Conflict-Partnership Matrix

Objective: To map relationships of conflict and partnership between stakeholders that influence gender and power inequity in any given context.
Materials/Preparation: Idea cards of different shapes (i.e. squares and circles) in small, medium and large sizes. Two sets of idea cards with key stakeholders/institutions listed on each. Flipchart paper, tape, markers. Venn diagram of stakeholders.
Participants: Community members that represent diversity in gender (women and men), various socio-economic groups) as well as two or three relevant experts from other organizations/agencies.

Steps

With the group, the facilitation team lays out a matrix of stakeholders and explains the objective of the activity.

The researchers then begin by presenting a pair of cards, each with a stakeholder group on it, and asking the group if these groups have a conflicting, allied or neutral relationship.

If the group responds that the relationship is negative, present the circles in three sizes, and ask if the conflict is small, medium or large. Likewise, if the group responds that the relationships is positive, present the squares in three sizes and ask if the partnership is small, medium or large. Based on their selection, the research team facilitates further discussion on their reasoning behind each choice.

Once this is done with all combinations of cards, SEAGA suggests a number of questions that may be useful for deepening the understanding behind the group’s responses:

Which stakeholder groups have common interests with respect to the development activities in question?
Are there existing partnerships (or histories of support and collaboration or networking) between some of the stakeholder groups? Around which activities, issues or ideals were these partnerships formed? Are there partnerships linked to gender or other group attributes?
- Probe→ How did these form? What have been strengths or challenges in these partnerships?
Could the existing partnerships be built upon for implementation of specific development activities? Or, could new partnerships be formed?
- Probe→ Why or why not?
Which stakeholder groups have conflicting interests with respect to the development activities in question? Is there a history of conflict between these groups? Are there conflicts linked to gender or other group attributes? How have past conflicts been resolved?
Are there conflicts so deep and long-standing that certain proposed development activities are doomed to fail? What are the implications for women? for other marginalized groups?
Given areas of conflict and partnership, which of the proposed development activities are most likely to succeed?