Conflict Sensitivity Analysis & Implementation Strategy - Year 3 Workplan

The program aims to support sustainable capacity for delivery of basic services, particularly in the areas of health, education, and economic growth. USAID IGA works with government and civil society at national, provincial, and local levels to reorient misaligned incentives and build greater demand for services while strengthening capacity. The program has initially engaged in the provinces of Haut Katanga, Kasai Centrale, Kasai Orientale, Lualaba, and South Kivu, as well as the Walikali territory in Nord Kivu and the Masina commune in Kinshasa. Given the complex and dynamic political and social context in the DRC, DAI recognizes the importance of employing a conflict-sensitive approach to mitigate the unintended impacts of development and humanitarian activities on local conflicts. USAID IGA's guiding principles for implementing a conflict-sensitive program include training all staff on conflict sensitivity awareness, mainstreaming conflict sensitivity throughout the programming life cycle, designing interventions that consider local sensitivities, and ensuring a Do No Harm approach. The program aims to maximize positive and mitigate against negative conflict-related outcomes, and will adjust or cancel activities found to be doing harm. The conflict-sensitive approach outlined in this deliverable is intended to ensure staff awareness of conflict-sensitive programming, mainstream conflict sensitivity throughout beneficiary selection and programming life cycle, design interventions that consider local sensitivities, and ensure a Do No Harm approach. The program will collect conflict-related data on a regular basis and not just as issues arise, and will provide a safe and supportive space for staff to share concerns about the impacts of programming. USAID IGA has identified several key conflict-related issues in the DRC, including the current conflict situation in Kinshasa, Kasais, Katanga, and Kivus. The program will work to address these issues through a range of interventions, including support for decentralization and conflict mitigation, and will engage with local stakeholders to ensure that programming is responsive to local needs and sensitivities. The program's conflict sensitivity toolkit and approach will be used to guide programming decisions and ensure that activities are designed to minimize the risk of conflict-related harm. The toolkit includes a conflict assessment framework, which will be used to identify potential conflict-related risks and opportunities, and a set of key questions that will be used to guide programming decisions. Overall, USAID IGA's conflict-sensitive approach aims to ensure that programming is responsive to local needs and sensitivities, and that activities are designed to minimize the risk of conflict-related harm. The program will work to build the capacity of local stakeholders to manage conflict and promote peace, and will engage with local communities to ensure that programming is responsive to their needs and concerns. The program's conflict sensitivity achievements in Year 1 include the development of a conflict sensitivity toolkit and approach, the training of staff on conflict sensitivity awareness, and the mainstreaming of conflict sensitivity throughout the programming life cycle. The program will continue to build on these achievements in Year 2 and beyond, and will work to ensure that programming is responsive to local needs and sensitivities. In the context of the DRC, conflict sensitivity is critical to ensuring that development and humanitarian activities do not exacerbate existing community tensions or create new strains through the introduction of new resources or access. The program's conflict-sensitive approach aims to mitigate these risks and promote peace and stability in the region.