Education Programs
Tools for Conflict Sensitive Development
Even well-intentioned development initiatives can unintentionally fuel tension or exacerbate conflict, particularly in contexts with fragile governance, social divisions, or weak security structures.
This course equips participants with knowledge and practical tools needed to ensure their interventions contribute to peace rather than conflict ‑intentioned development initiatives that can unintentionally fuel tension or exacerbate conflict, particularly in contexts with fragile governance, social divisions, or weak security structures.
The course introduces practical approaches to conflict analysis, peace and conflict stakeholder mapping, and impact assessment. Participants will learn how to identify risks, strengthen positive outcomes, and adapt programs in complex and evolving environments.
The course is grounded in two foundational frameworks – Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA) and Do No Harm (DNH) – and emphasizes real world application. By the end of the course, participants will be able to design, implement, and adapt development initiatives that are conflict sensitive, ethically responsible, and contextually informed ‑world application.
October 19 to December 11, 2026
Registration closes October 12, 2026
Facilitator:
Digafie Debalke
DURATION:
Live sessions will take place Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 am AST
Click here for your local time.
Course Type:
Online
Who can register
Designed for development practitioners, humanitarian workers, and peacebuilding, this program offers essential tools for Conflict-Sensitive Development. We invite motivated professionals committed to actively participating and transferring new knowledge into actionable community initiatives. Our Conflict-Sensitive Development course gives you practical tools to build peace, resolve community tension, and drive actionable change. Connect with global peers and bring real solutions back to your organization.
Key Benefits
- Acquire practical tools to design and implement peacebuilding initiatives.
- Exchange diverse, real-world insights with cohort of practitioners.
- Translate course concepts and tools into tangible community development initiatives.
- A strong command of spoken and written English is required to foster rich, collaborative learning.
Personal Benefits
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain Core Concepts: Clearly define conflict sensitivity and the “Do No Harm” approach and articulate their ethical and practical importance in development and humanitarian work.
- Analyze Conflict Contexts: Apply conflict analysis frameworks to identify key actors, drivers, dynamics, dividers, and connectors within specific contexts.
- Assess Development Impacts: Evaluate how development initiatives may unintentionally contribute to conflict or, conversely, support peace and social cohesion.
- Use Practical Analytical Tools: Conduct stakeholder mapping, risk assessments, and resource transfer analysis to better understand the interaction between programs and conflict dynamics.
- Design and Adapt Conflict Sensitive Programs: Integrate conflict sensitivity into project design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, and develop adaptive strategies for responding to changing conditions.
Time requirement
This is an 8-week course. Participants are expected to spend minimum of 8 hours a week reading, preparing, attending online classes, and completing assignments. A quiet environment with no background noise is suggested. While they are not mandatory, you are strongly encouraged to attend the live sessions. All instructional materials will be in English.
Fees
Coady Institute is committed to ensuring that practitioners and community members dedicated to community-led development worldwide have access to its courses. Thanks to the generous support of individual, institutional, and corporate donors, the tuition fee of $1,500 CAD has been reduced to $400 CAD plus HST.
Full bursaries are available for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit community members residing in Canada, as well as individuals residing in Nova Scotia from African Nova Scotian communities and Nova Scotians of African descent. To request a full bursary, please contact us at coadyadmit@stfx.ca.
If paying by credit card is not an option, please contact coadyfinance@stfx.ca to arrange an alternative payment method.
This course is online. You will need a computer, reliable internet access (high speed is recommended), speakers and microphone.