Introduction

Conflict sensitivity is crucial in humanitarian assistance to ensure that interventions do not inadvertently exacerbate conflict, create tensions, or increase vulnerability. Humanitarian actors need to understand the conflict dynamics in the areas they work and design aid programs that consider the local context, political environment, and the underlying causes of conflict. This course offers practical tools and frameworks to integrate conflict sensitivity into humanitarian programming and to navigate the complex relationships between aid and conflict.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will:

• Understand the concept of conflict sensitivity and its importance in humanitarian aid
• Analyze the dynamics of conflict in different humanitarian settings, identifying the key drivers and actors involved
• Integrate conflict sensitivity into all stages of humanitarian programming, from needs assessment to project evaluation
• Identify potential risks that humanitarian aid might pose in conflict environments, including the reinforcement of divisions, tensions, or inequalities
• Develop strategies to mitigate negative impacts and maximize positive contributions to peacebuilding and conflict transformation
• Enhance decision-making and program design skills in conflict-affected areas, with a focus on local contexts and stakeholder engagement
• Engage in practical exercises and case studies to build the skills necessary to implement conflict-sensitive humanitarian aid programs

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for:

• Humanitarian aid workers, including program managers, project coordinators, logistics officers, and field staff
• NGO staff and international organizations working in conflict-affected regions
• Government representatives and donors involved in humanitarian operations in conflict zones
• Peacebuilding practitioners and conflict resolution specialists
• Academics and researchers interested in the intersection of humanitarian assistance and conflict management
• Private sector professionals supporting humanitarian efforts in conflict environments

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Conflict Sensitivity

📌 Key Topics:

• Understanding Conflict Sensitivity: Definition, principles, and why it’s essential in humanitarian operations
• Types of Conflict: Understanding political, ethnic, religious, resource-based, and social conflicts in humanitarian settings
• The Humanitarian-Conflict Nexus: How humanitarian aid interacts with conflict dynamics and the potential risks of aid fuelling conflict
• International Frameworks and Guidelines: Key documents like the Do No Harm Framework, Conflict Sensitivity in Humanitarian Assistance, and Integrated Approach to Peacebuilding

🛠 Practical Exercise:

• Group Discussion: Participants will analyze a real-world humanitarian crisis and discuss how aid can either mitigate or exacerbate conflict dynamics

Day 2: Conflict Analysis in Humanitarian Contexts

📌 Key Topics:

• Conflict Analysis Tools: Introduction to tools such as the Conflict Tree, Conflict Mapping, and Stakeholder Analysis
• Identifying Conflict Drivers: Economic, political, social, and environmental factors that contribute to conflict
• Conflict Sensitivity at the Local Level: Understanding the role of community dynamics, local power structures, and inter-group relations in conflict-affected areas
• Contextualizing Conflict: Adapting conflict sensitivity approaches to different regions, including fragile states, post-conflict zones, and protracted crises

🛠 Practical Exercise:

• Conflict Analysis Workshop: Participants will conduct a conflict analysis for a selected region or crisis, identifying key drivers, actors, and dynamics

Day 3: Integrating Conflict Sensitivity into Humanitarian Programming

📌 Key Topics:

• Conflict-Sensitive Programming: Principles and best practices for integrating conflict sensitivity across all stages of programming (assessment, design, implementation, and evaluation)
• Risk Mitigation Strategies: Approaches for reducing the risk that aid will exacerbate conflict, such as neutrality, non-discrimination, and inclusive design
• Humanitarian Needs Assessment: Incorporating conflict sensitivity in needs assessments to better understand the local context and potential risks
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Developing conflict-sensitive indicators and assessing the impact of humanitarian interventions on conflict dynamics

🛠 Practical Exercise:

• Program Design Exercise: Participants will design a conflict-sensitive humanitarian project, ensuring that it accounts for potential conflict risks and integrates peacebuilding principles

Day 4: Managing and Mitigating Negative Impacts of Humanitarian Aid on Conflict

📌 Key Topics:

• Humanitarian Assistance and Social Divides: How aid can unintentionally reinforce social inequalities, ethnic tensions, or political divisions
• Principles of Neutrality and Impartiality: Ensuring that aid does not favour one group over another and does not deepen conflict divides
• Security and Protection Risks: Managing risks related to aid diversion, targeting vulnerable populations, and exposing beneficiaries to danger
• Building Trust and Dialogue: Engaging with local communities, authorities, and armed actors to foster trust and minimize tensions

🛠 Practical Exercise:

• Risk Mitigation Plan: Participants will identify potential risks in their humanitarian response scenarios and develop a plan to mitigate negative impacts on conflict dynamics

Day 5: Conflict Sensitivity as a Tool for Peacebuilding

📌 Key Topics:

• Aid as a Peacebuilding Tool: How humanitarian programs can contribute positively to peacebuilding, social cohesion, and reconciliation
• Engaging with Local Actors: Building partnerships with local communities, civil society organizations, and peacebuilding initiatives
• Case Studies of Positive Impact: Reviewing successful humanitarian interventions that have supported peacebuilding efforts and conflict transformation
• Sustainability and Long-Term Impact: Ensuring that humanitarian interventions lead to lasting peace, development, and resilience in conflict-affected areas

🛠 Practical Exercise:

• Case Study Review: Participants will analyze case studies where humanitarian assistance has positively influenced conflict dynamics, and discuss lessons learned and best practices

Conclusion & Certification

Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive a Certificate in Conflict Sensitivity in Humanitarian Assistance, demonstrating their ability to design and implement humanitarian programs that are contextually appropriate and sensitive to conflict dynamics.