May 2010: New version of the Humanitarian Negotiations Training Handbook

Conflict Dynamics has developed a new version of its Humanitarian Negotiations Training Reference Handbook to accompany the HNTI workshops. The primary objective of the Humanitarian Negotiation Training Initiative (HNTI) is to enhance humanitarian practitioners’ ability to prepare for- and conduct humanitarian negotiations, when necessary, to achive better humanitarian outcomes. The handbook features four training modules in areas such as humanitarian prinicples, interest based negotiations, communications strategies, multi-party negotiations, and difficult behaviors.

For more information on Conflict Dynamics' Humanitarian Negotiation Training Initiative see our project page.

March 2010: Launch of Integrating Internal Displacement in Peace Processes and Agreements

Conflict Dynamics was commissioned to produce the latest volume of the Peacemaker’s Toolkit series from US Institute of Peace, Integrating Internal Displacement in Peace Processes and Agreements. The new guide was launched on March 5 in Nairobi and is the result of collaboration between the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, USIP, and experts on mediation, peacemaking, and internal displacement. Conflict Dynamics founder Gerard McHugh served as the lead editor.

The 2007 report Addressing Internal Displacement in Peace Processes, Peace Agreements, and Peace-Building of the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, concluded that internal displacement has often been addressed in an ad hoc manner in peace processes and peace agreements. It recommended developing guidance for mediators focusing specifically on incorporating internal displacement in peace initiatives. This guide was developed in response to that recommendation. It gives practical guidance to mediators on how to integrate internal displacement in peace negotiations, how to incorporate issues pertaining to internal displacement into peace agreements, and how to engage the internally displaced persons themselves in the peace process.

For more information on the project, the guide, or for more resources visit the Internal Displacement section of our website.

June 2009: Publication of new Briefing Paper: "National Elections and Political Accommodation in the Sudan."

National elections are currently scheduled to take place in the Sudan during April 2010. Elections are being seen as a major step forward in democratic transformation of the country's political system and institutions. But can elections alone accommodate the oft-competing political interests and perspectives of political parties and their constituencies throughout the Sudan? That is the core question which Conflict Dynamics' new Briefing Paper seeks to explore.

The Briefing Paper was motivated by concerns that if elections and other modalities for political accommodation fail to effectively reconcile the political interests of various parties and constituencies, especially previously-marginalized groups: (a) there will be increased risk of (potentially-violent) disputes following elections; (b) secession will likely become the only attractive political option for the Southern parties in advance of the 2011 referendum; and (c) opposition Movements in Darfur will have less incentive to engage in substantive negotiations with the Government of the Sudan.

The Briefing Paper—the second in Conflict Dynamics' Governance and Peacebulding Series—presents several options for enhancing the prospects of effective political accommodation in the Sudan, in advance of- and following elections.

April 2009: Children and Armed Conflict – Publication of Project Report

In March 2009 Conflict Dynamics concluded a project—funded by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT)—to explore actions the UN Security Council has taken and could take to hold to account persistent violators of children’s human rights and protections in situations of armed conflict.

The findings and observations resulting from this project are presented in a new project report titled, “Strengthening Protection of Children through Accountability.”

The project focused specifically on targeted sanctions as one type of action which the Security Council has taken and could take, and the project report presents options for future Security Council action to enhance accountability.

October 2008: Briefing Paper on Electoral Reform in Sudan and Implications for the Darfur Political Process

Conflict Dynamics releases a new Briefing Paper, titled, "Electoral Reform in Sudan and Prospects for Peace in Darfur."

The paper -- the first in a new series of publications under Conflict Dynamics Peacebuilding in Transition States Program -- highlights several important implications of Sudan's National Election Act (July 2008) for efforts to reach a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Darfur. The paper also presents observations on how to address the consequences of the Act for the Darfur peace process.