In line with Resolution 2250 (2015) of the UN Security Council, which clearly states that “young people play an important and positive role in the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security,” thanks to the Women in Alternative Action Cameroon organization, the main consultant at these workshops, Mrs. Rose A. Obah and her team, had the opportunity to engage over 150 Youths as well as Religious and Traditional authorities, on building open spaces for Youth participation in peacebuilding processes in Cameroon precisely in the NW and SW regions.
The workshops that took place in Bamenda and Buea, had over 100 youths and 50 Traditional and Religious authorities involved.
The workshops that involved the Youths lasted for two days each in Buea and Bamenda. These series of workshop have birth to a " Youth Think Tank Club," for Peace.
At the end of it all, the Youths, the Religious and Traditional authorities, will in the days ahead function as Connectors for Peace.
Speaking during the workshops, the Executive Director of WAA Cameroon, Justin Kumche noted that the goal of the training was geared towards building the capacity of Youths in Cameroon, especially in conflict affected areas such as the North-West and South regions, in using and transferring the attitude, knowledge and skills of peacebuilding and conflict resolution at the community level.
According to her, the Youths are expected to begin serving as multipliers in “Building open spaces to prevent youth re-radicalization and recruitment into violent actions in Cameroon”.
During these workshops, the Youths were trained on how to conduct “community connectors for peace” activities in their community action and through a previously designed “Post Training Action Plan” youths were provided with new dimensions of alienations as an alternative to guns and violence.
These were captured through lessons on peacebuilding, conflict prevention, conflict transformation/resolution, conflict analysis tools and styles, meditation, restorative justice and on the SDG 16.
WAA Cameroon, remains deeply convinced that youths are builders of peace and dynamic forces capable of strengthening the foundations of peaceful societies. According to Tebi Louis, one of the youth participants, peace can not be attained without including Youths in peacebuilding processes adding that with the skills acquired thanks to WAA Cameroon, he is going to join forces with other community connectors for peace especially the local leaders for sustainable peace to be reached.
To one of the Religious leaders, Rev Che Warah Solomon, he remains positive that together with the Youths in connection to peacebuilding actions, communities will know true peace. Corroborating this, the Fon of Nsongwa who indicated that he is already on a smooth relationship working with the Youths in his community for peace, remains positive that with the new impetus and knowledge gained in the workshop, he will reintensify actions on the ground beginning from all the subjects in his fondom.
At the end of the workshops, the Youths as well as the religious and traditional authorities came up with realistic action plans that begins this month to enable both parties connect for sustainable peace within their communities. Also remarkable, was an MOU (Memorandum Of Understanding) signed by the Religious and Traditional authorities with WAA to ensure that they follow up to ensure effective implementation of the action plans immediately.
The 5 day workshop had as main facilitator, Rosaline Akah Obah, Peacebuilding Consultant and National Coordinator of the Cameroon Community Media Network CCMN. Together with her team, the over 150 participants engaged in several practical sessions to ensure that the training brings out a tip of what will obtain in the field in the days ahead. In the days ahead, WAA Cameroon and the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict with support from the German Federal Foreign Office and Ifa-Zivik will be working with the Youths as well as Religious and Traditional authorities to actualize some key actions that will ensure a bottom top approach in the peacebuilding processes making it more inclusive so as to incorporate the voices of not only men but also that of women and youths.
By Stephen Ojang with contributions from Rose A. Obah
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