United Nations (UN) post-conflict responses should be based on standardised inter-agency analyses to help overcome structures that lead to violent conflict and to promote integrated peace. This report, published by the UNDG/ECHA Working Group on Transition, outlines analytical components necessary to understand conflict causes and dynamics that support peace efforts in a transition situation. Application of such an analytical framework would help construct subsequent UN programming that incorporates context-specific factors and supports the achievement of lasting peace.
A common inter-agency analytical framework contributes to understanding underlying causes and consequences of violent conflict. It also supports a conflict-sensitive approach to post-conflict needs assessment. Such an analysis assumes that each transition situation is unique and multi-faceted and that transition programming should aim to “do no harm”. It also assumes that UN programming should maximise peacebuilding and ensure national ownership and participation of all affected parties.
Production of an analytical framework should follow the structure below:
- Analysis of key conflict factors: Structural and proximate conflict factors should be examined according to security, political, governance, economic and social thematic factors.
- Actor analysis: Individuals, groups and institutions should be considered. Analysis should include examination of actors’ stated interests, hidden agendas, relationships with other actors, resources available to them and resources they still require.
- Analysis of capacities for peace: Examples include informal approaches to conflict resolution, the role of traditional authorities and the presence/absence of a strong civil society. They also include examining the culture relative to its tolerance and the role of the judiciary, inter-village meetings, traditional courts and truth commissions.
- Analysis of ongoing responses: Mapping of humanitarian, development, political and security responses actors are likely to undertake in post-conflict periods.
- Assessing the impact of ongoing responses: Analysis of the impact of working around, in and on conflict in order to determine how frameworks, initiatives and programmes align with proximate and structural conflict factors.
- Strategic and programmatic conclusions for transition planning: Construction of recommendations for development of UN transition strategy and programming.
In order to achieve subsequent strategic and programmatic conclusions for transition planning, application of this analytical framework should consider:
- The specific context in which the analysis is applied, including the scope and duration of the conflict;
- Issues of timing and political feasibility, including the capacity of national counterparts to engage in post-conflict processes;
- Opportunities for engagement with all parties to the conflict, national government and other key stakeholders;
- The need for sensitisation and awareness-raising at UN agencies; and
- Sound data collection that militates against subjectivity and bias, and helps prioritise conflict factors and issues.
For further information contact: UNDG/ECHA Working Group on Transition (United Nations Development Group/Executive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs) at: Anamaria.hermoso@undg.org
