Pcia Theory in Field Practice: World Vision's Pursuit of Peace Impact and Programming Quality Across Sectors

Abstract

This article provides a critical reflection of World Vision's field practice with Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA) related frameworks drawing from experiences in Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda. It particularly discusses the value-added of PCIA and its contribution to programming quality. The article examines the uptake of PCIA findings to inform design, monitoring and evaluation, highlighting the importance of ‘influencing’ as an approach as well as the ‘integrative power’ of relationship and relationship-building. The article examines important challenges associated with the application of the conventional logical framework. It also discusses promising practices that derive from PCIA, including being informed by complex adaptive systems theories and the importance of community participation and engagement in PCIA processes. It concludes with a discussion of implications for effective PCIA micro- (project) and meso- (programme) level usability. The article suggests that minimum standards for PCIA processes, methodology and content are needed. It makes clear that ‘influencing’ and ‘relationship-building’ are core competencies for PCIA practice. It concludes that effective peacebuilding results are achieved when PCIA is internalised by practitioners as a worldview rather than simply deployed as a tool.

Keywords::

• PCIA
• field practice
• do no harm
• I-PACS
• integrating peacebuilding
• conflict-sensitivity
• World Vision
• Peacebuilding Learning Center

Notes

¹ World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. WV is dedicated to working with the world's most vulnerable people and serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.

² The ADP is WV's programme model for community development. The ADP takes place in a defined geographic area that includes numerous villages or towns, and emphasises sustainable, community-based, sectorally integrated activities focused especially on the needs of children.

³ For instance, Chapter 2 of the Africa Peace Forum Resource Pack (Africa Peace Forum et al. 2004, 12–14) lists 15 conflict analysis tools related to PCIA, the earliest having been developed in 1998 and the latest in 2003. Leonhardt (2000,15–20) presents a matrix with 11 frameworks for PCIA, with the earliest published in 1997 and the latest in 1999. Although Leonhardt includes Bush's PCIA (1998), the above Resource Pack does not. What appears in both is Anderson's DNH.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Valarie Vat Kamatsiko

VALARIE VAT KAMATSIKO is World Vision East Africa's Peacebuilding Advisor and leader of the Peacebuilding Learning Center. She has more than eight years of experience providing technical support to ensure that peacebuilding and conflict-sensitivity are integrated in strategy and programming across sectors. She holds an MA from Bowling Green State University, Ohio.