Doing Good in a Conflict Zone

Discover the challenges of humanitarian aid in conflict-affected areas

Conflict zones are magnets for organisations that want to help people, and that’s a good thing. But too often well-intentioned organisations can become embroiled in the conflicts and problems that they are trying to help mitigate.

On this three-week course, Dr Aisha Ahmad will guide you through the challenges and risks of embarking on a humanitarian or non-profit project in a country affected by violent conflict. You’ll learn how to mitigate some of the dangers of working in these environments by stress testing your plans first.

Explore how aid can be channelled in conflict zones

If aid is supposed to help people, why would it cause people to get upset? And what happens when aid and conflict mix?

You’ll start this course by looking at non-profit organisations in the larger conflict ecosystem, how they can become politicised, and the dominant critiques of the aid industry.

Investigate the accidental harms caused by the aid industry

Across the second week, you’ll take a ground-level look at the practical challenges of non-profit ventures in conflict zones.

With organisations needing to balance the need for security with the need for neutrality, there can be many missteps that inadvertently cause harm in conflict-affected societies. You’ll investigate these risks, and how humanitarian work can become part of a larger business and conflict ecosystem.

Identify potential points of conflict escalation

To finish this ExpertTrack, you’ll combine all of the tools and skills you’ve developed to stress test a real-life humanitarian aid project from the Mali case study.

Using your alt-lens and red team tools, you’ll devise the most advantageous strategy to effectively prevent an enemy rebel group from attacking, undermining, looting, and exploiting an aid project.

This course is designed for anyone working or volunteering for an organisation engaged in a conflict-affected environment.

It will also be useful if you’re studying a related subject such as political science, public policy, or international business studies.

This course is designed for anyone working or volunteering for an organisation engaged in a conflict-affected environment.

It will also be useful if you’re studying a related subject such as political science, public policy, or international business studies.

• Recognize the potential perils and pitfalls of launching an aid, development, or other non-profit initiative in an active conflict zone.
• Critically assess how an aid or other non-profit project might inadvertently finance or contribute to armed conflict.
• Develop creative problem-solving skills to circumvent problems and risks associated with aid initiatives in conflict zones.
• Practice "stress testing" aid plans before implementation, using a modified version of a tool called a "red team" exercise.