Conflict sensitive approaches to development, humanitarian assistance and peace building

Next: 3.4 Conflict sensitivity at the sector level

3.3.2 The partnership environment

Developing a conflict-sensitive partnership environment at the national level involves fostering a shared understanding

by donors and governments of the conflict issues affecting a country. It also implies ensuring that this understanding is informed by and reflects the perspectives of other actors, such as civil society and local governments. Approaches to promote this enabling environment include:

donors and governments undertaking a joint participatory conflict analysis. This approach was recently successfully piloted in Nigeria (see Chapter 2 Box 11)

raising conflict issues in the course of political dialogue, to build a consensus between government and donors on the key issues. The conflict analysis can help to inform the content of this dialogue, and stakeholder participation in the dialogue can help to ensure its inclusivity

addressing the issue of conflict within strategic donor coordination frameworks and fora, such as UN-led coordination exercises (eg the Common Country Assessment Framework (CCA) and the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF)). Donors can consider undertaking joint conflict analyses which feed into strategy development. This can also increase their influence with governments

opening space for broad stakeholder involvement in national and donor strategic frameworks (eg via PRSP consultation processes), assessment processes (eg conflict analyses) and policy dialogue processes. See section 3.2 above.

The above assumes some willingness on the part of national governments, donors and civil society to consider issues of conflict sensitivity. In practice, this willingness is not always there: groups within countries may have a vested interest in the status quo because they benefit from the current situation and its associated political, social and economic dynamics; external actors, such as donors, may be unwilling to address politically sensitive issues. But this should not deter individuals and organisations from advocating the adoption of conflict-sensitive sectoral approaches. Table 2 highlights some of the key challenges, and suggests some possible approaches to overcome them.

**Table 2: Challenges**
Challenges	Possible approaches to overcoming challenges
Priorities Whilst donors may wish to develop a conflict sensitive country strategy, national governments may not be willing to recognise conflict as an issue in their strategic development frameworks.	The commitments to conflict prevention and management made by many governments within frameworks such as NEPAD and the Cotonou Agreement can provide a powerful argument from donors and other stakeholders for the inclusion of these issues in the country’s strategic development framework. By presenting issues in terms of governance and social / political issues, governments and donors can help avoid some of the sensitivities that can occur when conflict is discussed openly / explicitly.
Lack of capacity Governments may lack the capacity to undertake conflict analysis exercises.	Donors can provide capacity building support to governments and associated research organisations (see Chapter 5).
Sensitivities Raising conflict issues in government / donor dialogue can be highly sensitive, and developing a shared understanding of the issues between different stakeholders may be difficult.	Again, presenting issues in terms of governance and social / political issues can help get round some of the sensitivities. A joint donor / government participatory conflict assessment is more likely to build a shared understanding of the conflict, and avoids the political risks of undertaking the assessment unilaterally.
Findings ignored The findings of conflict analysis exercises may not be reflected in nationally owned strategic development frameworks and donor strategies.	The process of conflict analysis needs to be supported by both government and donor agencies from the highest level, and mainstreamed into their activities. (See Chapter 2 on conflict analysis, and the specific example of Nigeria in Chapter 2 Box 11)
Lack of donor coherence Donor effectiveness needs common perspectives between donors, but donors may have different policy positions or perspectives towards given situations and may differ in the extent to which they are prepared to discuss sensitive issues with the government.	Common donor perspectives can be fostered by joint donor macro-conflict analysis, as well as by addressing the issue of conflict within strategic donor coordination frameworks and fora, with a view to building consensus around key issues and providing a framework for addressing differences.
An abundance of analyses Donors and government may be overwhelmed by the number of different approaches and assessment frameworks they are faced with – gender analyses, environmental analyses, governance assessments etc.	One possible approach will be to ensure that conflict is adequately considered within the other assessment frameworks (see Chapter 2 section 4).

Next: 3.4 Conflict sensitivity at the sector level