Paper short abstract:

Over the last 20 years, international policies and guidelines have been developed and widely adopted to ensure and promote conflict sensitive and gender-sensitive policies and programmes in fragile and conflict affected states (FCAS). The problem is that these methodologies and good practice guidelines are often not used adequately in practice in country programmes in actual FCAS contexts, even by well-intentioned aid agencies and NGOs. This paper reports on the findings of a recent collaboration by Oxfam GB, Saferworld and Bradford University to examining their practical experience in working in FCAS countries to identify key methodological and institutional weaknesses and contextual challenges and opportunities to overcome them.

Paper long abstract:

Over the last 20 years, international policies and guidelines have been developed and widely adopted to ensure and promote conflict sensitive and gender-sensitive policies and programmes in fragile and conflict affected states (FCAS). There is now relatively wide experience with applying such guidelines, and increased awareness of the importance of inter-relationships between uses of conflict and gender analyses. The problem is that these methodologies and good practice guidelines are often not used adequately in practice in actual FCAS contexts, even by well-intentioned aid agencies and NGOs. This paper reports on the findings of a recent collaboration by Oxfam GB, Saferworld and Bradford University (Dept of Peace Studies and International Development) to identify key methodological and institutional weaknesses and contextual challenges experienced when aiming to ensure use of conflict analyses and gender analyses in country programmes, and also in identifying opportunities to overcome them. The paper (and project) draws extensively from the practical experience of Oxfam GB, Saferworld and University of Bradford in specific FCAS country contexts. Issues concerning inter-relationships between gender and conflict analyses, and the extent to which understandings of fragility helpfully add to effectiveness.