Conflict Sensitivity

This training is part of the Full Time Course in Peace and Conflict Work. However, it can also be booked separately or as package with the training on Power, Identity and Privilege and the training on Trauma, Stress Management and Resilience (with a 10% discount on the combined block of the three trainings).

Who can register for this training?

The 4-day course is offered to practitioners of peace and conflict work, humanitarian or development cooperation, or those who intend to work in these fields.

Depending on methods and topic of the training, we limit the number of available spaces to a maximum of 16 participants. Register early to reserve your place!

Content

Peacebuilding and conflict sensitivity are two concepts that are mutually inclusive but not completely the same. A peace initiative could be implemented without due consideration on the project’s unintended impacts on the context or conflict systems. A conflict sensitive approach to Peace Programming not only minimizes the risks of exacerbating tension or creating new one, but also enriches the projects’ contribution to sustaining peace.

This module will provide an overview of conflict sensitivity and why it is paramount for peacebuilding organizations to institutionalize conflict sensitivity in their programs. It will also allow the participants to apply conflict sensitivity using real life case studies from the respective contexts.

Objectives 

• Explore the basic framework, principles and pillars of conflict sensitivity including Do No Harm
• Understand the importance of mainstreaming conflict sensitivity in peace programming
• Identify critical factors for effective mainstreaming/ institutionalizing conflict sensitivity
• Assess own projects and conflict contexts through the lenses of conflict sensitivity
• Developed a plan for follow up and application in their own work context

Key Concepts 

• Understanding Conflict Sensitivity and Peacebuilding: Distinguishing mutual inclusive areas and differences
• Conflict sensitivity pillars and approaches
• Conflict sensitivity in the programming: Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of peace projects
• Critical factors for effective mainstreaming / institutionalizing conflict sensitivity

Methodology

The training will be practical, participatory and experience-based; the insights, existing skills and knowledge of both the facilitator and the participants will form an integral part of the process. It will be grounded in the principles of adult learning. The tools and methodologies used in the workshop will be practiced and applied to conflict contexts and projects the participants suggest and are familiar with (or that are their own contexts). Participants will be encouraged to adapt and change the tools to make them their own. 

After a successful participation, participants receive a certificate and become part of the academy’s alumni network.

Certification Requirements

The course certification requirements serve as a guideline for the participants to critically evaluate their own learning progress and as a point of reflection on the importance of their continued engagement with the group, participation in the course and commitment to the tasks.

The specific requirements are the following:

• Punctuality and regular attendance during the course. Participants are allowed up to 25% of absence, with permission from the Academy, to attend to urgent issues;
• Completion of 90% of the compulsory tasks and deliverables per module; and
• Respect and observance of the agreements about the learning process such as; active participation, treating each other with respect, readiness to work on one’s own skills, willingness to resolve conflicts in a constructive way, and openness to reflect on one’s roles and behaviours, emotions and thoughts.

Exceptions on individual basis and/or alternative tasks as compensation of missed requirements could be granted in agreement with the course team. Gaining new knowledge and perspectives and learning new skills are the core outcomes of the course. However, inability to meet most or all the requirements may lead to the participant not receiving a certificate at the end of the course.

Do you have questions about this training? Our team is happy to assist you. Please do not hesitate to contact me: claudia.osthues@propeace.de

Application

Please register for this training online via our website by 31 December 2026. We will then contact you for the next steps. Please note that the number of available spaces per training is limited, and that your participation in the training is only guaranteed if the fee is paid in time. Early registration is highly encouraged.

Please make sure to clearly express your motivation and expectations for the training. Also, please share your experiences relevant to the topic.

Visa: Participants from outside the EU will need a visa to enter Germany. We can generally support the visa process with a formal invitation letter from our side. Be advised that it takes a significant amount of time to get the visa processed, so be sure to start the process 8 weeks before the training start. Please make sure you are eligible and check the specific requirements and usual timeline for processing with your local German embassy. The responsibility for obtaining the visa lies with each of the participants themselves.