A test run of the campaign is being carried out at Madallah in Niger state.
Tuesday, 16 September 2014
C4PS Partners Writers Association on Peace and Reading Culture in Nigeria
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
|
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)
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 |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)