CONTENTS

Page

1 CONFLICT .2
Nature of Conflict 3
Functions of Conflict. 4
Conflict Resolution: Terms and Definitions 6
What causes Disputes and Conflict? 7
The Circle of Conflict ..8
The Relationship between Conflict and Human Rights 9
The Relationship between Human Rights and Human Needs 11

2 NEGOTIATION ..14
What is Negotiation? 15
Strategies and Outcomes of a Dispute . 16
Position and Interests 17
Positional Negotiation . 18
Interest-based Negotiation . 21

3 COMMUNICATION ..23
What is Communication? .24
Active Listening . 24
Paraphrasing ..26
Honest Communication 28
Framing and Reframing: Moving beyond Rhetoric and Threats 30

4 MEDIATION ..32
What is Mediation? ...33
Roles played in Conflict Situations 34
Stages of the Mediation Process ...36
Stage 1: Introduction 36
Stage 2: Conflict description ...40
Stage 3: Problem solving 41
Stage 4: Agreement. 49
Cultural Aspects Influencing Conflict Resolution 50
Convening Multi-party Stakeholder Negotiations 51
BIBLIOGRAPHY ...54

CONFLICT
NATURE OF CONFLICT
Conflict is a natural and necessary part of our lives
Whether at home with our families, at work with colleagues or in negotiations between
governments, conflict pervades our relationships. The paradox of conflict is that it is
both
the force that can tear relationships apart and the force that binds them together. This
dual nature of conflict makes it an important concept to study and understand.
Conflict is an inevitable and necessary feature of domestic and international relations.
The challenge facing governments is not the elimination of conflict, but rather, how to
effectively address conflict when it arises. While most government officials in Africa are
not
frequently confronted by large-scale violence or humanitarian crises, they are often
involved in lesser but nevertheless serious conflicts over trade, refugees, borders,
water,
defence, etc. Their government may be party to the conflict or called on to serve as
mediator. In either case, they require particular skills and techniques to tackle the issues
in a constructive fashion. Conflict can be managed negatively through avoidance at one
extreme and the use or threat of force at the other. Alternatively, conflict can be
managed
positively through negotiation, joint problem-solving and consensus-building. These
options help build and sustain constructive bilateral and multi-lateral relations.
Good conflict management is both a science and an art
We have all learned responses to confrontation, threats, anger and unfair treatment.
Some of our learned responses are constructive, but others can escalate conflict and
raise
the level of danger. How we choose to handle a confrontation is largely based upon our
past experience in dealing with conflict and our confidence in addressing it. One can
start
to change destructive responses to conflict by learning to assess the total impact of
negative responses and acquiring confidence in using the tools and techniques of
professional peacemakers.
Constructive conflict management is as much a science as an art. It is based on a
substantial body of theory, skills and techniques developed from decades of experience
in
international peacekeeping, peacemaking and peacebuilding. Acquiring a better
understanding of the conceptual tools and skills professional conflict managers use can
help us gain confidence in addressing conflict in a manner which resolves the issues
and
maintains or even strengthens relationships. While we may not all go on to become
professional peacemakers, these skills and knowledge can help us in any social setting.
These tools can help for example, government officials, address disputes more quickly
and effectively, preventing them from growing into domestic or international crises.