This course examines the nexus of human security, peacebuilding and development. It particularly strengthen the capacity of course participants in using preventive peacebuilding strategies to anticipate and manage issues relating to human security in Africa. It further provides participants with the capacity to analyze human security issues as they relate to daily life experiences of families, groups and communities on the continent in general, but in West Africa in particular.

Key Elements of the course:

• Human Security: Overview, Evolution, Conceptual clarifications
• Contemporary peace and security threats; Natural resource governance and conflict management, agro-pastoralist conflict, political transitions and gendered perspectives relating to these contemporary threats
• Normative Frameworks for Peace and security
• Democracy, Human rights and inclusive governance
• Migration and border security management
• Trans-national organised crimes
• Environmental security
• Conflict sensitive development

While dialogue and mediation has been identified and utilized as critical tool for addressing conflicts and ensuring peaceful coexistence, the skills and knowledge required to facilitate the process remains low. This course builds capacity of participants in the design and processes for effective dialogue and mediation. The course adopts a hands-on approach, allowing participants to develop and work on a case study in order to appreciate the ‘nitty-gritty’ of dialogue and mediation

Key elements of the course:

• Introduction and conceptual frameworks: Normative Mediation Frameworks in the Context of African Conflicts- UN, AU and ECOWAS
• The nexus between theory and practice of dialogue and mediation
• Mediation Tracks (An overview of CSOs mediation efforts, ECOWAS Mediation Processes, African Union Mediation processes, The UN and Mediation efforts)
• Types and Principles of Dialogue and Mediation
• Communication and Facilitation skills
• Conflict Analysis
• Getting to the Table
• At the Table: Dialogue and Mediation Skills
• Getting to and Reviewing Agreements
• Follow-up and monitoring of outcomes (Sustaining outcomes)

This course introduces participants to peacebuilding practice and improves their understanding of concepts, theories and praxis of peace and security. The course outline has been designed to follow in the sequence that leads from understanding conflicts to the analysis of conflicts; and provides conceptual clarifications on the various elements of peacebuilding and human security. The course aims to equip agencies, organizations and practitioners working in conflict, crisis and post-war stabilization and recovery with skills and knowledge to improve the quality, effectiveness and sustainable impact of their programs. Experience from the field has shown that actors in peacebuilding often face significant gaps/challenges in the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of their projects, leading to limited or unsustainable impact. The course provides comprehensive and in-depth training to support organizations, agencies and practitioners at all levels: from project development through design, planning, implementation to evaluation. Most importantly, it is an operational program: participants bring actual projects they are working on in their institutions and are supported to learn and apply effective skills for designing peacebuilding program for sustainable impact.

Key elements of the course:

• Dynamics of Peace and Security in West Africa
• Key Global, Continental and Regional Normative Frameworks for Peace and Security
• Key concepts in Peace and Security Assessments
• Introduction to Peacebuilding Program Cycle
• Conflict sensitive programming
• Overview of Project Management
• Project Management process
• Monitoring and Evaluation in the Project Life cycle
• Theory of change and Results Based Monitoring
• Planning for results in Conflict Sensitive M&E
• Monitoring for Results using the Logical frame
• Resource Mobilization for Peacebuilding Program
• Proposal writing as part of Resource Mobilisation
• Procurement Processes and Financial Management

Peace and security perspectives over the years have tended to focus on youth as a vulnerable section of the population who are either victims or perpetrators of violence and crime. However, over the years, it has become evident that the youth have made significant impacts in peace and security at various levels. This course recognises the role of youth in peacebuilding initiatives and aims to strengthen participants’ understanding of the legal and normative frameworks for Youth in Peace and Security. It seeks to interrogate the victimisation conversations around youth and to highlight the potential in the youth agency. It will therefore focus on the youth as critical actors in long term transformative and preventive mechanisms as well as in the broader goals within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  The issues will be examined within the context of the West African region, but also draw on experiences and models from other parts of Africa and the world at large.

Key Elements of the course:

• Understanding the notion of Youth and related concepts
• Normative frameworks on youth, peace and security (UN,AU,ECOWAS)
• Youth vulnerability and Security Challenges (migration, violent extremism, transnational organised crime etc.)
• Deconstructing the Youth, Peace and Security discourse
• Youth Agency and the SDGs
• Youth Non-violent Activism and resilience
• Inclusivity in peace, security and development

Early warning is about assessing the likelihood of violent conflicts, the possibility of a resurgence or escalation of violence and identifying the windows of opportunities for peace and stability. This course provides analytical frameworks for understanding the nature, causes, dynamics and actors of conflict; developing skills for developing indicators, monitoring, analyzing, and reporting conflict and human security. It also exposes participants to the skills for communicating early warning reports and developing response options/strategies.  Particular focus is placed on how to conduct and write risk assessment reports, policy briefs; monitor and report qualitative and quantitative early warning indicators, and mobilize strategic, integrated responses to prevent conflicts or relapse to violence.

Key Elements of the course:

• Evolution of Early Warning
• Introduction to EW Concepts
• Early Warning Pillars and Models
• Continental, Regional and National and Community EW Systems
• Overview of Early Warning Methodology and Application
• Developing Indicators and Conflict Monitoring processes
• Engendering Early Warning
• Analysis and Scenario Building
• Early Warning outputs and Audience
• Response Planning & Mobilization

Gender roles have contributed to discrimination and oppression across the region and globally. This course recognises that conflicts affect men and women differently. In this regard, the effective participation of both in peace processes is crucial to sustainable peace. The course looks at how gender discrimination has resulted in inequities in the participation of men and women in peace processes. In order to address these inequities, the course also seeks to provide gender perspectives in peacebuilding and equip participants with the skills for gender analysis.  This course is structured to challenge thinking so as to enable understanding of the significant role of both men and women in conflict and peace processes.

Key Elements of the course:

• The concept of Gender
• Contemporary discourses around gender, peacebuilding and development
• Gender and Violent Extremism
• Inclusivity in Peacebuilding and Decision Making
• Normative and legal frameworks on gender, peace and security
• Gender, Peace Support Operations and post conflict reconstruction