For a Differentiated Approach

This week I participated in some talks on Social Dialogue led by Herbert David Ortega Pinto, who coordinates the Capacity Building area for dialogue and conflict transformation at MAPP-OAS (Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia of the Organization of American States). It was gratifying to realize that in Colombia, people are speaking about differential approaches, inclusivity, shared ownership, learning, humanity, long-term sustainability, and good faith.

During the talk, I reflected a lot on the Nonviolent Communication trainers’ community, on the process we are in, and the conversations that have emerged. It occurred to me that perhaps being so closed to a single practice might be biasing us and hindering us from actually living the very principles we proclaim as Nonviolent Communication. It was very interesting for me to learn about three types of capacities needed for democratic dialogue: technical (tools and methodologies), political (reading and identifying power dynamics), and cultural (understanding and connecting with the context where these dialogues take place).

When we vote as CNVC members, when we use the Statutes, we are exercising political power and practicing democracy. Much of the conversation has revolved around the weight and multiple meanings of the acronym DEI-B, which in Spanish translates as Diversidad, Equidad, Inclusión y Pertenencia (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging). What happens is that from the cultural capacity perspective, many of us interpret these acronyms differently and associate them with references we know from our own countries and cultures, from the information to which we have access. It has been interesting to see how we have tried to listen to each other, to express what we feel, think, and need. We have become frustrated, cried, and so on.

Since I was very young, I’ve seen words as a double-edged sword: they connect us and disconnect us. They heal, and they also wound. I believe those acronyms have disconnected us. While listening to the talk, I thought… what if we spoke of a differentiated approach? What if we spoke of inclusivity and the other principles of democratic dialogue?

We cannot overlook the knowledge and processes of people who, even if they do not explicitly name Nonviolent Communication, have been teaching its principles for over three decades through peace processes, in conflict zones, as guarantors of rights, mediating, and educating. Even though Herbert did not name Nonviolent Communication, I felt I was in a CNV space applied to social contexts.

Although Nonviolent Communication is an integral and fundamental part of my life, I want to have the humility and curiosity to integrate other knowledge and not be afraid to incorporate it. As my philosophy professor Martín used to say: What I wish for you is that you never lose your capacity for wonder. Can you imagine dialoguing with this capacity active and intact?

Because ultimately, I am caring for needs, seeking new strategies, being creative in order to include as many needs as possible—and that includes stepping outside the box.

But then, what is the differentiated approach?

The differential approach begins with the recognition that factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and others condition access to rights and opportunities in different ways. Therefore, it is not enough to apply equal measures for everyone; equitable responses adapted to diverse realities are required. This approach is reflected in characteristics such as recognition of diversity, promotion of equity, an intersectional lens, active participation of affected groups, and protection of human rights. It is implemented through strategies such as situated diagnostics, inclusive policies, training, affirmative actions, and differential monitoring. In Latin America, these principles have been studied in depth: for example, a study by Universidad Javeriana (2023) examines how the differential approach and the intersectional perspective are applied in the Territorial Health Model in Bogotá, especially considering disability, gender, and diverse sexual orientation. Similarly, an analysis of the Social Protection Network against Extreme Poverty in Colombia highlights the importance of the ethnic differential approach in work with Indigenous populations, as shown in Mora’s (2017) study.

For me, it is important to raise my voice, and I have decided to do so in writing. Because the truth is that although I consider myself bilingual, it has been very difficult to participate in the meetings that have taken place. And when I dared to, I received a message from a trainer that left me with no desire to continue participating; her questions confirmed for me that without a differentiated approach, we will continue replicating what disconnects us so deeply.

I want to walk the third path. The more I travel and live with different cultures within Colombia and beyond, the more my mind learns to live with what is divergent and convergent. I believe that caring for everyone’s needs implies dancing between convergence, divergence, and what the participatory leadership community calls the groan—that space between divergence and convergence where it can be uncomfortable and moving, where necessary conflict opens to transform the patterns we want to change.

I hold hope that all these processes and attempts are part of the dialogue we, as a community, are trying to have. I value the capacity we have for repair, that even though it is hard, we try, and that we are walking together toward letting go of patterns that dehumanize us.

References

Mora, C. A. (2017). Enfoque diferencial étnico de la Red de Protección Social contra la Extrema Pobreza en Colombia. Política y Sociedad, 54(2), 489–514.

Universidad Javeriana. (2023). Definición de enfoque diferencial y perspectiva interseccional: un estudio multimétodo en el Modelo Territorial de Salud en Bogotá. Universitas Médica, 64(1), 1–15.

Claudia Sanchez

Certified Nonviolent Communication Trainer

Life Coach

info@comunicacionplena.com

+57 319 6500685