Facilitating Local Initiatives for Conflict Transformation (FLICT) aims to strengthen the capacity of Sri Lankan civil society to contribute towards conflict transformation, particularly at the local level. This initiative is jointly supported by the Department for International Development (DFID/UK), the Danish Development Cooperation (DANIDA/DK) the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ/FRG) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID/AUS). GTZ (German Technical Cooperation) is responsible for the implementation on behalf of the three donors.

The overall goal is to strengthen - on a countrywide approach - initiatives for conflict transformation in Sri Lanka, by supporting civil society to play a more effective and influential role in contributing towards a lasting and positive peace. FLICT expects to achieve this by supporting local initiatives in the implementation of projects and by providing services to reflect on their work and develop their organisational capacities further. 

The FLICT Project concentrates its efforts on three different focus areas:

• Transforming cultural identities towards an inclusive society
• Inter-ethnic and inter-religious linkages for conflict transformation
• Civic participation in democratic and plural forms of governance  
  

FLICT aims to strengthen the work of partner organisations and intermediaries in conflict analysis and project conceptualisation as well as proposal formulation, implementation and monitoring. Further it addresses the internal organisational development needs of partners whilst linking the ethno-political dimension of conflict transformation with organisational conflict resolution.

This is why FLICT decided to develop a devolved pool of consultants that will act as a source of 'on call' local assistance to FLICT partner organisations and intermediaries as well as a source of expertise to other programmes and projects operating in the locality.

It has been recognised that partner organizations need to strengthen their capacities in the following areas:

• Conceptualising conflict transformation (e.g. relation of conflict and culture & identity; plural and democratic governance; inter-ethnic exchange);
• Project cycle management (including processes on planning, monitoring and evaluation as well as peace and conflict impact assessments);
• Organisational development and human resource management;
• Financial management and reporting.

The IICP is part of the FLICT consortium of training providers that has been established in order to build up the FLICT consultants’ pool. The IICP is the lead agency for the development of the modules on conflict transformation.