Development, humanitarian, peacebuilding and statebuilding interventions should not only be conflict sensitive but also gender sensitive. This requires context-specific analysis of gender relations, looking for example at: how men, women, girls and boys are affected differently by conflict and how they may seek to resolve conflict differently; how gender inequalities may exacerbate tensions; and how gender intersects with other social cleavages (e.g. ethnicity, religion, class, age, geographic location) (Barandun & Joos, 2004).
Gender analysis is a key component of do no harm approaches to peacebuilding and statebuilding, as it can help donors to understand the possible direct and unintentional impacts of their interventions on the lives of men and women, girls and boys (OECD, 2013) (see also DNH section). In Haiti, for example, the design and implementation of programmes specifically targeted at women resulted in a rise in tensions between men and women. This may have been due to the perceived challenge to men’s traditional control over household resources, exacerbated by the lack of complementary programmes to provide men with economic opportunities (Zicherman et al., 2011).
Gender and conflict sensitive programming can contribute to the prevention of violence and promotion of peace by promoting dispute resolution mechanisms, fostering new attitudes in gender and social relations, and empowering female connectors. Barandun and Joos (2004) caution that aid workers must be aware, however, that the empowerment of a specific group can result in conflict with other groups.
Key texts
Barandun, P. & Joos, Y. (2004). Gender- and conflict-sensitive program management. Bern: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
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CDA. (2010). DNH guidance note: Gender and DNH. Cambridge, MA: CDA
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UNDP. (2006) Can conflict analysis processes support gendered visions of peace building? Reflections from the peace and stability development analysis in Fiji. New York: UNDP.
This paper focuses on an analysis of the lessons learned from applications of the Peace and Stability Development Analysis (PSDA) that was initiated in 2005 by UNDP and the Government of Fiji. It argues that conflict and development analysis processes such as PSDA, which reveal issues of socio-economic development, security, democracy and peace, are inextricably linked to notions of gender equality.
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Additional resources
OECD. (2013). Gender and statebuilding in fragile and conflict affected states. Paris: OECD
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Reimann, C. (2013). Trainer manual: mainstreaming gender into peacebuilding trainings. Centre for International Peace Operations and GIZ
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SDC. (2006). Gender, conflict transformation and the psychosocial approach: toolkit. Bern: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
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- Zicherman, N., with Khan, A., Street, A., Heyer, H., & Chevreau, O. (2011). Applying conflict sensitivity in emergency response: Current practice and ways forward (HPN Paper 70). London: ODI See document online
