This handbook is aimed at improving the understanding and skills for conflict-sensitive programming. It assists participants to prepare and conduct Peace and Conflict Impact Assessments, as well as to identify and design conflict sensitive options and programs.

Sustainable development cannot be achieved without being sensitive to the tensions that divide communities. Efforts should be made to ‘mainstream’ conflict-sensitive skills throughout development programs, particularly in fragile states. The aim of the handbook is to facilitate the design of conflict-sensitive approaches to potentially fragile communities.

The handbook is intended for development practitioners, but also applies to non-development actors (i.e. diplomatic, political, security, trade, finance) to identify possible areas for action. It is divided into three parts and takes 9 steps to complete the Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment Framework.

The three parts are:

• Part 1: Profile Tools to help users understand how the communities work and give a understanding of the context under which the users do there assessment.
• Part 2: Impact Tools give an assessment of the possible impacts of engagement in order to help users consider the causes and effects that may lead to unintended negative impacts, and identify unforeseen opportunities
• Part 3: Decision tools to consolidate the unintended impacts of a project, and to identify how the project can address the harm or pursue a new opportunity to benefit people.

The Handbook serves as a stand-alone version of material that has been assembled from many sources including multiple applications in the field.

The Eight Step Approach is a comprehensive HRIA framework that provides a cyclic approach to policy development and project management. This toolset covers the following steps: