This online tutored programme advances the concept and practice of conflict sensitivity within the UN context at large, serving the strategic, programmatic and operational needs of humanitarian, development and peacebuilding practitioners alike.

Introduction

Humanitarian, development and peacebuilding activities cannot be separated from their context, especially in conflict-affected settings. Adopting a conflict-sensitive approach to programming minimizes the risk that an intervention will exacerbate tensions. Such an approach – a minimum requirement for working on conflict – contributes to conflict prevention and sustaining peace, which cut across all three pillars of the UN – human rights, peace and security, and development.

In this programme, participants will apply conflict sensitivity concepts, principles and tools to gain a deeper understanding of a context of their choice. Participants will assess how their intervention interacts with the context, and how it might be adapted to ‘do no harm,’ and ideally contribute to ‘doing more good’.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this programme, participants will be able to:

• Assess what contextual information is needed to make conflict-sensitive decisions;
• Consider existing analyses and apply conflict sensitivity tools to identify and manage the risks entailed in working in/on conflict;
• Formulate options to adapt activities and leverage opportunities for building and sustaining peace through conflict sensitivity;
• Acknowledge and discuss conflict sensitivity challenges and dilemmas;
• Articulate ideas and good practices to monitor and evaluate conflict sensitivity.

Course methodology

This programme is delivered entirely online over four weeks. It combines self-paced modules with practical activities, live online sessions and interactive spaces for experience sharing, joint reflection and peer exchange. Weekly coaching sessions in small groups complement the programme, making it very practical and relevant, as participants will have the chance to work on and discuss a context of their choice. UNSSC tutors will guide and support the group throughout the entire learning journey.

The programme is hosted on the UNSSC online learning platform, eLounge, which allows participants a high degree of flexibility to access content at their own pace, from anywhere and at any time. Live sessions are hosted on Zoom.

Course contents

This online tutored programme is divided into three parts.

• The first part provides solid grounding in the concept and practice of conflict sensitivity, as well as the tools available within and beyond the UN system to understand a given peace-and-conflict context.
• The second part focuses on assessing how different activities might interact with the context and influence the dynamics on the ground.
• The third part challenges participants to develop options to adapt their actions, mitigate risks and leverage opportunities for building and sustaining peace through conflict sensitivity.

Target audience

UN staff as well as practitioners and representatives from governments, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, civil society and academia.