UNIDIR, United Nations

The Challenge    

The implementation of peace-building and security programs in post-conflict environments is directed by international policy and organisational mandates, and typically follows a set of guidelines based on established theories of change. In practice, this means that such programs – while implemented by locally-based staff – are defined by distant policy makers working with standardised approaches.

The absence of a formalised “design” process for adapting general practice guidelines to respond to specific local conditions, cultural contexts and needs can lead to unintended harm and contributes to program failure.

Recognising these issues, The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), was looking to develop an Evidence Based Design (EBD) protocol to support UN field staff in the design and implementation of more locally informed and effective programs.

What We Did  

Building on a preliminary model developed at UNIDIR, we worked closely with UN Development (UNDP) field staff in Nairobi and Somalia to understand the institutional and operational conditions and constraints inherent in implementing peace-building and security programs. We also worked with field staff to map the everyday processes, interactions and challenges involved in (community based) program development, to uncover opportunities for embedding EBD practices appropriately and effectively.

Fieldwork analysis was followed by intensive development of an EBD process prototype and tool-set, which was tested on a live project with the UNDP field team in Somalia. Based on the experience and results of the field test, the prototype was iterated, refined, and re-tested with the team. 

Result

We delivered an EBD protocol prototype that gained strong support from field staff in Somalia influencing their approach to ongoing program development.