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Introduction | Conflict
and poverty | Conflict reduction
strategies | Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP) | The humanitarian response
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Emergency Committee (DEC) | Useful links
Conflict reduction and humanitarian assistance
 Issues regarding conflict and humanitarian affairs, including emergencies and disasters, are handled by DFID's Conflict,
Humanitarian and Security Department (CHASE).
To achieve the Millennium Development Goals we recognise the need to address the principal challenges to progress in development. A major obstacle is persistent or recurrent humanitarian emergencies, resulting from violent conflict as well as natural disasters. Many of the latter stem from environmental or climate change. All these crises can destroy development advances built up over decades, and set back the prospects of further development for years to come. It is the poor that suffer most because not only are they more exposed to hazards, but they are also less able to cope in the event of a disaster.
CHASE's role is to develop and maintain an overview of policy and provide advice and support on the following:
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Conflict prevention and resolution;
- Refugee and other forced migration issues;
- Human rights in conflict situations;
- Emergency response preparedness and contingency planning arrangements;
- Disaster and vulnerability initiatives;
- Use of military assets for humanitarian work;
- International systems and organisations including (UNHCR, ICRC, IFRCs, IOM, OHCHR and relevant Secretariat Departments (OCHA, DPKO, DPA).
Also, to
-
Provide advice on policies and performance on the conflict and humanitarian work of other UN system agencies,
for example World Food Programme (WFP), United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF), UNESCO, World Health Organisation (WHO), International Labour Organisation
(ILO);
- Maintain links and liaise with other bodies (other government departments, humanitarian and conflict departments of other governments, NGOs, academic
groups);
- Provide back-up to DFID's regional departments on humanitarian response
operations;
- Directly manage humanitarian programmes where responsibility for these falls directly to
CHASE.
Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department (CHASE)
1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE, United Kingdom
Enquiries: +44 (0) 20 7023 0369
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7023 0502
Email: chase@dfid.gov.uk
Head of Department: Michael Mosselmans
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 Violent conflict disrupts lives and livelihoods, destroys societies and economies, and reduces people’s access to basic services. It often leads to large-scale population displacement and abuse of human rights, and can leave a legacy of bitter social and ethnic division which can last for generations.
Most wars now take place in the poorest countries - and within states rather than between them. Most of their victims are poor people, and most of those killed, hurt, and disabled are civilians. A reduction in the incidence, duration and destructiveness of armed conflict is therefore an essential precondition for the achievement of the targets of sustainable international development.
The risks of conflict are higher when people live in poverty - where they are marginalised economically, lack access to basic services, and have no means to provide adequately for their families - or where the gap between rich and poor is growing. The risks are also high where people feel they have no political voice or where human rights are denied or violated. In many poor countries, undisciplined security forces operating outside the control of the legitimate authorities are themselves responsible for violence. Access to small arms makes it more likely that groups will pursue differences or perceived injustices through violent means.
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Conflict presents many complex challenges. Clearly we have a responsibility to do what we can to help the victims of war. We cannot stand aside and allow people to starve or be subjected to abuse. At the same time, it is essential that the humanitarian response takes into consideration the wider context. In some circumstances intervention may not help resolve the problem or may even prolong conflict. When considering its humanitarian response, DFID’s policy is to look at the conditions that have brought about the conflict, and assess what can be done to reduce violence and build lasting peace.
The purpose of DFID conflict reduction policy is to build the political and social means to enable the equitable representation of different interest groups, promotion of all human rights, and resolution of disputes and grievances without recourse to violence.
We have started the process of integrating conflict reduction objectives into our country, regional, and global programmes, so that they promote the right environment for fostering peace. This includes economic growth to benefit all sections of society, and ethical trade and investment conditions which are fair to all countries. Good governance, human rights, accessible justice and personal security are all essential, as is the reversal of gender inequalities. In this way some of the underlying causes of conflict - social inequality and poverty - are tackled. We are starting to conduct conflict appraisals when preparing our country assistance programmes. These include analysis of population groups that are affected and the causes, triggers, intensity and trends of open or latent conflicts, as well as identifying the interventions that are most feasible or likely to make a difference.
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DFID seeks to help to defuse tensions and build sustainable peace through promoting the targeted conflict reduction strategies listed below.
We aim to support the promotion of social cohesiveness and inclusion through:
- building local and national capacity to settle disputes and prevent conflict, for example, through good governance
programmes;
- promoting dialogue and co-operation through mediation and negotiation involving civil
society;
- encouraging protection of the rights of minority groups;
- expanding the use of the media to provide objective information, counter destructive propaganda, and influence attitudes and behaviour of people affected by
conflict;
- encouraging international business to behave responsibly in conflict situations.
We aim to support the improvement of the international mechanisms for settling disputes and preventing conflict through:
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promoting further improvements and strengthening the capabilities of the United
Nations;
- encouraging a stronger peacebuilding role for the Commonwealth and regional
organisations;
- encouraging rich and poor countries to work together to build mutual confidence, secure joint participation in conflict resolution and peacebuilding, and co-operate in peacekeeping and peace-support
operations;
- promoting more co-ordinated conflict prevention policies in the European Union, including integrating conflict prevention approaches into the re-negotiated Lome Convention, which links the EU with 70 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.
We aim to assist in limitation of the means of waging war through:
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helping to reduce excessive or inappropriate military expenditure in poor countries, in association with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Financial
Institutions;
- promoting international co-operation to curb illicit trafficking in small
arms;
- assisting poor countries to reduce the proliferation of small arms;
- encouraging responsible behaviour by suppliers of arms;
- eliminating the threat from landmines. The UK has ratified the Ottawa Convention on Anti-personnel Landmines. DFID assistance for humanitarian mine action promotes the universal adoption of the Ottawa Convention; supports developing countries to clear mines; improves the capabilities of international organisations working in this area; and helps develop better and safer mine clearance technologies.
We aim to support security sector reform through:
- assisting poor countries to make objective assessments of security risks and devise appropriate and affordable armed forces;
- making the security sector more accountable to civilian democratic authorities, and promoting greater transparency of security sector expenditure;
- training security forces for their proper role in a democratic society including respecting human rights and humanitarian law.
We aim to promote the protection of human rights in conflict situations through:
- encouraging adherence with International Humanitarian Law, in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross;
- protecting and promoting human rights through civil society groups and strengthening the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights;
- promoting measures against the use of children as combatants, and providing stronger protection for children affected by armed conflict;
- encouraging compliance with the international framework of laws for the protection of refugees and other conflict-affected groups, and seeking lasting solutions for them, in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees;
- encouraging an effective start to the International Criminal Court and ensuring that those guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity are brought to timely justice.
We aim to support post-conflict peacebuilding through:
- providing timely and adequate support for implementing peace agreements;
- encouraging multilateral institutions to respond more quickly and flexibly to sustain peace processes;
- supporting the disarmament and demobilisation of ex-combatants, and re-integrating them into society.
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Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP)
The GCPP is a programme to improve the effectiveness of the UK's
interventions in conflict prevention, conflict management and peacebuilding. It
is managed jointly by FCO, MOD and DFID.
For more information see:
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When faced with a humanitarian crisis we have a responsibility to help reduce human suffering where we can. DFID has a strong capability to enable the speedy and effective provision of humanitarian relief. We work closely with humanitarian organisations to agree 'ground rules' for humanitarian action, so that assistance is based on a proper assessment of needs, and delivery is supervised to prevent the diversion of goods away from those who need them most.
The purpose of DFID humanitarian assistance policy is to:
- save lives and relieve suffering;
- hasten recovery, and protect and rebuild livelihoods and communities;
- reduce risks and vulnerability to future crises.
Experience suggests that following a disaster, most lives are saved by immediate local effort. We are giving priority to building up the disaster response capacity of communities and institutions in disaster-prone poor countries. We also look first to agencies that are well-established in the country and have the local knowledge and expertise to deliver assistance most effectively in accordance with our priorities.
We also give long-term support to strengthening international networks - such as those of the UN and Red Cross - which are present in nearly all countries. This enables the more timely mobilisation of resources and better co-ordination.
Humanitarian intervention can pose difficult ethical or moral dilemmas as crises often occur in sensitive or complex political contexts. There may be no single or easy approach. Difficult judgements have to be made in deciding how best to help people affected, and in weighing up the costs and benefits of intervention. In conflict situations, ill-considered humanitarian inputs may perpetuate crises through inadvertently supporting warring groups, fuelling war economies, or discouraging self-reliance and the pursuit of solutions for underlying problems.
Where disasters and conflicts occur frequently or result in prolonged crises, DFID is increasingly seeking to integrate disaster preparedness and mitigation measures - into its longer-term development programmes. This includes analysing common hazards and their impact on poor people, and assessing the effect of recurrent crises on achieving the targets of sustainable international development.
While each humanitarian crisis needs to be approached on a case by case basis, it is important that all humanitarian action is informed by a consistent, principled approach. In April 1998, during the UK’s Presidency of the European Union, Clare Short set out the Government’s new approach to humanitarianism in a key speech in London.
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- "We will seek always to uphold international humanitarian law and human rights laws and conventions.
- "We will seek to promote a more universal approach in addressing humanitarian needs. People in need - wherever they are - should have equal status and rights to assistance.
- "We will seek to work with others whose efforts are also aimed at tackling the underlying causes of a crisis and building peace and stability.
- "We will seek to work with other committed members of the international community and, in particular, seek partnership across the North/South divide to secure better international systems and mechanisms for timely joint humanitarian action.
- "We will agree ‘ground rules’ that prevent diversion of humanitarian goods and collusion with unconstitutional armed groups.
- "We will be impartial - our help will seek to relieve civilians’ suffering without discrimination on political or other grounds, with priority given to the most urgent cases of distress.
- "We will seek the best possible assessment of needs, and a clear framework of standards and accountability for those who work to deliver DFID’s assistance.
- "We will encourage the participation of people and communities affected by crises to help them find long-lasting solutions which respect their rights and dignity.
- "We will, where possible, seek to rebuild livelihoods and communities, and build capacity so that communities will be less vulnerable to future crises.
- "We recognise that humanitarian intervention in conflict situations often poses genuine moral dilemmas. We will base our decisions on explicit analyses of the choices open to us and the ethical considerations involved, and communicate our conclusions openly to our partners."
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DFID’s strategies for seeking to implement these principles for humanitarian assistance are listed below.
We aim to assist disaster-prone countries to better manage natural, environmental and industrial risks through:
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encouraging countries to include risk reduction, disaster management and mitigation in their development planning processes;
- supporting community initiatives to reduce their vulnerability to major risks;
- helping strengthen the ability of countries to carry out landmine clearance in badly affected poor areas;
- encouraging relevant international organisations such as UNDP and the World Bank to include risk reduction, disaster management and mitigation in their strategies.
We aim to help in improving the quality of humanitarian response and promoting speedy recovery through:
- improving the assessment of needs;
- encouraging humanitarian agencies to take fuller account of developmental considerations, especially in the case of natural disasters. This includes reducing vulnerability, developing local and national capacities and promoting fuller participation and self reliance, taking account of the views of directly affected communities and helping them to cope better with adversity;
- supporting rehabilitation and recovery. This includes involving the International Financial Institutions at an early stage in reducing the wider economic impact of disasters, for example, through addressing the question of debt where this is relevant.
We aim to encourage the strengthening of international systems for dealing with humanitarian crises through:
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promoting better understanding of the social, economic and environmental factors that affect countries’ vulnerability to
disasters;
- working with international humanitarian organisations to improve their capacity to respond effectively and
accountably;
- seeking the broadest possible agreement on common standards for technical performance, reporting and co-ordination, for example through supporting voluntary NGO initiatives in this
area;
- promoting better co-ordination and more effective humanitarian assistance within the European Union, including the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO).
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Violence against humanitarian workers has grown at an alarming rate. For example, in 1998, the number of civilian UN workers killed exceeded UN military casualties for the first time. DFID is concerned about the safety and well-being of expatriate and local staff employed by agencies, particularly those we fund. We support our international partners in joint efforts to improve the security of their programmes and safety of their staff through sharing available information on particular threats, training, and co-operation over practical security arrangements in the field.
In some cases we may have to advise NGOs to withdraw their international staff or suspend operations. There may be more extreme circumstances when DFID may have to cease funding completely. These include situations where there are serious security risks or concern that any harm to staff could lead to wider negative implications; or if it is proving impossible to keep to humanitarian principles and deliver help effectively to those who need it. We seek to discuss the reasoning behind such decisions as fully as possible with the agencies concerned. But when there are complex security considerations, it is not always possible to publicly share all the information that may be available to us.
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Security Sector Reform (SSR) strategy publications
The Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP) Security Sector Reform (SSR)
strategy based in CHASE has recently commissioned two intelligence publications:
These publications were written to form a basis for discussion and to provide
an opportunity to learn from the successes and failures of national security
architectures and agencies in various countries. The reports will be of interest
to policy makers in countries seeking to reform their security sectors and to
practitioners in the international aid community supporting security sector
reform.
If you would like a hard copy of either report please contact Mary Hockney on
tel: +44 (0)20 7023 1686.
Other publications
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The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) is an umbrella organisation which launches and co-ordinates the UK’s National Appeal in response to major disasters overseas.
Last updated: 31 July 2007
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