Do no harm and development projects: a practical triple nexus alternative

Abstract

The current scenario of armed conflicts and other situations of violence with similar consequences, as well as the situation caused by the incidence of COVID-19, represent an important challenge for international cooperation. For this reason, it is essential that cooperation organisations and academia promote the use of project management methodologies that are sensitive to conflict situations and internalise the complexity of the realities they seek to change. Therefore, the current dominant logics in project planning, based on the Logical Framework Approach (LFA), the result approach or the theory of change, should evolve towards methodologies that link the human rights dimension and the impact that violence scenarios have on them. Moreover, considering that various actors in humanitarian action and international cooperation are raising the need to incorporate a “nexus” between humanitarian action, development and peacebuilding. Consequently, this relationship is difficult to be set if specific methodologies and practices that integrate them are not articulated.

To this end, this paper briefly reviews the project methodologies commonly used by the most relevant international organisations and offers possible existing conflict-sensitive alternatives. The aim is not only to guarantee the achievement of project objectives and results, but also to ensure that project design reflects its scenario and context, as well as the development it pretends to achieve. Only in this way to link humanitarian action initiatives with development projects and peacebuilding activities in today's complex and changing context will be possible.