109
Clarity of
communication
styles
Common
understanding
of issues
Shared
expectations
of process and
outcomes
Communities should strive to resolve conflicts
through non-violent means, using alternative
dispute resolution, and outside of the formal
litigation (court) system. Although it is not
impossible to win court cases, they take up
enormous amounts of money, time, and
energy and often do not result in favourable
outcomes for communities. They also tend to
disempower and dispossess communities from
their own advocacy processes. Alternative
means of dispute resolution provide an
opportunity for communities to have more
influence over the process and outcomes.
Consider the guiding questions in Box 47 for a
particular conflict situation that the community
would like to address.
Figure 25: Three main factors that can help prevent
and resolve conflict
What are the agreed-upon ground rules for engagement?
Are you seeking consensus, majority, or something else?
Are you able and willing to resolve the issue amongst yourselves or do you require a third-party
facilitator, mediator, or ombudsperson (see Box 48)?
How familiar are you with the other parties’ communication styles? How do you know when they
are upset, confused, uninterested, willing to further an idea, or otherwise?
How do you normally communicate important and sometimes emotional points to others?
Consider how others may perceive your interventions and reactions and how different forms of
communication might be more effective in different circumstances.
Does everyone understand the issues being considered? If not, how can you support each other to
access more information and understand each other’s perspectives?
What are your personal expectations of the process and outcomes of the engagement?
What are the other parties’ expectations of the process and outcomes?
How will you know when you have reached an agreement?
Box 6: Guiding questions for discussion
Facilitator: Helps set ground rules,
promotes
effective
communication,
encourages creative ideas, and keeps
discussions on track.
Mediator: Neutral third-party, encourages
careful listening and clear communication,
makes no judgments, helps reach a
settlement that is mutually satisfying to all
involved.
Ombudsperson: Has authority to receive
and help resolve complaints.
Box 7: Key terms
Key Resources on Conflict Prevention
Alternative Dispute Resolution Practitioners’
Guide (Centre for Democracy and Governance,
1998)
Conflict Management in Community-based
Natural Resource Projects: Experiences from Fiji
and Papua New Guinea (Overseas Development
Institute, 2000)
Training Manual on Alternative Dispute Resolution
and Restorative Justice (UN Office on Drugs and
Crime, 2007)
Consensus Building Institute