Nepal-Based Aid Organizations and Their Conflict-Sensitivity Commitments

Abstract

Background: The words ‘conflict sensitivity’ recognize foreign aid as an element having capacity to contribute
to peace and conflict based on implementation approaches of aid-driven projects. Aid recipient countries in the
world host several international organizations - bilateral and multilaterals, international NGOs and private sector
companies that are supposed to support humanitarian, development and peacebuilding interventions.
Area Covered:This paper examines the conflict-sensitivity commitments of such aid-related international organizations who provide foreign aid, or implement internationally funded activities in Nepal. International
organizations discussed in this paper are chosen from Gorkha district considering the facts of conflict-affected situation of the district and concentration of international organizations there after the 2015’s mega-earthquake in
Nepal. Thus conflict-sensitivity commitments of the organizations covered by this research are reviewed through
publicly available reports and policy documents, and were validated with key informant interviews considering
employees and beneficiary communities’ representatives. Descriptive analysis approach was followed for qualitative data analysis.
Expert Opinion: The findings revealed that most of the international organizations have embraced conflictsensitivity principles, approaches and tools in their policies. In Nepal, particularly in the context of Gorkha,
common ’Basic Operating Guidelines-BOGs’ of international organizations and agency specific approaches are
widely evident. But, commitment levels are entirely distinct from agency to agency. It applies equally among
the bilateral donors, multilateral organizations and implementing NGOs. Most of private sector companies lack
this commitment even though their presence in Nepal is increasing. Funding agencies require critical attention
on how their implementing partners, especially the private sector, are fulfilling conflict-sensitivity standards in
their policies.