How can practitioners begin the process of mainstreaming conflict sensitivity into an organization? All practitioners at all levels are both impacted by, and can impact, the development of their institution’s capacity for conflict sensitivity. This chapter from a resource pack on conflict-sensitive approaches explores how to mainstream conflict sensitivity in a systemic way, using a six-step framework.
Institutional capacity for conflict sensitivity means the ability of an organisation to develop and use the sum of its human and organisational capital to minimise negative and maximise positive impacts on the conflict dynamics of the environment/s where it works. An organisation should aim to be conflict sensitive as it will increase the effectiveness of its programming by minimising the risks to actors involved and mitigating the risk of occurrence or escalation of violent conflict.
There are some very real institutional challenges that need to be addressed, even in the most capable organisations, if conflict sensitivity is to become a reality in terms of organisational strategy and operational practice. Five essential prerequisites include:
- Institutional commitment: indispensable in making conflict sensitivity a reality; without support from the top, organisational change will not happen.
- Willingness to make changes in organisational culture and institutional structures: such changes are likely to be needed if a conflict-sensitive approach is to take hold.
- Support for capacity development: this is needed to keep and build momentum as a process for change in organisational culture and institutional structures starts to occur.
- Conducive external relationships: these are needed in the implementing area and outside it.
- Accountability mechanisms: which are needed to underpin and reward staff and teams who incorporate conflict sensitivity in their daily practice.
Building on the above five key aspects, an organisation can begin the process of mainstreaming conflict sensitivity including deciding whether a minimalist or a more comprehensive approach is required. The six steps are:
- Assess your organisation’s institutional capacity for conflict sensitivity. There are various aspects of the make-up of any organization that will impact on its ability to behave in a conflict sensitive manner. Grouping these aspects under the prerequisites outlined above will help develop an understanding of the existing capacity and opportunities for conflict sensitivity.
- How, if at all, do the different elements of the organisation’s capacity connect? Some aspects of conflict-sensitive capacity may be well developed and others less so. It is important to understand how these different aspects connect. Reflect on one’s own and others’ experiences.
- Reflecting on why and how others’ experiences might or might not work for one’s own organization can provide useful insights.
- In light of the results from the above step, identify the key opportunities and possible challenges. What are the key needs for institutional capacity building? Where do the key strategic and operational opportunities lie? How can these opportunities be realised?
- Prioritise, develop and implement a plan of action. Once the analysis phase is over, it is important to link it to a plan of action.
- Monitor and evaluate results and review plan of action. What impacts have the capacity building steps had on your organisation? What went well, less well and, most importantly, why?
