H. Internal Reviews: Creating Space for Organizational Reflection (Lesson #2616)
Observation:
The Finnish organization Conflict Management Initiative (CMI) utilizes an Internal Review as part of
its monitoring and evaluation processes in order to create space for organizational reflection. This
review process could be beneficial for any organization involved in conflict intervention because it
cultivates self-awareness of how the organization affects the conflict system, how initiatives can adapt
to shifting contexts, and how personnel can improve management of internal issues.
Discussion:
CMI is “an independent Finnish organization that works to prevent and resolve violent conflicts
through informal dialogue and mediation," (cmi.fi). It was founded in 2000 by former President of
Finland Martti Ahtisaari who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his leading role in conflict
resolution, notably in Namibia, Indonesia, and Kosovo. CMI operates based on the belief that all
conflicts can be resolved, and that achieving sustainable peace necessitates local ownership, creativity,
long-term commitment, and involvement across society, including youth and women. CMI also
affirms that it is crucial for organizations that intervene in conflict to be self-aware of their own identity
so that they see how they affect the conflict system. CMI’s unique niche is to provide impartial, flexible
non-governmental communication channels and technical capabilities to support formal and informal
mediation processes. CMI currently has 15 long-term projects in complex contexts, including South
Sudan and Libya.
CMI seeks five main types of results through its projects: increased trust, communication channels,
capacities, inclusion, and solutions. These results are evaluated through CMI’s Planning, Monitoring
& Evaluation (PME) which seeks to enhance learning, management, and accountability. Violent
conflicts are complex, with a multitude of stakeholders in rapidly-changing contexts. So, organizations
must be sensitive to complexity, utilizing feedback loops to adapt to the context in real-time. Thus,
the goal of CMI’s PME is to provide adaptive management for projects in these shifting contexts.
One such shifting context in which CMI has worked is Moldova. After Moldova gained independence
in the early 1990s from the Soviet Union, an autonomous territorial unit was established to safeguard
the rights of the Gagauz minority; however, a lack of legal guidance has resulted in myriad
disagreements about how to administer the region. In 2015, CMI supported a working group and
parliamentary dialogue to improve relations between Moldova and its autonomous region of Gagauzia,
which has increased the capacity of both parties to reach consensus and solutions, de-escalating
potential conflict. However, ongoing geopolitical tensions can make continued progress difficult. As
such, CMI’s role includes “keeping the channels of communication open, and maintaining the ability
to advance the peace process, once the international conditions for doing so improve” (“CMI Annual
Report 2016,” p. 9). Given the kinds of ongoing tensions and political changes in Moldova and other
contexts where CMI operates, it is important for CMI to be reflective in order to adapt and adjust its
response as the context fluctuates.
Due to this need for adaptation, CMI recently adopted a new management approach known as Internal
Reviews. These are stocktaking and planning exercises designed to shorten the feedback loop during
project implementation in order to improve navigation of complex contexts. These reviews offer
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