Speakers Corner #21: Protecting Livelihoods in Conflict and Fragile States took place on January 22-24, 2008 and was hosted on the USAID Poverty Frontiers Website, www.povertyfrontiers.org. The discussion was facilitated by Laura Hammond, Lecturer in Development Studies at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.
In complex humanitarian emergencies, the need to provide live-saving support often masks another essential need: to protect or restore livelihoods. This online discussion forum looked at the reasons for and role of a livelihoods approach in conflict and fragile states and address approaches to providing this support in a context of conflict or fragility.
The discussion focussed on the following three topics:
- Day 1: Why is a livelihoods approach essential to working in conflict and fragile state contexts? What is meant by a “livelihoods approach" and how can or should it work? How can conflict and insecurity threaten livelihoods? And how do people’s responses to conflict and fragility relate to livelihoods, and what does that mean for livelihood support?
- Day 2: When and for whom might microfinance be appropriate in the midst and immediate aftermath of conflict or in contexts of fragility? Microfinance may not be appropriate in some situations -- for example if local markets have collapsed or if people do not have realistic options for repayment -- or for some people. We'll discuss when it is and when it isn't appropriate.
- Day 3: What other forms of livelihood support might be useful? Should a suite of livelihood support options (for example grants for the poorer, micro-finance for others) be provided? What options would they be and how could it work? This, and other topics of interest to the participants will be discussed on the final day.
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