Genesis
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.
PISA
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:
Conflict sensitive analysis and planning
Dealing with communalism in South Asia
Strengthening peace building capacities in selected regions where violent conflict is immanent.
Conceptual understanding of root causes and gender dimensions of violent conflict and the role of civil society therein
Reflecting and documenting learning experiences
Exchange programme and lobbying activities vis-à-vis the European Public
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.
Local Capacity for Peace Project (LCPP)
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.
