Tuesday 16 September 2014

C4PS Partners Writers Association on Peace and Reading Culture in Nigeria

The C4PS recently agreed to partner with the Association of Young Nigerian Writers (ASYONIW) and Sadrosoft Limited (Publishers) to implement an innovative project tagged "Lets Read for Peace". The project aims at promoting peace through reading, as it plans to provide books and other reading materials on sustainable peace issues to communities prone to violence. It plans to reach 1000 communities within one year, set up community libraries, encourage holding of regular reading sessions and individual book borrowing from the community library.

A test run of the campaign is being carried out at Madallah in Niger state.

Tuesday 18 March 2014

Press Statement on Aftermath of Insurgency Attacks in the North East, Katsina and Kaduna



C4PS
  CIVIL SOCIETY COALITION FOR PEACE AND SECURITY IN NIGERIA (C4PS)
ADDRESS: GIWAC’S OFFICE, SUITES 2&3, WOMEN MULTI PURPOSE CENTER, NO 2 BANK ROAD, KADUNA. Email: c4psinnigeria@gmail.com, Phone: 08023619217, 08034737077, 08033119990.
                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                REF: C4PS/CRP/I/20.  DATE: 14/03/2014




AFTERMATH OF RECENT INSURGENCY ATTACKS IN THE NORTH EAST, KATSINA AND kADUNA: A CALL TO ACTION

It is with a very heavy heart that we recall the recent events that have occurred in Northern Nigeria, particularly in Yobe, Borno, Adamawa states and now in Katsina state.  Indeed the threat of insurgency in this part of the country has deteriorated to a situation where women and children are now the targets. The recent attacks on Bun Yadi in Yobe, Maniok , Bama and Mafa in Borno and now Kurar mota and marabar maigoro among others in Katsina state have proved this assertion. At least 96 people mostly women and children have lost their lives in the latest attacks while 59 school children were cold bloodedly murdered by insurgents in Yobe state. Still more than 10,000 women and children have become homeless, clothe less, traumatized and without food. This is indeed very pathetic.

However what is even more depressing is the silence majority of the people have kept over these atrocities, the silence of our leaders, of the various so called unions and human rights organizations and even the activists.  While thousands of women and children roam the forest of the north east and other places homeless, without food or clothes, having lost loved ones, we in the other parts of the country, particularly in the north sit in our homes and take our meals comfortably. We strongly condemn this highly un- brotherly act and call for its immediate stop.

We must raise our voices against this injustice, this genocide, this barbaric act and fight it to the end! More importantly we must lend our support and give to our brothers and sisters in the north east and Katsina as well as other places.  We must lend a leaning and helping hand to the thousands that remain homeless, hungry and without clothes. We need to more than ever before be our brothers and sisters’ keepers and of the innocent children that have become orphans. Let us give them our widow’s mite and or our all and all.

It is against this background that we, under the auspices of Global Initiative for Women and Children (GIWAC) and the Civil society coalition for peace and security (C4PS) intends to raise as much relief support as possible  and send to these homeless women and children of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Katsina, as well as those taking refuge in Gombe. In this respect we call on all and sundry to “look into your hearts and dip your hands onto whatever you can afford to give in order to touch the lives of these unfortunate victims”. This can be done individually, collectively or through our own modest efforts. We  can be reached through Hajiya Hafsat Muhammad Baba at Global Initiative for women and children, Suites 2 and 3, Women Muliti Purpose Center, Bank Road Kaduna or through any of the following phone numbers:, 08033119990, 08034737077, 08023619217.

Kindly do so between now and march 31st, 2014 as we intend to send the relief consignment on the 1st of April.  We also call on all to continue with the prayers and fasting for divine intervention on this calamity.

Similarly with the closure of schools in the affected areas which now threatens the future of at least 10,000 school children, we call on the northern states Governors and other well meaning citizens including private schools to intervene by absorbing these children in their own school systems and taking full responsibility for their education. The north, particularly the north east cannot afford to add to the about eight million of children that are already out of school.

A word, as they say, is enough for the wise!


 Hajiya Hafsat Baba                                                                              Jamil Mustapha Ango           

     GIWAC                                                                                                       C4PS                         

Conflict Class 101: Understanding Conflict




It usually takes one by surprise when experts say conflict is good and positive. But yes, conflict that is identified early, effectively dialogued and resolved amicably often leads to positive change and progress. Now conflict experts, define it as a struggle or contest between people with opposing needs, ideas, beliefs, values, or goals. All experts agree that conflict is inevitable in every society so long as there are opposing needs and competing ambitions. However it is the responses that individuals and groups make to such conflicting needs, ambitions or values that determine the course they take- and we go back to the fact of its being positive. So if actors or those involved in conflicts act positively by discussing and resolving their problems the results will be peace and progress. If on the other hand actors behave negatively, the conflict escalates and leads to nonproductive results.  Therefore, learning to identify, prevent or manage conflict is integral to every society and a must for everyone.
. The broad causes of conflict have been categorized into three forms.

#1.          OVER PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS:
These are conflicts which cannot be seen but affect the psyche of the individual and his/her productive capacity. These are Conflicts which keeps occurring everyday, where individuals encounter at least two or three either at home, work or at social outings.  Issues that concerns meeting basic needs of food, housing, security, love and others. Certainly in the search of these daily needs individual conflicts do occur. For instance in the search for food, water and shelter and even love, there is often conflict as another person may want the same thing you want. Other times one’s inability to meet one or more of these basic daily needs can fuel or facilitate the escalation of other types of conflicts, for example as the saying goes “a hungry man is an angry man”. Imagine then getting into a conflict with a hungry and angry man!

#2.          OVER RESOURCES:
This occurs when two or more people want the same resources and there is not enough to go round. Resources here can refer to money, land, political positions etc. People must certainly struggle to gain access to such things since they are scarce. Money is scarce and there are millions if not of billons in search of it, land is also scarce and so is political positions such as office of the President, Governors and local government chairmen where there are only one per country, one per state and one per local government respectively. These days in Nigeria there is a heightening of struggle over political positions with the approach of the 2015 elections.

#3.          OVER VALUES:
Values are the most difficult to understand and resolve, they are based on belief system and world view. They cannot be seen or felt, often stored in the brains and hearts of people. Yet they are held so dearly and sincerely.  Most times people could die easily for what they believe in such as their ideology, religion or culture.

It is therefore our collective responsibility to understand conflict in order to make it work for us not against us.

Tuesday 25 February 2014

SPINN e Newsletter- Conflict 101: Understanding Conflict and other stories








 TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.       Feature: The power of sharing knowledge
2.       How it all started
3.       From field survey to pilot project
4.       Resources and Materials available
5.       Upcoming events
6.       Funding and expenditures
7.       The key challenges
8.       Events in pictures
9.       Lesson of the Month: Conflict 101: Understanding Conflict.




1.       Feature: The power of sharing Knowledge
It is an ever green truth that has been around for centuries- knowledge is power. Everyone in the world knows that, from children to adults. All have tested this hypothesis; in school knowledge gives us the key to answering those questions and passing examinations. At work it gives us the ability to perform our tasks, excel in them, be promoted and reach the tops of careers. In business it gives us the edge to make more money and attain successes.

But there is even more power with the joy that comes from sharing the knowledge one has with others, for it generates huge impact - a rippling effect kind of impact that reaches more and more people, empowering and changing the lives of millions of people forever.

Such was the case when community team members trained under the sustainable peace in northern Nigeria (SPINN) pilot project shared with their communities. Twenty community members consisting of youths, women, elders and religious leaders in each of four pilot communities; Kawo in Kaduna, Brigade in Kano, Kpakungo in Niger and Unguwar Mahaukata in Bauchi were involved. In all 80 community members were empowered with additional knowledge on conflict prevention and early warning signal. They gained new information on what conflict is, its broad causes, its stages, handling styles and various means of prevention. They also capped it up with other key information  on early warning signal within which they learnt about the steps in early warning, the differences and complementary roles between early warning and early response and off.. course when, how and to whom  to send out early warning messages. The eighty community members got all these array of knowledge through the willingness of a few people to share what they know, these are Hassan Alfa of Alfacare, Samson Auta of interfaith mediation centre (IMC), Jamil Mustapha and Musa Abdullahi, Interim Chair and Interim Secretary respectively of the coalition for peace and security (C4PS).

The quartet of original trainers would certainly be elated to see the eighty community members in turn sharing that knowledge with other members of their respective communities. By the time they are through they would have shared with at least one hundred other community members each- a total of eight thousand people! And be certain that the eight thousand will share with at least four others, so before long about 32,000 community members will have some new knowledge about conflict and early warning signal. But that will not be the end of the chain; more will be reached as the messages are reinforced through radio, TV and other channels. And when the project is eventually scaled up to cover more than five hundred other communities across the northern region, the rippling effect will be better imagined!

Such is the power of sharing knowledge.
  
2.       How it all started
In May, 2013 a group of people from 13 Civil Society Organisations met at the Women Multipurpose center, Kaduna. The meeting was called by Hajiya Hafsat of the Global Initiative for women and children, Musa Abdullahi of Women Rights, Advancement and Protection Action and Jamil Mustapha Ango of Waff Road Mosque Forum. The topic of discussion was the security situation in northern Nigeria and what CSOs can jointly do about it. A situation paper was presented by Jamil Mustapha which generated a lot of comments by the participants of the meeting.
The major outcome of that very first meeting was the agreement by all to set up and be a part of a coalition of CSOs to put in a contribution towards ensuring sustainable peace and security in the whole of Nigeria, but starting with the Northern region. A five member committee was set up to produce modalities and procedures for the organization.

The committee was given two weeks to work and present its report which it did on time. The report recommended that the organization be named civil society coalition for peace and security in Nigeria (C4PS) and that it should work in the following areas;
a.       Increasing awareness and changing attitude of Nigerians particularly at community level on prevention and management of violent conflicts
b.      Carrying out advocacy encounters with policy makers and leaders towards gaining their participation and support to violent conflict prevention and management, particularly at community level.
c.       Capacity enhancement for civil society organizations on conflict prevention and management
d.      Research, monitoring and evaluation
e.      Philanthropic support to victims of violence, particularly women and children  
The report also recommended a national structure with zonal and state coordinators for the organization operating under the lead of one of the member organizations. A five member executive to include; chairman/executive director, secretary, treasurer, auditor and publicity secretary was suggested. All recommendations were accepted by the group and it was agreed that the Global Initiative for women and children (GIWAC) should serve as lead organization with the following interim executive;
a.       Jamil Mustapha- Interim Chairman
b.      Hajiya Hafsat Baba- member
c.       Samson Auta- member
d.      Getrude Leads- member
e.      Musa abdullahi- secretary

The meeting also agreed to a suggestion for the carrying out of a field survey on the situation of peace and security in northern Nigeria and then carrying out a public presentation which should be used to launch the coalition to the public. Organizations and individuals during the first meetings include; YouthCan, NACOMYO, LEADS, IMC, WRAPA Kaduna, Vision Trust Foundation, GIWAC, Child Protection and Survival Initiative. Subsequently other organizations from around the northern region joined. This prompted the appointment of additional persons into the interim coordinating committee to help reach out to these organizations. The additional coordinating members are;

a.       Aminu Garba Sidi of Bauchi Muslim-Christian Forum- Coordinator of North East
b.      M. Abubabe of Ebira National Association- Coordinator of North Central
c.       Abubakar Yau of Kano Peace Forum- Coordinator of North West 

3.         From field survey to pilot project
The very first thing the coalition decided to embark upon was a situation assessment of the peace and security situation in northern Nigeria. The major objectives were;
a.       To find out and document the number of conflicts that have occurred within the last ten years in target states and the responses made to them by appropriate institutions and communities.
b.      To identify the key actors in the violent conflicts that have occurred in target communities and those most affected by such conflicts in the last ten years
c.       To assess the socio economic effects of violent conflicts in target states and communities as well as adequacy of efforts at ameliorating such effects.
d.      To identify existing community and individual level mechanisms for peace building and conflict resolution as well as the appropriate knowledge and expertise available in target states
e.      To collate individual and community views on the causes, means of prevention and way forward on ensuring sustainable peace in the northern region.

The report of the survey was widely publicized and provided the major tool for a planning workshop – to develop a framework and eventually a project to address the problems so identified. The workshop provided for an attitudinal/ behaviorial change campaign at community level to increase awareness of community members on the negative consequences of violence and promote their participation in violence prevention and handling. The project was named SPINN- sustainable peace in northern Nigeria and appropriate logo produced. A detailed framework of the intervention with budget estimates was produced as final outcome of the planning workshop.

Soon after the C4PS coordinating team started making arrangements to carry out a pilot implementation of the proposed project. Subsequently four communities were identified and agreed upon; Kawo in Kaduna state, Brigade in Kano state, Kpakungo in Niger state and unguwar mahaukata in Bauchi state, one in each of the geo political zones in the north,but  with the north west having two communities. Then on the 21st of December, 2013, the first training of community peace teams in pilot communities was held in Kawo, Kaduna state. Subsequently and by the end of January, 2014 similar trainings were held in all the three other pilot communities. In each community, twenty persons, amongst whom are youths, women, elders and religious leaders have been trained on conflict prevention and early warning signal. They will work voluntarily to share information with community members and provide early warning reports to their community leaders and CBO leaders. They will also organize special community peace activities to further sensitise and imbibe violence prevention in their respective communities

Monitoring reports so far carried out in two communities, Kawo and Brigade indicate that the community peace teams are already up and running in sharing what they have learnt with other community members and planning towards hosting certain special events. In Kawo five of the team members working under the Kawo Youth Peace Association plan to carryout schools sensitization and hold a schools peace debate as well as an intra community football contest for the youth.


4.       Resources and Materials available
a.       Report of a situation assessment of peace and security in northern Nigeria, 2013
b.      Framework for a sustainable peace in northern Nigeria
c.       Training manual on conflict prevention and early warning for communities
d.      Hand out on conflict prevention and early warning for community peace team members
e.      Handbill on C4PS and SPINN
f.        Key messages on SPINN in English and Hausa
g.       SPINN News

5.       Upcoming events
a.       Appointment of SPINN Guardians and Champions
b.      Presentation of first quarter peace scorecard for Northern Nigeria tagged “ Peace in the North on the way to 2015”
c.       Assessment of pilot project
d.      Fundraising and scale up of SPINN to all northern states
e.      Formal launch of SPINN

6.       Funding and Expenditures
The funding of all activities carried out by the C4PS has so far come from voluntary contributions by member organizations and individual members. Details of expenditure are as follows;

S.No
Item
Cash
Kind
1.
Situation assessment of peace and security in northern Nigeria
100,000 ( travels, accommodation, meals)
850,000 (questionnaire administration, collation, analysis, report writing and production)
2.
Public presentation of above named report
95,000
50,000 (Hall, projector)
3.
Planning workshop
100,000 (Hall, materials)
250,000 (tea break, lunch, transport, honouraria)
4.
Materials (flyers, key messages,
150,000

5.
Trainings in 4 pilot communities
200,000 (travel, accommodation for resource persons, stationery, refreshment and lunch for participants
800,000 (honouraria for resource persons, DSA for participants, transport for participants)
6.
Monitoring visits to communities by project team

50,000 (visits to Kano and Kawo)
7.
Secretarial expenses
65,000 (letters, reports, emails, blog site, phone calls

Totals

710,000
2,000,000


 
7.       The key challenges
Some key challenges facing the coalition and the implementation of SPINN includes funding, technical capability of member organizations, maintaining the interest of member organizations and staffing. The coalition is planning innovative approaches to overcome these challenges 
8.       Events in pictures





9.       Lesson of the Month

       Conflict Class 101: Understanding conflict?



It usually takes one by surprise when experts say conflict is good and positive. But yes, conflict that is identified early, effectively dialogued and resolved amicably often leads to positive change and progress. Now conflict experts, define it as a struggle or contest between people with opposing needs, ideas, beliefs, values, or goals. All experts agree that conflict is inevitable in every society so long as there are opposing needs and competing ambitions. However it is the responses that individuals and groups make to such conflicting needs, ambitions or values that determine the course they take- and we go back to the fact of its being positive. So if actors or those involved in conflicts act positively by discussing and resolving their problems the results will be peace and progress. If on the other hand actors behave negatively, the conflict escalates and leads to nonproductive results.  Therefore, learning to identify, prevent or manage conflict is integral to every society and a must for everyone.
. The broad causes of conflict have been categorized into three forms.

#1.          OVER PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS:
These are conflicts which cannot be seen but affect the psyche of the individual and his/her productive capacity. These are Conflicts which keeps occurring everyday, where individuals encounter at least two or three either at home, work or at social outings.  Issues that concerns meeting basic needs of food, housing, security, love and others. Certainly in the search of these daily needs individual conflicts do occur. For instance in the search for food, water and shelter and even love, there is often conflict as another person may want the same thing you want. Other times one’s inability to meet one or more of these basic daily needs can fuel or facilitate the escalation of other types of conflicts, for example as the saying goes “a hungry man is an angry man”. Imagine then getting into a conflict with a hungry and angry man!

#2.          OVER RESOURCES:
This occurs when two or more people want the same resources and there is not enough to go round. Resources here can refer to money, land, political positions etc. People must certainly struggle to gain access to such things since they are scarce. Money is scarce and there are millions if not of billons in search of it, land is also scarce and so is political positions such as office of the President, Governors and local government chairmen where there are only one per country, one per state and one per local government respectively. These days in Nigeria there is a heightening of struggle over political positions with the approach of the 2015 elections.

#3.          OVER VALUES:
Values are the most difficult to understand and resolve, they are based on belief system and world view. They cannot be seen or felt, often stored in the brains and hearts of people. Yet they are held so dearly and sincerely.  Most times people could die easily for what they believe in such as their ideology, religion or culture.
It is therefore our collective responsibility to understand conflict in order to make it work for us not against us.
                                                                        
 Contact– Coalition for peace and security in Nigeria

c4psinnigeria@gmail.com. 08023619217, 08034737077, 08033148015, 08035953105, 08036127460

Sunday 9 February 2014

Pilot of SPINN- sustainable peace in northern nigeria in four Communities

The pilot of the sustainable peace in northern Nigeria project (SPINN- a communication approach to conflict prevention and management) in four communities across four states has started. The main objective of the pilot is to assess the workability and possible impact of the SPINN in some few communities before scaling it up to more communities across the North.

List of the Pilot Communities

1. Kawo in Kaduna North LGA of Kaduna state
2.Kpakunuga in Chachaga LGA of Niger state
3. Unguwar Mahaukata in Bauchi LGA of Bauchi state
4. Brigade in Nasarawa LGA of Kano state

20 community members in each of the communities have already been trained to form members of a community peace team that will work to increase the knowledge of fellow community members on negative consequences of violent conflicts and how to prevent them. They will also help plan and organise special peace events in their communities in order to facilitate adoption of positive peace behaviour while also providing reports on early warning signals to their community leaders.  

Now check out some pictures from the community level training (s)

Hassan Alfa of Alfa Care facilitating a session at Kawo community

A cross section of participants at the training session 

Musa Abdullahi, Interim Secretary of C4PS giving a briefing to participants at Kawo

Mr Samson Auta of the Interfaith Mediation Centre having an interactive discussion with Kawo community peace team members






Tuesday 12 November 2013

Pictures from Planning Workshop for SPINN

Group 3 on Training at work

Group 1 working hard on identifying target audiences and analysing their behaviours in respect to peace and security

A glimpse of all three groups in session, at centre is the monitoring group

Presentation of the Monitoring group's work by Idris from Unguwar Shanu Devt, Association

Presentation by the Training Group by Bello Tanko from Makera Devt. Association

Presentation by Amina Kazuare of VTF on Logo, slogan and target audiences of the SPINN campaign

Monday 4 November 2013

C4PS out with SPINN Project!

The C4PS partners have held a two day planing workshop between 26th to 27th of October. The outcome of the workshop is the framework for a sustainable peace in northern Nigeria (SPINN) project. some of the objectives of the project include: to increase the knowledge of at least 20,000 community members on prevention of violence, improve adoption and practice of key actions that will contribute to reduction of violence in at least 500 communities across the nineteen northern states and to measure the impact of peace and security activities by major stakeholders in the region.Details will be provided soon.

The slogan of the Campaign is "Peace and security in our hands" and it will be launched soon.