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WASH for Peace Guidance and Tools

Author: Monica Llamazares

Year: 2024

Publisher: UNICEF

Integrating conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding approaches to WASH programming in fragile and conflict-affected contexts

Despite good intentions, WASH interventions in fragile and conflict-affected contexts are at risk of unintentionally worsening conflict or contributing to wider conflict dynamics. The choice of where to drill boreholes, how to share and manage resources among refugee/internally displaced populations and host communities, whether to allow water points to be used for crops and/or livestock, and how to govern water resources, distribution and/or access to WASH services in contexts where exclusion is prevalent, can all be contentious issues that if not managed effectively can escalate into conflict.

WASH interventions have not always and systematically considered how programming decisions can intersect with larger social, political, economic, cultural and environmental factors, and in turn contribute to, or exacerbate, conflict dynamics. Conflict and peace analysis is essential to understand how WASH interventions may worsen tensions and conflict, so that conflict risks can be identified, and relevant conflict sensitive strategies adopted to mitigate the same.

WASH and peacebuilding

As with other social services, WASH can serve as an important peace dividend if it is associated with the cessation of violence and as an additional benefit of a peace process or agreement between divided communities. Establishing more accountable and transparent mechanisms for water governance, which bridge state and non-state stakeholders, can lead to more effective water management and increased trust in the government, thus strengthening the social contract. WASH programming can create incentives for joint action and provide platforms for collaboration that strengthen inter-communal trust.

There are important opportunities for WASH to contribute to build and sustain peace, but many such opportunities are missed. This is due to a number of factors, including a lack of institutional capacity to develop and implement WASH-relevant conflict and peace analysis and effectively leverage findings to support programming.

The Guidance

The document “WASH for Peace – Conflict Sensitivity and Peacebuilding Guidance and Tools for the WASH Sector” is a comprehensive guide developed by UNICEF to support the integration of conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding into Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programming in fragile and conflict-affected contexts (FCCs). It aims to equip UNICEF staff and sector partners with the necessary resources and tools to develop effective WASH interventions that contribute to peacebuilding efforts. The guide emphasizes the importance of understanding the conflict context, minimizing negative impacts, and leveraging WASH programming to address root causes of conflict and promote social cohesion. It includes practical tools and frameworks for conducting age and gender-sensitive conflict and peace analysis, developing results frameworks, and monitoring and evaluation plans. The document also highlights the role of partnerships and capacity development in enhancing the conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding potential of WASH programs. Overall, “WASH for Peace” serves as a modular resource to guide the entire program cycle, from analysis to implementation, with a focus on building peace through equitable and inclusive access to WASH services.

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