High conflict areas
Working responsibly where the stakes are highest
Some of my most meaningful work has taken place in regions marked by armed conflict, informal economies and fragile institutions. I help companies, governments and development partners understand these places, protect the people who live there and make decisions that still hold up years later.
My work in the post conflict mining regions of Colombia, from fieldwork with artisanal miners to consultation with government and industry, shapes how I approach projects in Latin America, Africa and Asia and the Pacific.
Reading the terrain
Before money or reputation is committed, I map who holds power, where the tensions lie and what communities expect.
- Political economy and conflict mapping
- Human rights risk screening
- Community perception studies and focus groups
- Social baselines in post conflict regions
- Security arrangements and their impact on communities
Due diligence for investors and lenders
Independent reviews that give boards, investors and lenders a clear view of the social and human rights exposure they are taking on.
- Enhanced human rights due diligence
- OECD Due Diligence Guidance for conflict affected and high risk areas
- UN Guiding Principles and IFC Performance Standards
- Confidential reviews before mergers and acquisitions
- Practical action plans to close the gaps found
Livelihoods, trust and peacebuilding
Community investment that creates livelihoods and trust, so that peace brings real development dividends.
- Sustainable livelihoods in mining regions
- Women’s economic participation and leadership
- Engagement with Indigenous and artisanal mining communities
- Grievance mechanisms communities can trust
- Master classes and training for project teams
Lasting legacies
Planning the whole life of a project, from first contact with communities to closure, so that what stays behind is positive.
- Life of mine planning with communities
- Crisis and incident response planning
- Mine closure and transition planning
- Handover to local institutions and governments
Selected work
Muzo, Boyacá, Colombia: emerald mining communitiesUnder the Centre of Excellence in Mining, funded by COALAR, I worked with mining communities in Muzo, Boyacá, a region long affected by violence linked to the growth of informal mining and the lack of livelihood opportunities. The work took place as Colombia was moving from conflict to post conflict. We delivered recommendations to Minería Texas Colombia, the emerald company operating there at the time, to build more sustainable development pathways for the local community.
Catoca, Angola: Indigenous communities and diamond miningIn post conflict Angola, I worked with Indigenous communities affected by diamond mining at Catoca, together with the Ministry of Geology and Mines and UNDP. The results included a 2030 Roadmap for Sustainable Resource Development, aligned with the Africa Mining Vision, and better opportunities for Indigenous communities in the affected areas.
Hatch: confidential due diligenceConfidential due diligence for mergers and acquisitions of large gas and mining projects, aligned with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance, and a master class on social risk assessment of extractive projects. The work was presented at the OECD Forum on Responsible Business.
Peace and development in emerald mining regionsResearch on why peace in Colombia’s emerald mining regions has not delivered the expected development dividends, published in Sustainability (2018).
Women and sustainable peaceResearch with rural communities in Risaralda, Colombia, on the role of women and livelihoods in building sustainable peace in resource regions (Springer, 2019).
Land restoration for SDG 16With Prof. Saleem Ali, a contribution to the United Nations International Resource Panel report on how land restoration can promote sustainable peace, accountable institutions and justice (2019).
Political reconciliation amid complex resource geographies requires greater devolution and community engagement on post conflict economic development during the peace process itself.
Dr Isabel B. Franco Peace with Hunger, Sustainability, 2018
Planning work in a high conflict setting?
Tell me about the context and the decision you face.