participants

At least 3 participants, but it works better with at least 2 sub-groups with 3-7 members.

Materials

• Copies of the handout “5 Steps to Conflict Sensitive Planning” (see below);
• Flip chart papers;
• Markers.

Process

I) Introduce the activity by providing essential information on conflict sensitive planning. You can refer to the Resource Pack on Conflict Sensitive Approaches, Chapter 3, Module 1, Section 1, p. 1. Make sure that the following information is included in your introduction:

“The key to conflict sensitive planning is incorporating conflict analysis into the assessment process. Whatever approach is chosen to this end, it is important to involve all possible actors in the process.

Conflict sensitive planning relates both to interventions that are defined through the conflict analysis and to sensitising previously defined interventions. For example, a given agency might have the freedom to enter a given context and design its program based on the conflict analysis; while another agency might already have secured funding for a specific purpose (like constructing wells) and will further plan its program on the base of the conflict analysis. In the second case the agency knows that they will build wells, but relies on the conflict analysis to decide where, when, how, with whom and for whom.”

Also, you can make reference to conflict analysis from the "Resource Pack on Conflict Sensitive Approaches", more particularly to when and how should reference to conflict analysis be made during the design and implementation of the program.

II) Divide the plenary into sub-groups of 3-7 members and distribute copies of the handout.

III) Assign the groups’ task: after reading and discussing the content of the handout, each group has to answer the questions provided at the bottom of the page, take note of their findings and be ready to share with other participants.

IV) Start group work, assign enough time and provide assistance where needed.

V) After group work, invite each group to share their findings with the rest of the plenary.

Note

There are several alternatives to go with the V step of the process:

• You can invite each group to choose a spokesperson and have her presenting the groups’ findings to the plenary. Invite participants to ask questions and discuss each group’s findings.

• You can ask each group to stick their flip chart papers in a specific section of the room. Then invite participants to “walk the gallery”.

• After group work invite each group to join with another group. Invite these bigger groups to share their findings, discuss and agree on how to answer to the questions in the handout.

Source:

This activity has been designed with reference to the Resource Pack on Conflict Sensitive Approaches, Chapter 3, Module 1. The text of the handout is adapted from pp. 3-7.

Handout – 5 Steps to Conflict Sensitive Planning

The key steps to conflict sensitive planning are:

1. Defining the intervention (or program, project) objective/s. At this step you decide WHAT to do and WHY. Which issues (e.g. water, health care) or aspects of an issue (competition over scarce water resources between farmer and shepherd villages of the valley) appear to be most important? How do our choices relate to the context? How will our intervention objectives improve the conflict situation?

2. Defining the intervention process. Here you decide WHO does it (staff and partners), WHO is going to benefit from the intervention (beneficiaries), WHERE (which geographic area to support) and WHEN (timing and length of the intervention).

3. Developing indicators. Conflict sensitive indicators can be grouped into three general categories:

• Conflict indicators, used to monitor the progression of conflict factors;

• Project indicators, used to monitor the efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of the project;

• Interaction indicators, used to monitor i) the impact that the project/programme is having on the conflict and ii) the impact that the conflict is having on the project/programme.

4. Preparing contingency plans. Conflict can rapidly deteriorate, to the point where continuing the project/programme as originally planned might be impossible or inappropriate. A contingency plan says what to do when certain things happen. When working in conflict it is better to prepare contingency plans to anticipate specific changes, a pro-active approach can avoid ill-conceived responses to a quickly changing environment.

5. Designing the project conclusion. Exit strategies need to be flexible enough to address changes in conflict dynamics.

Questions for group work:

i. To what extent is this framework for conflict sensitive planning familiar to you?

ii. How have you already applied this framework (or parts of it) to your work?

iii. Can you make examples of conflict sensitive planning applied to your work?

iv. What is different between what you (your program/your agency) do and the framework described?

v. What would you change from this framework? And why?