Peace and Conflict-Sensitive Development

Peace

Peace is a state of freedom from obstacles and disturbances. It is the opposite of social disputes, conflicts, or rebellions. Social peace refers to a condition where equality, justice, tolerance, coexistence, and harmony prevail, fostering a cultured, prosperous, and civilized society. Thus, social peace is directly linked to sustainable development and prosperity.

Conflict

Conflict is the escalated or extreme form of a dispute. In the context of social affairs, it manifests as discord, disagreement, dissatisfaction, non-cooperation, opposition, contradictions, disharmony, quarrels, anger, or hostility within society. Conflict arises when there is inequity in the distribution of power, authority, resources, and opportunities (PARO). It occurs due to differences in ideas, needs, interests, values, beliefs, or perceptions between two or more individuals or groups.

Relationship Between Development and Conflict

In the modern world, conflict is considered natural and an inevitable aspect of societal change. When resolved appropriately, conflict can drive development and transformation, making it preferable to seek solutions rather than suppress or control it.
Society is dynamic, and supporting diverse opinions and perspectives allows for new approaches and technologies. Thus, a belief has emerged that controlled conflict should be encouraged to foster change and innovation.
Conflicts arise due to poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and social, cultural, or political factors. Specifically, the failure of state systems to ensure regional balance in development, equitable distribution of benefits, adherence to democratic values, and adoption of social justice and inclusivity principles fuels conflict.
In conflict-affected societies, implementing, managing, and utilizing development projects becomes challenging.
Conflict identifies problems and seeks solutions. Proper conflict resolution fosters innovative thinking, development, and progress, while unresolved conflicts disrupt social harmony, challenge peace and security, and hinder social development, potentially leading to the loss of political, social, and economic progress.
Democracy, rule of law, human rights, participatory governance, and inclusive systems play direct and indirect roles in conflict reduction.
Promoting socioeconomic development, respecting diversity, and encouraging inclusivity ensure sustainable development.
Making development activities conflict-sensitive creates a conducive environment for sustainable peacebuilding.

Concept

Peace and conflict are generally opposing states. The absence of peace leads to conflict, and conflict disrupts peace. Peace and conflict-sensitive development is the approach of balancing both conditions to make the development process meaningful. The ultimate goal of development is to enhance peace and well-being, yet conflict is inevitable in societal activities. Thus, peace and conflict-sensitive development is essential to achieve peaceful development even in conflict-prone environments. Both peace-sensitive and conflict-sensitive development are interlinked, requiring strategies in both conflict and post-conflict settings to achieve development outcomes through peacebuilding and conflict resolution. The essence of development is peace, and development must transform conflict environments into peaceful ones, ensuring progress toward its goals.

Peace-Sensitive Development

Peace-sensitive development is the approach of conducting development processes with peace as the central focus. Peace is the ultimate desire and goal of all development efforts. This approach involves implementing development activities to establish peace by ensuring satisfaction across all stakeholders. Development strategies that prioritize only one party's interests often lead to conflict, causing disruptions and obstacles. Thus, peace-sensitive development entails conducting activities to sustain peace as the ultimate destination of development. It advocates for conflict-free development and is essential for transforming conflict situations into peaceful ones, addressing barriers to progress.

Prerequisites for Peace-Sensitive Development

Adoption of participatory development approaches.
Integration of diverse needs and demands.
Rights-based and demand-driven development.
Presence of conflict resolution mechanisms in development processes.
Addressing the demands of conflicting parties.
Open and transparent working methods.
Focus on collective interests.
Development processes based on equity and equality.
Transitional justice.
Protection and promotion of human rights.

Need, Importance, and Objectives of Peace-Sensitive Development

Make development peaceful.
Foster mutual understanding and satisfaction among stakeholders.
Build a just and civilized governance system.
Adopt justice-based development practices.
Pursue rights-based and demand-driven development policies.
Establish democratic and participatory development processes.
Achieve balanced and equitable development.
Address the voices, desires, and rights of all.
Establish peace, happiness, satisfaction, and prosperous lives.
Address the concerns of conflicting parties.

Role of the State in Peace-Sensitive Development

Eliminate discriminatory state policies.
Adopt inclusivity as a strategy against exclusion.
Pursue development strategies addressing diverse needs and demands.
Emphasize citizen participation in development.
Respect, protect, and promote human rights.
Ensure transparency and fairness in development processes.
Establish the voices, desires, and rights of all stakeholders.
Promote good governance and democratic practices.

Conflict-Sensitive Development

Conflict-sensitive development refers to development approaches that address the impacts and irreversible damages caused by conflict in affected areas. It involves efforts to mitigate conflict’s effects, prevent escalation, and transition toward peace processes. Broadly, it encompasses transforming conflict situations into peaceful ones and addressing post-conflict reconstruction and normalization.

Process of Conflict-Sensitive Development

Identify the state of conflict (analyze the situation if conflict has occurred).
Study the demands of conflicting parties.
Analyze the situation.
Develop resolution options.
Implement programs based on the best resolution options.
Monitor and evaluate progress.
Facilitate conflict-sensitive development through feedback and improvements.

Need, Importance, and Objectives of Conflict-Sensitive Development

Resolve and conclude conflicts.
Deliver justice to affected and victimized parties.
Normalize public life.
Establish peace and order.
Minimize the damages and impacts of conflict.
Address the demands of conflicting parties.
Eliminate fear, terror, and unrest to establish harmony.
Create happy and prosperous citizen lives.
Ensure sustainable development.

Strategies for Conflict-Sensitive Development

Conflict-sensitive development strategies can be categorized into pre-conflict, conflict, and post-conflict strategies.

Pre-Conflict Strategies

Develop strategies to prevent conflicts from arising, addressing discrimination, inequality, non-participation, and exclusion while meeting diverse needs, voices, and demands.

Conflict Situation Strategies

Identify and analyze conflicts, understand the demands of conflicting parties, conduct dialogues, implement programs based on optimal resolution options, and normalize conflicting parties through peace and mutual understanding.

Post-Conflict Strategies

Implement peace agreements, protect affected parties, normalize victims from trauma, and provide relief, rescue, treatment, and rehabilitation in war-torn situations to restore normalcy.

Interrelationship Between Peace-Sensitive and Conflict-Sensitive Development

Peace and conflict are opposing concepts, but peace-sensitive and conflict-sensitive development share common objectives.
Both aim for peace, prosperity, and harmonious development.
Peace-sensitive development seeks conflict-free and harmonious progress, while conflict-sensitive development aims to peacefully resolve conflicts and uplift affected communities.
The ultimate goal of any development is to create peace and prosperous lives.
Peace and conflict-sensitive development are essential in any context, whether state governance, public administration, or organizational operations.
While peace is always desired, it is not always achievable, and conflicts may arise despite efforts to avoid them. A conflict-free society may only exist in theory due to societal diversity.
As the primary leader and guardian of development, the state must remain peace-oriented, ensuring smooth governance to minimize conflicts and enhance development progress.

Arrangements for Peace and Conflict-Sensitive Development

Constitutional Arrangements

Adoption of participatory and inclusive governance systems.
Pluralistic federal democratic republican parliamentary system.
Commitment to sustainable peace, good governance, development, and prosperity.
Guarantee of broader fundamental and human rights.
Commitments through state directives, policies, and responsibilities.

Legal Arrangements

Enforced Disappearance Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act, 2071 BS.
National Human Rights Commission Act, 2068 BS.
Citizen Relief, Compensation, and Economic Assistance Procedure, 2068 BS.

Institutional Arrangements

Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.
Courts.
National Human Rights Commission.
Ministry of Home Affairs and other ministries.
Provincial and local governments.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Commission for Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons.
National and international non-governmental organizations.

Programmatic Arrangements

Post-conflict peace and reconstruction projects.
Relief distribution programs.
Special targeted programs.
Relief and scholarship programs for families of deceased/martyrs.

3.5 Peace and Conflict Sensitive Development