Conflict Sensitivity in Conservation: Principles and Practice

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About the course

Conservation cannot occur in isolation – it often takes place in complex socio-political contexts where tensions can arise. From exploitation of natural resources to climate change, these issues hold the potential to spark or escalate conflict.

This hands-on, tutorial-driven course will provide you with the knowledge and tools to apply conflict-sensitive approaches in conservation work. You will explore how conservation can not only prevent tensions from escalating but also actively support social cohesion, peacebuilding and sustainable outcomes for both people and nature.

Who should take this course?

This course is designed for a diverse audience:

Staff from international, national and sub-national civil society organisations who work on the conservation of nature and biodiversity.
Conservation and wildlife management authorities at national or local levels.
Individuals passionate about tackling pressing environmental challenges while promoting peace and resilience.

Whether you are just beginning your conservation journey or are an experienced practitioner, this course equips you to apply conflict sensitivity in projects and organisationally.

Course details

🕒 Start date: Anytime

🕒 Duration: 8 to 10 hours

📖 Course type: Self-paced

📖 Course includes: 4 core modules, action plan and a final assessment

🗨️ Languages: English

Award: Certificate of Completion

Fees: FREE

What will you learn?

Understand what conflict sensitivity means and why it is critical in biodiversity conservation.
Explore the connections between conflict sensitivity and important themes like human rights, gender and inclusive conservation.
Integrate conflict sensitivity at every stage of a project cycle from planning to monitoring, evaluation and learning.
Discover how conservation initiatives can contribute to social cohesion and peacebuilding.
Examine examples and case studies of conflict-sensitive conservation in action.

For a successful completion, participants must:

Pass the knowledge checks and the final assessment.

Acknowledgements

Lead authors

This course was written and developed by Hesta Groenewald (PeaceNexus Foundation) and Dr. Julia Gorricho (Independent Adviser). Thanks to AJ Morgen (Independent Consultant) for specific support on case study examples and to Héloïse Heyer (PeaceNexus Foundation) for important inputs and oversight.