At the heart of conflict sensitivity is the idea that all interventions interact with conflict dynamics and have a range of positive and negative impacts on the nature and trajectory of conflicts. A conflict sensitive approach seeks to minimise risks that assistance inadvertently contributes to conflict dynamics and drivers, and to maximise opportunities (appropriate to an agency’s mandate) to contribute to peace and stability. Responding to this challenge requires:

• Understanding of the conflict dynamics in the operating environment
• Flexibility to design and adapt to changing conflict dynamics
• Continual monitoring of the relationship and interaction between aid interventions and conflict dynamics 

The protracted nature of the conflict in Yemen means aid agencies are taking on ever greater roles, in many cases delivering public services beyond life-saving assistance and significantly supporting economic and social institutions, and are thus in a position to feed into overall stability in Yemen through enhanced aid effectiveness and conflict sensitive approaches.

The Yemen Conflict Sensitivity Platform is a one-stop shop for supporting conflict sensitivity in Yemen, providing ongoing assistance to agencies delivering aid and operating as a forum for shared learning and planning. The Platform is a critical resource for enhanced aid effectiveness and aims to promote and build expertise in conflict sensitive approaches in Yemen.