The Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement (RFLD) participated in a five-day training course on conflict prevention and management, violent extremism, and peacebuilding, held from January 22 to 26, 2023 in Cotonou, Benin. The training was organized under the European Union-funded “Research and Action for Peace” (REcAP) project.
Marlene Sagbohan, Program Officer at RFLD, represented the organization at the training. She expressed RFLD’s honor in participating in this crucial initiative aimed at strengthening the capacities of Togolese civil society actors in conflict prevention and management.
“Conflict prevention and management are essential for peacebuilding and sustainable development,” Ms. Sagbohan stated. “RFLD is committed to contributing to these efforts, and we are confident that this training will equip us to better support our partners in implementing their programs.”
REcAP’s overall objective is to empower civil society, including field actors and regional, national, and community researchers, to play a stronger role in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and management.
The training aimed to equip civil society actors, women’s and youth associations in Togo with key knowledge to effectively contribute to conflict prevention and management. Participants gained a range of practical skills related to handling conflict situations through an interactive learning approach that valued them as partners in the learning process and built upon their existing knowledge, skills, and experiences.
Expected outcomes of the training include participants achieving a clear understanding of conflict management/transformation, peacebuilding, and their interlinkages. This involves exploring various theories of violent conflicts, their causes, and triggers with participants. Additionally, the training examined and assessed regional and local conflict prevention, management, and resolution mechanisms and strategies. Participants also increased their conflict sensitivity awareness and were informed about the role of communication in preventing and managing conflicts.
By the end of the training, participants were able to:
- Explain the nature of conflicts and identify their causes.
- Apply and adapt conflict prevention strategies to the context.
- Apply and adapt conflict management approaches to the context.
- Utilize and explain conflict analysis and different conflict analysis tools.
- Understand the importance of communication in preventing and managing conflicts.
Participants appreciated the training’s interactive approach and shared that they acquired valuable knowledge and skills that will be instrumental in their conflict prevention and management work.
“This training was incredibly enriching,” a participant remarked. “I learned a lot about the causes of conflicts, different conflict management approaches, and the importance of communication. I’m eager to put my new knowledge into practice in my work.”
