Improving Post-Conflict Housing Reconstruction Projects by Strengthening Stakeholder Engagement During the Project Planning Stage

In the aftermath of a major conflict, the reconstruction of housing is one of the first building blocks that can help start to restore a nation. This often requires contributions from a range of international parties to initiate reconstruction and aide programs that would enable the commencement of the recovery process, coordinate activities and help to ensure deadlines are met. Nevertheless, the immediate need to resettle the displaced population, as well as the tendency for donors to set early deadlines for the use of funds, can often result in poorly designed housing units that fail to meet the needs of inhabitants, leading to them becoming abandoned or altered. Post-conflict housing reconstruction necessitates careful planning and preparation; however, previous housing reconstruction programs have been hindered by inadequate planning that has hampered communication and coordination of project activities. It has been argued that current planning activities initiated and set by international aid agencies do not engage stakeholders effectively, thereby excluding certain stakeholder groups in the interest of time and speed. The literature further indicated that there is a significant dearth of theoretical and practical knowledge with respect to the planning stages of post-conflict housing reconstruction projects. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop a model to strengthen stakeholder collaboration during the planning stage of housing reconstruction projects under post-conflict conditions. This with a view to helping to improve the design and delivery of housing reconstruction units to displaced communities in post-conflict conditions. A comprehensive literature review was conducted on the planning process involved in post-conflict housing reconstruction projects. Based on a synthesis of the literature, a conceptual framework was developed that aims to promote effective stakeholder engagement during the planning stage of post-conflict housing reconstruction. A key feature of the conceptual framework is the establishment of an organisational management facilitator as an intermediary between project participants. This can assist in enhancing information transfer and stakeholder participation. To test and validate this conceptual framework, a qualitative approach was employed, and semi-structured interviews were undertaken with experts in planning post-conflict housing reconstruction. Thematic content analysis was then performed on the data leading to the refinement of the conceptual framework. The main contribution from this study is the development of a new approach to the planning of reconstruction projects that strengthens stakeholder engagement and collaboration. This seeks to address the limitations of current planning practices for post-conflict housing reconstruction. This new approach includes a realignment of the INGOs role to include responsibilities as the organisational management facilitators towards strengthening the engagement of, and collaboration between project participants. Additional measures to ensure compliance and evaluation of potential risks were also included with a clear focus on understanding local needs. This is also intended to empower the involvement of local community members. The resulting model was developed as a basis for strengthening stakeholder collaboration during the planning of post-conflict housing reconstruction and as a guide for practitioners