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Dialoguing in Situations of Conflict-induced Displacement: The Reflective-Structured Dialogue (RSD) Approach


Internally displaced persons' voices are not adequately monitored and reported in the Philippines. A dialogue technique can be used to examine conflict-induced displacement scenarios. In the municipality of Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte province, a pilot study of Reflective Structured Dialogue (RSD) was conducted. The conversations on conflict-induced displacement financed by CAPID took the form of a series of dialogue events. Dialoguing should not be a one-time occurrence; it should be ingrained in people's daily life. A discussion cycle can take between one and two years to complete. A discussion event can be organized and facilitated using the six processes listed below: briefing, priming, agenda setting, dialogue itself, debriefing, and reflecting. The MHPSS team utilizes storytelling, cartograms, and tree mapping to achieve maximum engagement. The dialogue events provided psychological support to IDPs and host families. They helped local government players better understand the impacted communities' identities, challenges, and needs. Additionally, they served as a vehicle for bringing underrepresented groups' issues to the attention of regional offices of national government institutions. The RSD technique is adaptable to situations other than those involving conflict-induced relocation. Preparation (Stage 0) takes approximately 2-3 months, or slightly longer if training days are included. The field expenditures associated with community visits can range between PHP 15,000 and PHP 20,000.

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