Constructive engagement and women strengthening to mitigate conflict and violent extremism” in Adamawa State (CEWOS)

The project “Constructive engagement and women strengthening to mitigate conflict and violent extremism” in Adamawa State (CEWOS) was implemented by Global Peace Development (GPD) with funding support from the Nigeria Northeast Connection. The CEWOS project was designed to address persistent inequality, exclusion, discrimination, cultural and sexual violence, cultural impunity, and domestic violence that prevent women and girls from assessing education, becoming financially independent, and excluded from actively participating in governance and peace building processes in their communities by promoting women and girls’ participation in Peacebuilding, Security, and decision-making processes in Demsa, Mubi North and Mubi South LGAs of Adamawa State. Similarly, the CEWOS Project has interrelated objectives; to strengthen the capacity of women and girls to respond to issues associated with violence and conflicts; and to improve the participation of women in decision making processes and peace through dialogue and forums in Demsa, Mubi North and Mubi South LGAs. GPD utilized rapid assessment, town hall meetings, trainings, and dialogue forums, mentoring, and learning experiences to achieve the project objectives through constructive engagement and capacity enhancement of critical stakeholders such as government officials, traditional leaders, community leaders, religious leaders, formal and informal security, persons with disabilities, and women and girls’ associations with particular focus on six (6) communities located in Mugarang, Old Demsa, Hurida, Wuro-barka, Muppa and Tongore situated in Demsa, Mubi North, and Mubi South LGAs respectively.

Activities Implemented:

• Stakeholder Consultation: conducted 14 Stakeholder consultation and advocacy visits as against the proposed target of 11 with 245 participants reached as against the proposed target of 55
• Rapid Assessment: conducted 1 rapid assessment which identified 30 women group as against the proposed target of 3 and 30 influential leader against the proposed target of 21
• Validation meeting: conducted 3 validation meeting with 67 participants reached as against the proposed target of 75
• Town Hall Meeting: Conducted 9 townhall meetings with 180 participant reached
• Training: Conducted a 2-day training workshop with 23 participants reached as against the proposed target of 21
• Dialogue Sessions: Conducted 9 dialogue sessions with 180 participant reached
• Learning and Monitoring Evaluation: conducted 3 learning and monitoring evaluation with 90 participant reached

Project Achievements:

• 9 Women Peace and Mediators Platform Established and capacity enhanced on strategy to mitigate conflict, violence, and extremism
• Community Leadership commits to punish perpetrators of sexual and gender based violence to stem extremist recruitment through solidarity.
• Women Peace and Mediation Platform, Wuro-barka Chairperson commenced education mentorship for 20 women and girls who indicated interest to advance their educational knowledge and capacity to contribute to community resilience
• Knowledge of National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), and Nigeria Women of Journalist (NAWOJ) capacity increased on conflict prevention and peace building for 21 LGA chapters leaders
• 2 Peace Clubs established in government schools by WOPEMP members in Mubi North and Mubi South LGAs are now contributing to promote non-violence and societal stability
• Principals and Teachers of Secondary and primary schools located in the project target communities sensitized by WOPEMP members in Demsa, Mubi North, and Mubi South LGAs and now contributing to mitigate social vices that endears youths to extremist organization
• Knowledge of students in the 3 target LGAs stimulated by WOPEMP members on the adverse effect of drug abuse as strategy to block extremist infiltration.
• Neighbouring communities located in Gella Ward currently not benefiting from the project sensitized on the need to establish WOPEPM in their community to stem all forms of violence.

Twenty (20) Verifiable Beneficiaries Feedbacks

1. Samari Babare, Village Head, Mugarang Community:

‘‘Before now there was an existing hatred in the community but after these women were trained and returned, the changed the notion of the community, peace now exist. More also, I have been learning a lot from them and that gave me the need to include them in every decision making’ (60+/07088105194)

2. Faith Hillary (Influential Young Girl from Mugarang)

‘‘The women are now seen as peace advocate in Mugarang community, our voices and visibility are heard and seen. The men now attest that woman have a lot to contribute to key decision making’’ (30-34yrs/09034641010)

3. Viola Alpha Buba, President NCWS, Demsa LGA

‘‘The intervention gave us the privilege to access and engage with the community leaders which before now is impossible because of the cultural context’’ (55-59yrs/08065884567)

4. Rita Douglas, Community member/WOPEMP Member

‘‘The program helped us, and we learnt a lot such as: peace building, conflict, conflict sensitivity, Mentorship and leadership which have really helped in our daily lives since the inception of the program. The intervention also built our confidence to speak and engage in public’’ (50-54yrs/08123276918)

5. Ladi Yohanna, WOPEMP Member, Wuro-barka

‘‘after the 2days training, we organized a stepdown in the community where we sensitized the community members on the need of conflict resolution, and we can proudly say that there is conflict mitigation in Wuro-barka community’’ (55-59yrs/08022968503)

6. Jummai Joshua, WOPEMP Secretary-Wuro-barka/Women leader

‘‘as a result of the training I had, I became a peace ambassador in the sight of my community members, people come to me to advocate and help them settle conflict’’ (30-34yrs/08164841745)

7. Agnes Haruna, WOPEMP Vice Chairperson Hurida Community

‘’Inter-faith dialogue and mutual co-existence between different faiths have been enhanced. There is increase in the level of women participation from both religions in decision making processes in the community. There is increase level of tolerance between women of both faiths as well as the men”. (35-39yrs/09054860673)

8. Shafatu Adamu, Community member, Hurida

‘‘The intervention was impactful and very successful in increasing local level cohesion. Personally, I derive pleasure in coming here because of the relationship I have built with so many members of this platform’’ (25-29yrs/07068636934)

9. Nasiru Michimada, Village head of Muppa community:

‘‘A lot has changed with the mentality of the community women and girls, and I am glad to say, women are now included in decision making and peacebuilding processes’’ (60+/08168059264)

10. Juliet Ruwankane, Women Leader, Old Demsa

‘‘I now have a better understanding of what I can do in my immediate household and places of engagement to promote peace. I promise to use this knowledge to reach out to more women like me.” (40-44yrs/09078554619)

11. Felisha James, WOPEMP member Hurida Community

“The intervention was impactful. It helped me to know my role beyond being just a housewife in my community, I can as a woman contribute to changes in culture that promotes peace in my community’’ (30-34yrs/09034660673)

12. Zubaina Shuaibu, Influential young girl, Tongore Community

“I have learned the important role that dialogue has in peace building and conflict prevention, thanks GPD for the training I attended and for the knowledge I gain which has sharpen my thinking on how to resolve conflict issues’’ (20-24yrs/08166312539)

13. Aisha Hassumi, WOPEMP Chairperson Muppa Community/Amira FOMWAN

‘‘I now understand that being a woman does not prevent me from being at alert, supporting Early Warning and Early Response that keeps my community safe, and to advocate for women’s right in my community. Also, I encourage all women in my community to be advocate of peace with one voice and push for inclusive changes that promotes peace and security”. (45-49yrs/07065590832)

14. Fatima Umar, Teacher, Gella 1 Primary School

“As a teacher who regularly interface with adolescents during school hour, I will make sure I use the knowledge gained to educated young ones and dissuade them from violent extremism” (35-39yrs/07063449287)

15. Fuda James, Community member/WOPEMP member Tongore Community

“The knowledge gained from the Training Workshop I attended organized by Global Peace Development has given me a new understanding of how powerful I am as a woman and how much I act as a change agent and lead conflict prevention and peacebuilding in my community”. (30-34yrs/08149475140)

16. Caroline Tasha, Women leader/ WOPEMP Chairperson Mugarang Community

‘‘I realized that being a woman I can contribute to peace building, I can settle conflict and I can contribute my quarter to decision making, so I became confident after the training”. (50-54yrs/07018399547)

17. Fidelis N. Ali, District Head, Demsa

‘‘I want to pledge my commitment to work alongside this platform to mitigate conflict and violence extremism as well as gender-based violence in our community. The coming of this platform is something I can confess this community need looking at the crisis in the society that mostly affect the female gender particularly during conflict, but with the formation and knowledge they gain am sure they will transfer the knowledge for the benefit of other community members as a whole.’’ (60+/08134913674)

18. Charity Dominic, Chairperson, CAN Women Wing Mubi and also Deputy Registrar (Academic and Planning) Federal Polytechnic Mubi.

“I will basically tell other women especially in the Polytechnic that coming here gives me joy because of the relationships I’ve formed with so many women of this platform and this is not one can be taught in school. In addition, the program’s activities significantly improved women’s and girls’ ability to successfully respond to disputes and violence”. (45-49yrs/ 08138558492)

19. Shaibu Jingi, Village Head, Tongore community

“There has been an increase in interfaith discussion and mutual coexistence amongst various faiths. Women of both religions are increasingly participating in decision-making processes in the community. There is a growing amount of tolerance among both women and men of both faiths.” (45-49yrs/07038603280)

20. Aminchi Silas, Influential young girl, Muppa Cummunity

“The knowledge gained during the training, has elevated our understanding of how potential we are in the society and what we can do different as a group to overcome how women and young girls are relegated in the society without hindering our culture or religion. Above all in how we can promote peaceful co-exitance and mitigating conflict” (15-19yrs/08144142098)