Conflict Analysis informs peacebuilding and development work. It’s often skipped due to: priorities/ funding, unconducive environment, ignorance of its importance among others. .

Conflict Analysis is the process of examining the data that is collected within and without the confines of a conflict in a bid to understand the extent and the form(s) of that conflict.

This process should be based off reliable data from the relevant actors and stakeholders if the analysis is to deduce a realistic picture of the conflict.

In an ideal situation, peacebuilding intervention strategies for conflicts should be informed by the conflict analysis.

Why is Conflict Analysis Important?

Please read further below.

In Summary: Conflict Analysis is important not only to inform peacebuilding interventions but also for Conflict Sensitivity.

Conflict Sensitivity refers to the measures that are taken to ensure that peace interventions are conscious of the conflict variables which, if mishandled, might cause more harm than good to the peacebuilders / development, the community or other stakeholders in the peace field.

Read more about Conflict Sensitivity and the Tools that you can use here.

What Variables Does Conflict Analysis Look At

Conflicts, especially conflicts, have multiple variables that make the solving of such conflicts complex. These variables also take different forms at different forms, which is why peacebuilding efforts may not work in an instant.

Effective peace building efforts should seek to understand the conflict variables (see the list below) in order to come up with intervention strategies that have maximum positive impact and minimal probabilities of fueling the conflict further.

• Conflict/ polarizing issues
• Actors: Use Actors Mapping Tool to visualize and analyze the conflict actors or other stakeholders
  
• Stakeholders: Other professionals working in the peace field, especially in the conflict environment at hand
• Relationships between the actors
• Relationships between stakeholders
• External Dynamics
• Time/ History

To skip Conflict Analysis and Dive into REAL Peacebuilding or Not?

In my opinion Conflict Analysis is an important process for any intervention.

HOWEVER, the intensity and formality of the process should be left at the discretion of the involved parties/ peacebuilding organization/ project managers.

NOTE: Conflict Sensitivity during Conflict Analysis

During this Conflict Analysis process (however simple or intense it is), the peacebuilder/ development worker/ program manager should think ahead and put necessary measures to avoid escalating the conflicts further.

Data collection for Conflict Analysis:

For instance, if talking to some actors and or stakeholders (during the data collection phase) in a secluded place causes tension between those actors and the rest of the community, then such discrete talks should be rethought.

Information Sharing after Conflict Analysis

Another thing to consider is how, where, and with whom the results of this analysis are shared.

Two Common Types of Conflict Analysis

Official/ Intense Conflict Analysis

Some peace projects/ development workers may choose an official and intense Conflict Analysis process to inform their next course of actions, This may include getting a Peace and Conflict Consultant to spearhead the process, investing a significant budget to collect and process data from diverse sources, and holding a results’ validation exercise where different actors/ stakeholders are informed of the results.

Unofficial/ Casual Conflict Analysis

Other peace projects may choose to use an unofficial approach that may include casual chats with different actors/ stakeholders

5 Reasons Why Conflict Analysis is Important for any Project/ Intervention

• It informs the best inclusive intervention/ peacebuilding practices that have maximum positive impact
• It informs the best peacebuilding/ intervention practices that will cause minimal harm to the community
• It informs practices that keep the peace worker/ development worker safe
• Informs projects that have a higher probability for sustainable
• It informs the exact input (social structures – people’s capacities, resources, etc.  ) that will build toward reduced violence and peace

3 Main Reasons Why Some Development Workers/ Peace Projects Skip Conflict Analysis

• Lack of the awareness of how important Conflict Analysis is to their project
• Budgetary constraints and different priorities: Some peace projects’ priorities and budgets plan for the ‘seemingly’ important activities of a project and exclude Conflict Analysis
• Initial harsh environment that does not allow for a safe/ unbiased analysis

Conflict Analysis Tools

Below as some of the tools that you can use to conduct a conflict analysis. Some tools are specific for processing/ analyzing specific variables, whereas other tools can analyze multiple conflict variables at a go.

Click on each tool for more information. If I have not updated the information for each tool, please check back later

1. Actors Mapping
2. Conflict Tree
3. The Hand
4. Onion
5. Timeline
6. Inverted Triangle
7. Violence Triangle
8. Positions, Interests, Needs and Fears (PINF)
9. Systemic Analysis/ Charting Conflict Systems/ Reinforcing Loop

Kindly submit any feedback in the comments sections below.

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Actors mapping, also referred as stakeholders’ mapping in some development sectors, is the process of identifying the actors (people who directly/ indirectly influence something as well as the people who are directly/ indirectly influenced by the effects of that something.

Actors Mapping as Part of Conflict Analysis and Conflict Sensitivity

Actors Mapping is part and parcel of Conflict Analysis as it seeks to understand the variable (in this case the actors/ stakeholders) in a conflict or development work context in a bid to make informed decisions about a potential viable intervention.

Actors Mapping/ Stakeholders Mapping is also a key component of Conflict Sensitivity. Having an insight into the actors in a conflict / development and their relationships helps a peace worker, peace and conflict consultant, project managers, program coordinators, and development workers visualize how their interaction with certain actors is likely to affect their relationship with other actors.

Under-estimating the significance of some actors can be detrimental not only to the project (planned intervention), but also to the development worker / peace worker him/ herself.

How Does Actors Mapping Help?

• Visualize all the actors
• Visualize the relationship between the actors
• Visualize the conflict issues between the actors
• Explore the potential entry points for intervention

Notes on the Actors Mapping Visual Mapping

Please read this post to see the requirements and the process of Actors Mapping Here

• The role of each actor in the conflict is noted by the size of the allocated card
• The significance of each actor is noted by the shape of the allocated card. Some actors are not directly involved in a conflict regardless of how big or small (power) they are, hence (during the analysis exercise), they get a differently shaped card.
• The relationship between the different actors, hence awareness on the side of the peace worker/ development worker, project manager or consultant on the how working with some actors/ stakeholders might impact on the other actors; reinforcing or blocking his/ her efforts.

What Other Actors Mapping Tools I can Use?

• Actors Mapping,
• The Hand,
• PINF (Positions, Interests, Needs, and Fears), and
• Charting Conflict Systems (Systemic Analysis)

There is a plethora of tools that can be used to identify and analyse actors in any conflict context or development work.

Most Conflict Analysis Tools and stakeholders mapping tools focus on the multiple conflict variables and as such, peace workers, project managers, peace and conflict consultants, and development workers should choose wisely.

Tool of Choice for Actors Mapping

One tool, however, Actors Mapping Tool, I find most effective in doing a comprehensive mapping of actors/ stakeholders as it focuses on the actors and their relationships as the key variables.

Additionally, the Actors’ Mapping Tool enables a peace builder to not only focus on the ‘known’ conflict actors but also explore indirect actors whose involvement in the conflict is significant.

How to Do Actors Mapping / Stakeholders Mapping

Please read this in-depth post on how to do an Actors Mapping/ Stakeholders Mapping using the Actors Mapping Tool here

What are your thoughts?

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As a development worker, is Actors Mapping / Stakeholders Analysis important?

Do you ever wonder what would happen to you or your project if you jumped into implementing a project without seeking to understand who you will be working with or against, who you will be working for, or who will be affected by your interventions?

• Do you think the success of your project would be impacted?
• Do you think your personal safety/ welfare might be affected by your intervention?

What is Actors Mapping?

Actors Mapping is the process of identifying and seeking to understand the different actors / stakeholders in any setting / field/ scenario, as well as their relationships, and the possible impact they have on your peacebuilding/ development work or any other community process.

Understanding the actors in any setting should also give the development worker, project manager, peace and conflict consultant or program coordinators an insight into the people/ actors who might be affected positively or otherwise by the project.

Actors Mapping is, thus, a process that peacebuilders and facilitators of other community processes cannot afford to ignore.

Read how to conduct Actors Mapping / Stakeholders Mapping Here

How and Where To Do Actors Mapping

How, where, and how long the Actors Mapping is done by any development worker/ organization/ peace builder/ facilitator of community processes is up to their discretion.

The Actors Mapping Process can be carried out in a simple forum of the development workers only, or intensively in a forum that engages multiple actors/ stakeholders and uses Actors Mapping Tools to gather, process, and present information.

5 Reasons Why Actors Mapping is Important for any Intervention

1. Actors Mapping is part of the broader Context Assessment and Analysis in Development Work.

An introvert’s specialty, given his/ her ‘discomfort’ in a public arena, is to know WHO is present, WHAT their role is, HOW they impact his/ her presence, interaction, and outcome of whatever engagements the public forum aims at.

As development workers, project managers, peace and conflict consultants, program coordinators, peace workers, and facilitators of community processes, we should always wear an introvert’s glasses.

We need to use the lenses not for our own psych but for a better understanding of our actors, their involvement with our processes, and the possible foreseen or unforeseen impacts of each actor on our processes.

2. Actors Mapping is Part of Do No Harm and Conflict Sensitivity

Conflict sensitivity refers to the level of awareness of the intended input which could have intended/ unintended impacts on the project, the actors, the environment, etc. Do No Harm is a guiding principle in development work to minimize the unintended and adverse effects of development work.

Knowing the actors in a conflict or any scenario and acknowledging the power dynamics between them and yourself (or amongst themselves) is paramount to taking the appropriate course of actions in order to boost/ retain the dignity of every actor as well as reduce the chances of escalating the negative impacts that some engagements might cause.

3. Identify Potential Allies and Foes

In any form of development work it is most important to identify:

•  The actors who are for the same course as you (potential allies you can work together to achieve your peacebuilding goals).
• The actors who may view your work as threat to their well-being or livelihoods (these are the actors who might thwart your peacebuilding efforts directly on indirectly)

4. Identify External Actors/ Factors that have an Impact on your work

Peace work and development work are affected by more than the immediate actors or environmental factors.

An Actors Mapping exercise should help the development worker, peacebuilder, project manager, peace and conflict consultant or program managers visualize:

• Potential external actors (national government, international governments, treaties, funding agencies’ and their policies, etc.) whose minor or major changes might impact on the provision of goods/ services to the conflict-affected actors. Such changes may also affect (boost or curtail) the implementation of the peace/ development work
• Closely related external concepts that may affect the attitude or behaviour of some actors, hence affects the course of peace/ development work. This may include the political climate as well as natural occurrences/ disasters.

5. Look out for the welfare of the development worker

Let no one assume that you are everyone’s favourite just because you are working for peace or bringing development to a community.

It is important to understand privileges, stereotypes, and power dynamics.

You need to know what you are walking into or how your being (whatever nationality / ethnicity/ sex/ background/ race) may make you a target.

Kindly note that whereas you may not be able to alter your natural privileges like race, sex, ethnicity, etc. being aware of how these might be received by others (especially the actors in your field of work) should help you adjust your behaviour accordingly (only if it makes a difference).

Dangers of Skipping the Actors Mapping Process

1. Without a clear understanding of who the actors in a conflict context are or what their role in the (de)escalation of conflict is, peace workers / development workers, project managers and or peace and conflict consultants run the risk of under-estimating or over-estimating the power of some actors. Over or under-estimating some actors may not only inhibit the project from achieving its goal, but also fuel/ escalate the conflicts.

 Interventions could backfire if the peace worker/ development worker ignores or (dis-engages some actors who might be held in high esteem in their communities.

For instance, if a development worker ignores some actors, who the other actors identify with, the remaining actors may refuse to cooperate with the peacebuilder as they may assume that they may also be deemed dispensable at some point and, hence, ignored. The Swahili saying “ukiona mwenzako anyolewa, kitie chako maji” (in a tradition where mass head-shaving was common, the person next in-line would wet his/ her head as soon as the person before him/ her was getting his/ her shaving), holds true for all actors.

People expect the things that happen to the people they identify with to happen to them. Conflict actors judge the peacebuilder/ development worker by his/ her engagement with the other actors.

What are your thoughts on Actors Mapping?

The post 5 Reasons Why Development Work MUST Start with Actors/ Stakeholder Mapping appeared first on Development Work, Conflict Transformation, and PeaceBuilding... Informed Capacity Development for Diverse Stakeholders.

Conflict Sensitivity is important in all development work, especially in Peace Projects that are geared towards addressing conflict, reducing violent conflict, and building long-life peace paths.

How Important is an ACTIVE SYSTEM That Monitors Conflict Sensitivity?

Conflict Sensitivity looks are intended/ unintended impacts of peacebuilding or development interventions, and develops mechanisms that minimize the negative effects of such a project whilst increasing the positive impact of those projects.

It is not enough for a development worker, peace worker, project manager, peace and conflict consultant, program coordinator or any other facilitator of community process to just have a ‘good attitude’ when assessing conflict situations and planning peace/ development projects.

Every personnel working in the peace or development field must actively assess all the planned activities (intervention) and their possible (un)intended impacts.

Planned activities, informed by a sound Conflict Analysis. should have more positive impact that negative impacts.

Planned interventions that have the possibility of not only affecting the project implementation but also polarizing a community to a point of violent, prolonged conflict should be re-assessed, adjusted accordingly or abandoned.

Conflict Sensitivity should be an ongoing process/ mentality that should run throughout projects, but more so during the initial Conflict Analysis where different variables in a conflict context are assessed.

What is Conflict Sensitivity?

Conflict Sensitivity refers to the level of awareness that development workers ought to have regarding the intended/ unintended impacts that their projects/ intervention might have on the community actors, the environment, etc.

Conflict sensitivity is, therefore, not, as presumed, a feeling, but rather the conscious efforts that are geared towards capturing, analysing, and processing the intended and unintended impacts of an intervention (whether in peace work, conflict work or development work).

Conflict sensitivity is geared towards maximizing the positive intended/ unintended impact of a project/ intervention, and mitigating the negative un-intended impacts of such an intervention.

Conflict Sensitivity Tools

DNH (Do No Harm), RPP (Reflecting on Peace Processes) Matrix, and FFA (Force Field Analysis) comprise some of the tools that peace workers can use to examine potential activities whose engagement may result in counter-productive impacts.

The tools look at:

• The dividers (issues that polarize the conflict actors and fuel the conflict) and
• The connectors (issues that bring the peace actors together and reduce conflict).

Dividers and connectors can be attitudes, behaviours, systems & structures, and the actors.

Read more on the Conflict Sensitivity Tools here and how to use them

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Conflict Sensitivity Tools help development workers capture and process intended/ unintended impacts of projects beforehand; allows conflict-sensitive planning.

Conflict Sensitivity refers the conscious efforts that are geared towards capturing, analysing, and processing the intended and unintended impacts of any intervention in development work. Conflict sensitivity Tools help capture and process this information.

As part of the wider Conflict Analysis, Conflict Sensitivity seeks to capture and visualize the unintended negative impacts that a project/ intervention may have in a bid to plan (re-plan) peacebuilding projects in a way that maximizes the positive impacts and reduces the negative impact of the intervention. There are several Conflict Analysis Tools that can be used to conduct the Conflict Sensitivity of a project or proposed intervention.

Common Conflict Sensitivity Tools and How to Use Them

• DNH – Do No Harm
• FFA – Force Field Analysis
• RPP Matrix – Reflecting on Peace Processes

1. Do No Harm: The Process

This Conflict Sensitivity Tool works in steps:

1. Conduct a thorough Conflict Analysis
   
2. Identify dividers
   
3. Identify the driving forces (Local Capacities for Peace – LCP)
4. Define your project with 5W H)
   
5. Resource Transfer (RT). Works on the ways of boosting LCP and reducing dividers
   
6. Defines programming options that incorporate the Resource Transfer activities identified in step 5
   

2. Force Field Analysis (FFA): The Process

1. Identify the attitudes, behaviours, systems & Structures, and the actors that fuel the conflict
2. Identify the attitudes, behaviours, systems & Structures, and the actors that reduce the conflict
3. Incorporate your findings when planning peace projects

3. RPP (Reflecting on Peace Processes) Matrix This tools allows you

This tool allows you to:

1. Indicate the current status quo (conflict, development, etc.) you wish to work on
2. Your desired goals
3. The actors (and their capacities you wish to work with)

Which Conflict Sensitivity Tools have you worked with? What was your experience with them?

Kindly leave your feedback in the comments’ section below.

The post 3 Conflict Sensitivity Tools: Ultimate Formula for Visualizing Un(Intended) Impacts of Peace Projects/ Community Processes appeared first on Development Work, Conflict Transformation, and PeaceBuilding... Informed Capacity Development for Diverse Stakeholders.

A development worker (peacebuilder / peace worker )is an individual who facilitates any step of the peacebuilding process.

It is important for development workers and the assisting personnel to acknowledge that they are one of the most important resources of peacebuilding and conflict transformation.

Stating that “a peacebuilder is the most important resource in any peacebuilding/ conflict transformation process” almost sounds too cliché. But think of what could happen to or all the harm that could be done by a development worker who did not have the capacity to facilitate such peace processes.

Read about Self Awareness, Care and Development in the WorkPlace here

I know.

Here is How a Development Worker Can Impact/ Be Impacted By The Peacebuilding Process

Development Worker’s Occupational Hazards

The physical, mental, and or emotional state of a development worker affects more than the development worker him/ herself.

You know about occupational hazards, right?

Well, you can’t think that it only happens to people who work with things or machines.

Stress and Burnout: Development Worker’s Nightmare

The biggest occupational hazards facing most development workers are stress and burnout. This stress/ burnout may be triggered by the work itself (strict deadlines, etc.), harsh working conditions, and or the suffering of the people the projects’ work for/ with.

• development workers may be adversely affected by any of the work dynamics OR
• They may project unhealthy actions, emotions, etc. to the people they work with/ for

Peace and development projects are affected by the well-being of the peacebuilders or the community itself.

• Let no one assume that you work in vacuum. You are human being, interacting with other humans, and you are likely to be affected or affect by other people’s behaviour, suffering, etc.

Development Worker’s Self Awareness and Self-Care

The more you are aware of your own well-being, situation, pain, beliefs, behaviour, etc., and how you react (are likely to react) to triggers, the higher your chances of ensuring you take care of you, while trying to not hurt others.

Read more on self-awareness and care here

The more you are aware of other people’s aspects, the more you are likely yo treat them better, avoid trouble, etc.

Power Dynamics

The worst mistake a peacebuilder/ development worker can do is to ignore (not acknowledge) power dynamics.

And by power I mean his/ her position, gender, privileges, etc. as well as those of other people.

Power dynamics, however subtle, influence interaction between the development worker and his colleagues or community/ stakeholders, which may ultimately affect the project’s course.

You may not be able to change how other people feel, think or believe in, but you can make them feel at ease and not intimidate/ escalate the situation. It is part of conflict sensitivity.

Read about conflict sensitivity here.

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Whereas there is some confusion on how to categorize peacebuilding, it can be agreed to be

“an undertaking that involves multiple engagements by multiple actors/ stakeholders towards sustainable peace”

(Read below for a more concrete definition of peacebuilding).

There is quite some confusion as to whether peacebuilding/ peace work and conflict transformation is a one-off activity or a process.

The confusion revolves around:

1. The agreement on the definitions of terms
2. The fact that the peacebuilding wheel must be set in motion by events that may not, at the time, seem directly related to peacebuilding
3. The fact that the results (output) of all the events/ activities ought to (are expected to) contribute towards the long term goals of a peaceful community/ sustainable peace. The fact of the matter here is: it’s not always the case that activities’ output contribute towards the long term envisioned peace goals. At times, the end term goal of relatively improved peaceful conditions cannot be exclusively pinned on the activities that were implemented.

Still confused as to whether peacebuilding is a process or activity? Let’s take this one step at a time

What is peacebuilding?

An overarching definition of peacebuilding from a list of Authorities in the Peacebuilding field, including the UN Peacebuilding Support Office, Lederach, Galtung and the School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University among others is:

“methods and resources (activities, events, processes, efforts, etc.) that are geared towards:

• the prevention of violent conflict
• relapse into violent conflict
• the building of physical, social and institutional structures that address conflicts
• behaviour change aimed at reducing conflict causes”

Please read the selected definitions of peacebuilding by the Alliance for Peacebuilding here.

The definition of peacebuilding is explored by the following Authorities:

• United Nations: Peacebuilding Support Office
• United Nations Development Program
• United States Institute of Peace
• School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University
• Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
• Lederach, John Paul
• Galtung, Johan

Why is Peacebuilding Complex?

• The variables in community processes and peacebuilding are numerous
• Variables influenced by emotions and deep-rooted aspects such as beliefs, cultural attachments, identity, etc. are the hardest to address
• Behaviour change must emanate from the people/ community in focus, not necessarily the change agent
• Ownership of ‘peacebuilding efforts’ is key to their success and sustainability of relative peace. The more control the actors in a conflict situation feel (from being involved in providing a solution to their conflicts) the higher their chances of finding a lasting solution as they feel they own the process.

What should development workers do to increase the success of peacebuilding projects?

• Start from a point of Conflict Analysis. It:
  
  • Helps you understand the conflict situation
  • Helps you understand the actors
  • Helps you understand the actors’ relationships
  • Helps you understand key elements
    • What you can change
    • What you can’t change
    • How you should deliver your mandate
    • How and where to engage which conflict actors/ stakeholders
  • 
  • Acknowledge that the actors/ community have resources they can use towards peacebuilding.
    • Sensitize the community on your not being their savior so as to manage expectations and not create dependency
    • Sensitize the community (help them realize/ identify their resources on their resources – how best they can use the same
  • 
  • Acknowledge that peacebuilding, as with other community processes that  move towards behaviour and attitude change, is a process.

NOTE:

Peacebuilding is a process that incorporates individual activities and efforts towards one goal; peace.

No amount of rushed planning, budget restrictions, or pressure can move the peacebuilding process faster than it can naturally move. Unnecessary pressure may undo the good work or escalate the conflict.

The entire process should be conflict sensitive; assess intended/ unintended impacts of a peace project and put measures in place to minimize negative impacts while maximizing positive impact.

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