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Over the years, it was
observed that humanitarian assistance in any conflict
setting unintentionally becomes part of the conflict. By
studying different types of assistance interventions planned
and implemented by different types of organizations in
different contexts of violent inter-group conflict would it
be possible to discover patterns or regularities by which
assistance projects inadvertently exacerbate, prolong and
feed into conflict. This fact has even been established by
evaluations of many humanitarian and development assistance
projects across the globe. Based on these evaluations &
studies, Collaborative for Development Action, Inc.(CDA)
developed a tool how to plan and implement development
projects in a way which identifies, supports and uses local
Capacities for Peace (LCP) and follows the principle of “Do
No Harm” in project planning and implementation. Experience
shows that following the principles of “Do No Harm”, and the
based framework can be used as an effective planning tool
for relief and development projects in order to avoid
unintended negative impacts and promoting peace. |
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In
South-Asia region, different social, political, economic and religious
aspirations are the root cause behind the conflict situation. The context
and nature of conflicts prevalent in this region are specific, contextual
and in some way different from one-another. Even within one country sub-
regions have different socio-political aspirations resulting in different
nature of social conflicts. There are conflicts based on religion depending
upon the population patterns in different countries, caste conflicts within
religious boundaries, ethnic conflicts, lingual conflicts and conflicts
related to regional identities.
Since 1990, the question how development efforts of non governmental actors
can intentionally contribute to conflict transformation and peace building
has become more pressing and a major issue of discussion.
The concept of Peace Initiatives in South Asia (PISA) evolved in year 2003,
out of discussion between EED and Partner Organizations of the Middle &
South Asia Desk, to respond to the emerging concerns regarding the
increasing level of potentially or actually violent political, social and
economic conflicts in the region. Partner Organizations felt that their
ability to implement development projects, to work for justice and peace,
and to achieve their development and organizational goals were jeopardized
by such conflict situation.
In the process of development it is obvious to experience conflict when it
comes to decision making and participative approach. Therefore, conscious
efforts must be made to ensure that the necessary transformation and change
of sole can be achieved through constructive and non-violent process. In
South Asia, where EED is co-operating with partner organizations in
Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. These partners have undergone several
conflict situations in their working areas. Many of them have started
working by creating linkages with development work with peace building and
conflict transformation.
Peace, therefore, is not just a well red side effect of successful
development but it is the intended impact. Thus it is decided to put special
emphasis on increasing the capacities of EED partner organization in dealing
with development of peace and conflict management in South Asia through a
three-year focused programme Peace in South Asia (PISA) from 2003-05 in
which about 50 South Asian partner organizations participated.
The activities under PISA programme are highlighted as follows:
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Conflict sensitive analysis and planning
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Dealing with communalism in South Asia
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Strengthening peace building capacities in selected regions where violent
conflict is immanent.
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Conceptual understanding of root causes and gender dimensions of violent
conflict and the role of civil society therein
Thus
PISA programme is an exemplary platform wherein there is mutual exchange of
experiences and learnings across the borders. It gives opportunities to make
contacts and informal networks and build a common understanding on a
particular issue. |
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Studies in the past have revealed that many a times humanitarian and
developmental assistance and aid unintentionally leads to or exacerbates a
situation of inter-group conflict. One of the prominent studies was
conducted by Collaborative for Development Action, Inc. (CDA), a consultancy
firm based in Cambridge, Mass., USA in 1994 to systematically analyse that
how the development projects interacts & affects the relationship dynamics
of communities in a specific context. The outcome of this study showed the
patterns of negative effects of developmental aid & assistance were
discovered. On basis of these patterns, the idea of developing practical
tools for project planning was conceptualised.
In 1994, a project “Local Capacities for Peace Project” (LCPP) was developed
to address the concern of aid workers. This project was coordinated and
organized by CDA and it brought together hundreds of aid workers from many
different local and international organizations. They shared experience in
order to learn how assistance provided by agencies and conflict interact and
to help practitioners find a way to address human needs in a situation of
violent conflict without feeding into tensions and exacerbating divisions.
The approach of LCPP was to gather broad experience from many projects in
many field locations in different contexts of violent conflict and, by
comparing and analyzing these, to identify patterns in how relief or
development projects and conflict interact. Thus, in its first year, LCPP
conducted fifteen case studies in fourteen conflict zones around the world.
From these it was possible to identify a number of common themes and lessons
about how assistance projects affect conflict. The Project was intended to
help agencies learn how to provide humanitarian or development assistance in
areas of violent conflict in ways that, rather than feeding into,
exacerbating and prolonging war, the assistance projects would help local
people disengage from fighting and establish alternative systems for dealing
with the problems that underlie their conflict.
Since 2001, agencies are integrating the tool into their respective project
planning procedures.
The Local Capacities for Peace Project in South Asia Region is a
contribution of EED in the work of its Partner organizations in the region,
which intends to integrate the “Local Capacities for Peace” or “Do No Harm”
approach into the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of
activities and projects of partners’ organization. At a consultation of the
LCP Coordination Group organized and hosted by CASA in Delhi on 1-2
September 2004, the mainstreaming process was conceptualised and agreed upon
by nine organizations.
The cooperating organizations under LCPP work in situation of actual or
potential violent confrontation. They strive to contribute to the
establishment of a just and peaceful society, which provides equal chances
and access to all members of society irrespective of belief, caste, gender
or ethnic affiliation. The cooperating organizations in their individual
programmes and activities in different ways empower poor and marginalized
communities, civil society organizations, peoples’ organizations and NGOs to
struggle for justice, equal chances and peace in non-violent ways. They
provide basic services and livelihood support; raise communities’ awareness
and build their capacities and they are working for ensuring rights of the
marginalized, minorities, poor and vulnerable section of society, which
includes women and children. There was an agreement among participating
organizations that LCP mainstreaming process must include activities within
the individual organization. Involvement of grassroots workers and community
into the process will make the mainstreaming more realistic and effective.
But it was also emphasised by all participants that by sharing experiences,
cooperation in the development of training materials adjusted to the local
contexts, mutual coaching and backstopping at the regional process will make
the mainstreaming of a new tool within the organizations in a much more
effective way. |
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