Humanitarian negotiation

Why training negotiation skills for humanitarian aid workers?

The work of humanitarian aid workers and the accompanied negotiations are crucial for delivering aid to those in need. The ability to effectively negotiate in stressful circumstances is a skill which is essential to every humanitarian worker: from the field-based aid worker negotiating access on the frontline to the manager in headquarters talking to donors and governments. The Clingendael Institute focuses on equipping participants with a set of tools which allows them to better analyse a situation they find themselves in and to make more conscious choices on how to negotiate.

Participants learn through simulations and role play to put into practice these tools and techniques to better deal with their daily challenges. At the same time, the training serves as a platform where humanitarian workers can exchange dilemmas and learn from each other’s experiences.

About the training

We offer different negotiation skills training courses for humanitarian aid workers.

• Foundation course: a four-day training (in The Hague) or three-day training (in the region)  dealing with the basics of negotiation. 
• Advanced course: a three-day training for participants who have taken part in the foundation course. It builds on the elements learnt during the foundation course & goes into more detailed negotiation situations such as deadlocks.
• Training of Trainers: Participants who have taken part in the foundation and advanced course) will be prepared to deliver a two-day negotiation training to their colleagues. 
• Mediators: 
• Tailormade: if you are looking for a negotiation skills training for your organisations or consortium, please contact us.

Please scroll down to trainings for cases. 

Language and costs

We deliver training courses in both English and French. The language of the training is indicated in the application form. Clingendael covers the training fees which means the trainings are free. Humanitarian organisations are expected to cover travel and accommodation costs of their participating staff. Financial assistance is available in some circumstances.

Facts & figures

The programme was established in 2016 with support from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign affairs. The training courses are offered both in The Hague as well as near conflict areas.

Since 2017, Clingendael Academy has organised over 30 training courses and trained over 450 humanitarian workers of 60+ (I)NGOs and UN agencies in essential negotiation skills. 5 sessions were in partnership with Dutch Relief Alliance. Over 50 working countries have been represented. Within two months, 80% were using the techniques in their negotiations.

94% of respondents of all participants in 2017 and 2018 have said they found this training to be useful or very useful for their work. The percentage of participants who felt confident to lead a negotiation process went up from 51% to 81%.

Timeline of Activities 2020

We keep adding new training opportunities throughout the year. Some of our trainings are invitation only, or target humanitarian aid workers from specific countries, so keep that in mind while applying. After the deadline has been closed, our experts look at all the applications and make a selection of participants who seem most fit to take part in the programme. The training courses are delivered in English and French.