Strategy & programme design

I have a long track record of providing programme support, research, advice and policy recommendations to support better responses to conflict to actors such as the UK, Sweden, other governments, the UN, the EU, foundations and the UN. In contexts such as South Sudan, Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea and the Western Balkans I have used conflict analysis to support the development of peace and violence reduction strategies. I have supported the development of theories of change, strategies and programmes at multiple levels, from community-level peace, security and reintegration planning, to national and regional level peace and conflict-sensitive development strategies and portfolio design, to annual and strategic plans for both organisations and networks, all the way up to global level policy goals, frameworks and indicators.

Expertise and experience:

  • Member of the UK Government’s Civilian Stabilisation Group roster as a Conflict Prevention expert

  • Practice guide: ‘Towards principled peacemaking: a playbook for security actors,’ Principles for Peace Foundation (forthcoming)

  • Provided strategic and operational advice to the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency in response to requests to the Saferworld, Bradford University and Stockholm Policy Group helpdesks on peace, human rights, rule of law and conflict sensitivity, including authoring a number of written reports from 2010 onwards

  • Report with Astrit Istrefi: ‘Regional conflict analysis of the Western Balkans,’ (Saferworld helpdesk task for Sida, December 2021)

  • Led Saferworld’s 2013, 2016 & 2020 External Environment Reviews and helped shape its 2014-17,2017-21 and 2021-25 Strategic plans and policy/advocacy strategies

  • Provided advice and helped develop Saferworld’s regional & country peacebuilding programme in the Balkans, Bangladesh, Egypt, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda and Yemen.

  • Report: ‘Conflict analysis to inform MENA strategy,’ (Saferworld helpdesk task for Sida, Jan 2019)

  • Practice guide with Will Bennett, Rob Parker et al.: ‘Community Security Handbook,’ (Saferworld, 2014)

  • Developed the feasibility study for a UK-funded conflict and governance mapping system for donors and aid agencies working in Somalia

  • Report with Ivan Campbell & Hashitha Abeywardana: ‘Conflict-Sensitivity Assessment of EU programmes in Sri Lanka: Best practices and recommendations for project partners,’ (Saferworld/EU, October 2010)

  • Led the development of Saferworld’s South Asia regional programme focusing on Sri Lanka and Nepal projects on small arms control, rule of law, community security and conflict-sensitive approaches to relief and development from 2008-2010

  • Supported country level efforts to research and consult on small arms and armed violence and develop national response strategies, and developed international small arms survey standards drawing on this

  • Report with Government of Sri Lanka National Commission Against the Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms, ‘Survey Report on the prevalence of illicit small arms in Sri Lanka,’ (Colombo, Saferworld/NCAPISA, 2008)

  • Co-ordinated primary research and writing a Socio-Economic Profiling and Opportunity Mapping to plan reintegration of ex-combatants in North and South Sudan (for Transition International and UNDDR/UNDP), and trained Sudan’s DDR Commissions in reintegration planning

  • National strategy with Independent State of Papua New Guinea: ‘National Gun Control Strategy,’ (Prime Minister and Minister for Internal Security’s policy submission adopted by National Executive Council), July 2005