west africa network for peacebuilding...3. develop a conflict prevention network in west africa to...

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STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERSAdivisor Council

David Kanga, GhanaPauline Yameogo, Burkina Faso

Omar Diop, SenegalJames Doe, Liberia

Fatoumatou Batoko, BeninDr Richard Konteh, Sierra Leone

Rev Dr Emmanuel A. Anyambod, ComerounCoulibaly Benjamin, Côte d�Ivoire

Ali Seydou, NigerAustin Onuoha, Nigeria

Dr Ba-Foday Suma, GuineaManagement

Sam Gbaydee Doe, Executive DirectorEmmanuel Habuka Bombande, Program Director

StaffElizabeth Nsarkor, Administrator

Diana Akpene Toffa, Bilingual SecretaryWilfred Brown, Senior Accountant

Francis Darko Asare, Pragram AccountantSandra Mark-Cofie, Program Manager

Levinia Addae-Mensah, Peace Education CoordinatorTakwa Suifon, Coordinator, Capacity Building Program

Fatoumatta M�Boge, Coordinator, Capacity Building ProgramThelma Ekiyor, Women in Peacebuilding Coordinator

Bijoue Kesia-Onam Togoh, Program OfficerEsther Gordon-Mensah, Network CoordinatorH. Calvin Birch, ICT/Desktop Publishing Officer

Ibrahim Amadu, DriverAisha Rita Cofie, Expediter/Receptionist

Samuel Bismark Berglah, ExpediterEcoma Bassey Alaga, Intern

Mawuli Dake, InternPrisca Enyonam Tettey, InternNorberta Kafui Gaglo, Intern

European UnionCORDAIDDreikonigsaktion der KatholischenJungschar (DKA)Mennonite Board of MissionsCRS/WARO - USAIDThe William and Flora Hewlett FoundationBread for the WorldOxfam - USAOxfam - Great BritainMISEREORCommunity House ChurchWarchild CanadaAfrican Women�s Development Fund (AWDF)Mennonite Central Committe

We want to specially acknowledge the im-mense contribution of our donors and part-ners cited below in support of ourendeavours.

West Africa Network for Peacebuilding

VISIONA West Africa region characterized by just and peaceful communities where the dignity of thehuman person is paramount and where the people can meet their basic human needs and decidetheir own direction.

MISSIONTo enable and facilitate the development of mechanisms for cooperation among civil society basedpeacebuilding practitioners and organizations in West Africa by promoting cooperative responsesto violent conflicts; providing the structure through which these practitioners and institutions willregularly exchange experience and information on issues of peacebuilding, conflict transforma-tion, social, religious and political reconciliation; and promoting West Africa�s social cultural valuesas resources for peacebuilding.

GOALTo build sustainable peace; thereby creating an enabling environment for development in WestAfrica.

OBJECTIVESWANEP seeks to. . . 1. Strengthen the capability of peacebuilding organizations and practitioners in West Africa

to engage actively in the peaceful transformation of violent conflicts2. Increase awareness on the use of nonviolent strategies in responding to conflicts in West

Africa3. Develop a conflict prevention network in West Africa to monitor, report and offer indig-

enous perspectives and understanding of conflicts in West Africa4. Harmonize peacebuilding activities in West Africa through networking and coordination of

WANEP members.5. Develop the justice lens of peacebuilding to create understanding of the impact of truth,

justice, and reconciliation on peacebuilding in West Africa.6. Build the capacity of West African Women to alterly participate in peacebuilding processes

at all levels.


TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS

�...Because there is peaceand stability it�s possibleto find prosperity�.5. Message from theChairman6. Management Report

Program Report 20017. Capacity BuildingTraining & Support toMembers9. Network Coordination, Research & Docu-mentation11. Active Nonviolenceand Peace Education13. West Africa EarlyWarning & ResponseNetwork15. CollaborativePeacebuilding17. Justice LensProject

West Africa Network forPeacebuilding

Ampomah House, 37 DzorwuluHighway

P. O. Box CT 4434, Accra, GhanaTel: 233-21-221318/221388

Fax: 233-21-221735Email: [email protected]: www.wanep.org

19. Women inPeacebuilding Network

22. WANEP�s ED gets Distin-guished Service AwardInsights

23. When Greed Ex-ploits Grievance25. The Place of Groitsin West Africa�ssearch...

26. Summary of Events 200230. Member OrganizationsFinancial Report

31. Income & Expenditure Accounts 200232. Balance Sheet2001

Printing:St. Francis Press Ltd. Takoradi, Ghana;

00233-31-24270, 21679Translation:

American Language Center, Douala,Cameroon; Tel: 00237-3426699, 00237-

7772854

Editorial Advisors:Sam Gbaydee DoeBijoue Togoh (French)

Editorial Assistants (French):Diana ToffaPrisca TetteyNorberta Gaglo


Annual Report 2002 5

Message from the Chairman

The year 2002 was a year of opportunity and growth for WANEP. Ourregional coalition for the building of justice and peace now has apresence in all states that are members of ECOWAS. More than300 organizations in 17 countries are members of our grand alli-ance. Staff capacity of the regional Secretariat in Accra, Ghana hasgrown from 12 to 20 persons. Support from the United States Agencyfor International Development through the Catholic Relief Serviceswill allow WANEP to have a staff within the ECOWAS Secretariatand over 25 paid staff in 10 countries. The number of donor part-ners has also grown. As Chairman of the Advisory Council I amproud of what we have been able to achieve for peace and stabilityin our sub region.Growth comes with challenges. Coordination, clarity of roles atnational level, standardization of approaches so as to maintainquality control, and power struggles are the key challenges WANEPmust address as quickly as possible. The Advisory Council, Man-agement, and partners of WANEP have already taken the neces-

sary steps to re-assess the structure within which WANEP has operated over the years. That is why the 5th AnnualGeneral Meeting scheduled for January 2003 will deliberate on the structural and operational dilemmas resultingfrom rapid growth and decide on the kind of leadership and coordinating structures WANEP should adapt to sustainitself.For three years now WANEP has reported in all its analyses that 2003 will be a year of immense socio-politicalchallenge in West Africa. West Africa�s fledgling democracies will be tested as the most politically fragile states�Nigeria, Liberia, Guinea Conakry and Togo�return to the ballot to choose new regimes or maintain the ones thathave governed them in the past four, six, twenty-four, or thirty-six years respectively . There are indications that theincumbent presidents in these countries will be vying for the presidency although, in the case of Togo and Guinea,this was only possible when they changed their respective constitutions.I have always said that if electioneering is to achieve its primary goal of stabilizing political competitions in West Africait must be free, fair, and empowering. The common person must appreciate the power of his/her ballot and cast his/her vote not on the basis of primordial inclinations but on the basis of national interest. As long as West Africa�s partypolitics still evoke tribal and social proclivity, elections will always be marred by violence. And in a region where smallarms can easily be obtained and violent youths are ever ready soldiers, electoral violence has the potential todestabilize any state.The bloody civil war that began in Cote d�Ivoire last September marred the peace and stability we enjoyed in theregion during the year. Interestingly, the violence began two weeks after WANEP attended the official ceremony inhonor of President Laurent Gbagbo as he received the Hiroshima Peace Award from the Government of Japan. Theseeming slap in the face is a telling demonstration that peace is not the absence of war. It is the presence ofinstitutions, processes, and resources that ensure that all humans whether aliens or citizens, indigenes or settlers,black or white enjoy their basic freedoms. This is the message that WANEP takes to every community in West Africa.I extend on behalf of the Advisory Council and members of WANEP deepest gratitude to all our donor partners andfriends as well as the able men and women at the regional Secretariat who are the architects behind the success wecelebrate in this annual report. Our destination is still afar but we remain undaunted in our walk.


6 Annual Report 2002

Another year of hard labor for justpeace has ended and it is timeto reflect on our journey�to recount the miles we covered, thelandmarks we encountered, the lessons we learned, and thehopes we consolidated. For us at WANEP, 2002 will go down inour history as a year when we experienced phenomenal growthand made marked achievements for peace, social reconciliation,and human security.In November 2001 we launched our Women in Peacebuilding Pro-gram. Our goal was to give special attention to building the ca-pacity of women so that they become active peacebuilders. Manydismissed our plan as idealistic and therefore unrealistic. The skeptics were baffled when the

program celebrated its first year in Dakar in November 2002. The WIPNET program grew from 14 women at the initial consultation in Nov2001 to over 400 women by Nov 2002. It touched the lives of at least 10,000 women in 8 countries. More than 400 women are membersof the coalition and 8 members rose to become confident trainers in just one year. Two did their first international consultancy as trainersoutside of their countries.With support from the Forum on Early Warning and Early Response (FEWER) WANEP launched its West Africa Early Warning andResponse Network (WARN) to monitor and report emerging conflicts so as to reverse the negative trends or at least reduce the impactof violent conflicts on ordinary people. Guided by our philosophy of gradualism we started with training of analysts selected from theMano River basin countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea including Cote d�Ivoire. WARN�s plan for 2002 was to complete the firstphase of the training by training conflict monitors for the targeted countries. The September 19 coup turned rebellion in Cote d�Ivoirestarted just two weeks after the training of monitor workshop for Guinea and Cote d�Ivoire held in Grand Basam, Cote d�Ivoire. The newlytrained monitors in Cote d�Ivoire immediately began reporting on the trends of the Cote d�Ivoire conflict. As these reports streamed into ouroffice and as we followed the efforts of ECOWAS and international governments to end the crisis, WANEP felt the need to participate inthe process by providing critical, local, evidence based analysis to policy makers. We produced five reports. The reports were widelydisseminated, thanks to partners like FEWER and CRS. International media institutions, UN agencies, the United States Agency forInternational Development and some regional and international government missions have rated the reports as high quality, balanced, andinformative for decision-making. We were pleasantly surprised by these feedbacks since we were not prepared for critical reporting.At the 32nd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples� rights, held in the Gambian capital, Banjul, WANEP wasgranted Observer Status to the Commission. WANEP has now been provided with the unique opportunity to participate fully in theCommission�s activities and serve as a reference point for issues relating to peace and security in West Africa.Just as the year was ending, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its West Africa Regional Program(WARP) awarded WANEP and CRS a two-year contract. The project will allow WANEP to engage ECOWAS at a more formal level onissues of peace and security and build a broader coalition of civil society. This is the moment we have been waiting for. Instead of sittingback and lamenting about the way decisions are made at the political level to resolve conflicts in West Africa, civil society organizationsand groups will now have direct access to the decision makers.The humble organization we launched five years ago has grown to a professional, internationally recognized institution. Those of us wholead humbled and modest lives are now pressured to learn how to wear booboos, agbadas, suites and ties. We are pressured to learnthe culture of diplomacy in order to ably represent our grand coalition in official peacebuilding.We are grateful to our donor partners, members, and fans in and out of West Africa. It is your support that has kept us in this work. Wealso extend deep gratitude to our colleagues at the Secretariat. They are the actual narrators of the stories you will read in this report. Theactors in these stories are our many members throughout West and Central Africa. The narrators have told the stories and witnessed tothe fortitude of the actors while we bask in the celebrations!

Emmanuel H. BombandeProgramme DirectorSam G. DoeExecutive Director

Management ReportWest Africa Network for Peacebuilding

Capacity Building Training & Support to Members E. Bombande & S. Doe

The Capacity Building Program aims at strengthening grass root, community based peacebuilding national net-works and practitioners to deliver quality services in peacebuilding and social reconciliation. Primary focus of 2002included elaboration of the Peacebuilding Impact Assessment project, the launch of a permanent training institute�theWest Africa Peacebulding Institute (WAPI), and continuous capacity building support to member organizations.Objectives• Conduct local, national, and regional training in various areas of peacebuilding• Produce and disseminate resource materials for peacebuilding• Provide internship opportunities so as to mentor emerging practitioners• Assist peacebuilding organizations in program design and impact assessment• Launch a permanent training institute

o Strengthen National NetworksAt the Annual General Meeting of 2001 members amendedthe WANEP constitution with a clause that limits the di-rect involvement of the regional Secretariat in activities ofindividual organizations in each country. For effective co-ordination all national peacebuilding organizations now re-late to the regional Secretariat through their national net-works. With support from the European Union (EU), theCatholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid(CORDAD) and DKA-Austria WANEP supplied desktopcomputers and seed grants to six national networks (Liberia,Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Togo, and Nigeria) and fa-cilitated series of organizational development workshopsand meetings. Through WANEP�s support the offices ofthe national networks in Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria arestaffed and actively operational.o WANEP Launches WAPIAt a colourful ceremony held at the Golden Tulip in Ghanaon 2nd September the first West African peacebuilding in-

stitute was born. Representative of Ghana�s Minister ofDefence who launched WAPI told the audience that thename reminded him of a sweet that was once common inGhana but had become extinct since. He hoped that WAPIwill help in reviving and restoring the sweetness of WestAfrica. A participant from Uganda also indicated that theword WAPI is a Swahili word which means, where. Bothinterpretations explain the intent behind WAPI. It will in-crease the number of competent, active peacebuilding prac-titioners in West Africa. These trained practitioners will joinin the search for justice, peace, and social reconciliationso that West Africa can become sweet again for all itschildren. 46 participants (32 men and 14 women) from 14countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Guinea Bissau,Senegal, the Gambia, Niger, Togo, Benin, Cote d�Ivoire,Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Chad, and Uganda par-ticipated in the course. Support for WAPI came from theWilliam and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Catholic ReliefServices-West Africa Regional Office, Mennonite CentralCommittee, and the Eastern Mennonite University.o Internship

During the period under review WANEP admitted fourinterns from Burkina Faso, Togo, and Ghana. The in-terns participated in the administrative and programactivities of WANEP for twelve consecutive months.By involving young graduates in the work of WANEPmany young West Africans have developed interest inpursuing professional courses in the area ofpeacebuilding. In the coming year two interns fromNigeria and Benin will be admitted. Both have alreadycompleted their academic courses in peacebuildingat the Ibadan University in Nigeria and Mindolo Ecu-menical University in Zambia.

Impacto Since their return to their respective communities af-

ter attending WAPI, news of their active engagementAnnual Report 2002 7

Highlights of Activities

Program Report 2002West Africa Network for Peacebuilding


Annual Report 20028

Program Report 2002

with building peace has been pour-ing in the Secretariat.- Robana Nhathe, the only par-

ticipant from Guinea Bissau,has briefed members of hisGovernment and representa-tives of the United Nations inGuinea Bissau. His enthusi-astic report led to the invita-tion of WANEP to GuineaBissau. We now have activeand willing organizations andindividuals in Guinea Bissau

- Participants from Senegalhave already begun discus-sions on the development ofa Senegambia Network. Jus-tice Lens Coordinator ofWANEP facilitated a consul-tation in Zighinchor for theSenegambia team.

- The team from the Assemblyof God Development and Re-lief Service in Ghana has fa-

c i l i t a t e dpeacebuildingtraining work-shops in threebible colleges.They are work-ing on a cur-riculum forpeace educa-tion for pas-tors.- S a mJohnson fromthe PressUnion ofLiberia hasc o n d u c t e d

several training workshops formedia practitioners in Liberiasince he left WAPI. In his let-ter to us, Sam indicated thatthe JustPeace model pre-sented at WAPI is the frame-work he uses in his trainingworkshops.

Challengeso The number of applications for

WAPI 2002 was overwhelming. Itwas not possible to satisfy all can-didates. WANEP will increase thenumber of courses to offer in 2003to accommodate the growing de-mand for training in peacebuilding.

o The WAPI courses were con-ducted in the two major languages,French and English. Managingwith two languages while explor-ing concepts and theories was achallenge. All of the Francophone

participants recommended thor-ough translation of training mate-rials in French. They also recom-mended French trainers so thatthey can also get some of the les-sons in their own language. Lo-cating a Francophone trainer inactive peacebuilding is proving dif-ficult.

Lessons Learnedo WAPI has provided WANEP with

an annual forum where learningand experiences from the field canbe collected, collated, and repack-aged as a body of knowledge.WAPI will promote WANEP�s coreobjective of becoming a learningorganization

o Though the focus of WAPI shouldremain in West Africa, it is usefulto encourage a few participantsfrom other sub-regions. The shar-ing from the Uganda participantwas very much appreciated by theWest Africans

o Public or civil servants from Gov-ernments did not gain from theexperience of WAPI. There shouldbe a deliberate effort to bring insuch actors to directly influenceofficial policy.


Network Coordination, Research & Documentation E. Gordon-Mensah & H. C. BirchNetwork Coordination, Research and Coordination promotes harmony and cohesion among civil society basedpeacebuilding organizations and individuals in West Africa. Core activities include networking between members ofWANEP, cross-fertilization of expertise and experience, documentation and publication of lessons learned from thefield, publishing quarterly newsletters and periodic monographs.Objectives• Compile and publish member and resource person directory.• Produce and publish quarterly newsletters, annual report, occasional papers and monographs.• Design and maintain website.• Link related programs within and between countries.• Establish contact with local, regional and international media to promote collaborative peacebuilding in West

Africa.• Profile member organizations in order to promote and legitimize their works.• Conduct research on indigenous methods for peacebuilding in West Africa.• Conduct lessons learned consultations with practitioners.

• Resource CenterWANEP has established a resource room at the Sec-retariat. Books, audio visual materials and periodi-cals are being sorted by an expert on Library develop-ment. WANEP is requesting members and well wish-ers to donate books and other resource materials tothe Resource Center. The Center will serve studentsof WAPI, interns and others who are pursuing studiesin peacebuilding.

• Website Design and MaintenanceA Website Assistant/Desktop Publisher has been em-ployed to handle the maintenance of the website anddesign and layout all publications. With support fromour internet service provider (ISP) the Website Assis-tant/Desktop Publisher has redesigned the WANEPwebsite in French and English.

• PublicationsDuring the period under review WANEP published threequarterly newsletters (WANEPLinks), 2001 Annual Re-port, three topical papers, Report on Civil Society Con-sultation in Nigeria, and a WAPI brochure.

• National NetworksSecretariats for four national networks were developedand equipped. These are Nigeria, Côte d�Ivoire, Togoand Ghana. WANEP will actively engage national net-works in the coming year so as to improve upon thecoordination of in-country peacebuilding.

• Members and Resource Persons DirectoryProgress has been made on the compilation of infor-mation on civil society based peacebuilding organiza-tions that are members of WANEP in West Africa in-cluding Cameroon. It was hoped that the directorywould have been published by the end of 2002 but thiswas not possible due to the slow response from someof our members and also the need to include mem-bers of the newly inaugurated national networks in thedirectory. This has been the major setback. It is hopedthat by the end of the first quarter of 2003 all informa-tion would have been collated from all network mem-bers and the directory would be published.

OutcomesA website (www.wanep.org) has been established. Thesite has received a large number of visitors from Africa, theUnited States, Europe, and Asia. The site contains publi-cations, basic facts on WANEP, early warning reports onconflict trends in West Africa and research reports. Ef-




Annual Report 200210


Program Report 2002

forts are being made to expand the search engine and re-pair all broken links of the site to enhance access. Thewebsite also hosts the West Africa Peacebuilding Instituteat www.wanep.org/wapi.WANEP-Links and From the Field series are helping in thecross-fertilization of knowledge and experience. The publi-cations are widely distributed and readership is increasing.Particular positive feedback is the emphasis on practiceinstead of theoretical discourse. Grass root organizationleast known are now being exposed to the internationalcommunity through these publications.Difficulties• The concept of peacebuilding network is new and many

organizations and individuals seem to have conflictingexpectations of the alliance. The Secretariat regularly

visited national networks to clarify expecta-tions, resolve conflicts rooted in powerstruggle and lack of understanding of thefunction of national peacebuilding networks.• Poor communication infrastructure innearly all West African countries hamperseffective communication and coordination.Besides, it makes the task of communica-tion very expensive.• Travel in West Africa is another challenge.Only a few airlines fly in West Africa andthese are unreliable and very expensive tosay the least. Flights are missed, delayedand cancelled and this affect our work ad-versely.• The banking system and the transfer ofmoney from one country to the other for

project implementation have proven extremely difficultas well. Many times, resources are carried by staff inorder to ensure that the funds are available and ontime for project implementation. This increases risksto the personal safety of staff.

Activities for the Next Project Period• Institutional development support for 6 national net-

works• Computers for 3 national networks• 4 Quarterly Newsletters• Publish Directory for Member Organizations/Resource

Persons• 2 Board of Administrators Meetings (2 each year)• 1 Annual General Meeting• 1 Annual Report• 2 Monograph or 6 topical papers• 2 Intern support


Non-Violence and Peace Education Program: The rate at which West Africa�s hospitable cultures are being replaced with theculture of violence, disaffection, religious intolerance, and fear is alarming. Respect for life, appreciation for relationship andcommunity, deference for age, roles, and sex are becoming values of the past. The social, moral, political, and economicdecadence has crept into both formal and informal educational sectors. Lack of well-trained teachers who see teaching as avocation as opposed to an occupation to earn a living, lack of adequate and context-relevant pedagogic materials for teaching,little or no recognition of the teaching profession, and high level of corruption within education institutions leading to theerosion of the merit system explain the persistent politics of the belly, primodialism, and underdevelopment that now defineWest Africa.The Active Nonviolence and Peace Education program supported by the European Union through CORDAID and DKA-Austriais WANEP�s attempt to proactively address the crisis of identity and culture of violence that is spreading in the sub-continent.By targeting teachers who have become the primary group for socialization and children-West Africa�s future, WANEP hopes tocontribute to a better tomorrow where the sanctity of life, character, and integrity will be restored and appreciated. The programbegan in August 2000, although 2002 is the second year of a three-year support from the European Union.In the second year under review the Active Non-violence and Peace Education Program emphasized the development of thepedagogic tools required for the operationalization of the program in formal schools. The three year program is imple-mented in seven West African countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Cote d�Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and GhanaObjectives• Develop region-specific curriculum, teacher�s guide, and source books for non-violence and peace education• Organize Training of Trainers (TOT) workshops for teachers from the seven pilot countries• Design strategies for the implementation of a three-year peace education program and conduct trial test of the

curricula in 84 schools selected from the pilot countries• Organize a regional conference of ministers for education, youth, and the girl child to adopt policies that will

mainstream peacebuilding and non-violence in the educational systems of West Africa• Develop peace clubs in the selected schools

Annual Report 2002

Active Nonviolence and Peace Education L. Addae-Mensah

11

Program Report 2002

Highlights of ActivitiesThe second year of the project focused on the testing andcontextualization of the pedagogic tools developed in 2001.These include curriculum, teacher�s guide and source booksfor primary, junior and senior secondary schools of both theFrancophone and Anglophone West Africa. The following ac-tivities were undertaken to achieve this goal:Pre-testing workshopsThe process of designing and developing a curriculum,teacher�s guide and sourcebook on non-violence and peaceeducation began with the organisation of a conference ofexperts in May 2001 with several other meetings of the workingcommittee following on. A series of pre-testing workshopswith thirty teachers in each country began in 2001 andconcluded during the period under review. The last twoworkshops were in early 2002 in Liberia and Ghana. Throughthese workshops, teachers made significant contributions tothe development of the materials. Finalising working drafts of materialsTwo significant meetings took place during the year to collatethe various findings and observations from the variousworkshops and review the process so far. First was the 3-dayworking session in Lagos with the WANEP WIPNET

coordinator. Then followed another 3-day meeting in Dakarwith a group of francophone educators to begin the process ofadapting the tools to francophone context and review theprocess so far. Out of this process a paper that outlines thestrategy for implementing the programme in schools wasproduced.• Development of Peer Mediation Handbook

During the year under review, WANEP contracted a con-sultant to design a draft training manual for schools look-ing specifically at peer mediation. The forty-page draftmanual was completed in November. It outlines the tech-niques for peer mediation, its importance and relevancefor West African youths, and skills of peer mediation.Methodology for the use of the handbook are also in-cluded. It is important to note that the consultant hired forthis project is among the first youths to experience peermediation processes in West Africa. He was trained in1994 as peer mediator, operated peer mediation programin his secondary school for 3 years and later became atrainer both in his home country of Liberia and other WestAfrica countries for five years. The manual is, therefore,rich with practical experience.




Program Report 2002

• Formation of Country TeamsEach country in the pilot project is to form a country teamof not more than 5 people to oversee the implementationof the project in 12 schools in their countries. WANEPcompleted the formation of country teams for theAnglophone countries in the project. The team comprisesfive persons including two representatives from theWANEP national secretariat, one person from the minis-try of education, and two teachers with interest in peaceeducation. The country team will serve as trainers in peaceeducation and non-violence in each country. The teamwill coordinate the organisation of all follow-up activitiesrelating to the non-violence and peace educationprogramme, monitor and accompany the trained teach-ers and students, liaise with relevant institutions relatingto education, and facilitate the incorporation of theprogramme into the West Africa school systems.

• Training Workshop for Country TeamsA five-day training of trainers� workshop for 21 personsselected from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Ghanatook place from 16th to 20th December 2002 in Elmina,Ghana. Objectives for the training were to:o Expose the teams to the concepts, philosophy, and

methodology of the pedagogic tools for school basedpeacebuilding and social reconciliation

o Develop skills in facilitating peer mediation trainingand the use of the peer mediation handbook

o Discuss and design terms of reference for conduct-ing research on issues of education andpeacebuilding in West Africa as preparation for thepolicy conference with ministers of education sched-uled for 2003

o Design strategies for the implementation of the policyconference

Outputso Peer Mediation Handbooko Curriculum for Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary

Schoolso Trainers Guide for Teacherso Four Country Teams in Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and

Sierra LeoneKey challenges

o Getting schedules of the working committee to coin-cide has been extremely difficult. Contacting mem-bers individually and through the email system eventhis proved difficult as a number of the members havelittle access to the internet.

o We are still wrestling with the applicability of an inte-grated peace education curriculum for the French and

English speaking countries. The feasibility of thisstrategy will be tested in the coming year

o Schedules of schools in the sub region vary. As aresult planning regional activities and programs wasalso a challenge

Lessons learnto Workshops organized for teachers provided the most

learning experience for us during the reporting period.We were brought closer to the realities of being a teacherin West Africa. Various methods of teaching, attitudes ofteachers towards teaching and students, attitudes ofcommunity towards teachers, and students� expectationsof teacher and teaching were explored.

o Involving the teachers deepened sense of ownership inthe respective countries. This re-emphasises the extremeimportance of involving target groups and key stakehold-ers in all stages of a project. Most teachers left the work-shops with elevated sense of worth as a teacher. Theynow appreciate the critical role they play in the making ofpersons and building of society. We hope society toowould do reciprocate and give back to the teachers theirdignity and recognition.

o Team approach to the process was also realized andwell appreciated. This prompted the idea of creating coun-try teams which was not originally designed in the pro-gram. The country team approach is also strategic as itfacilitates the process of contextualisation and ensuringsustainability of the project in each country. As the projectunfolds in each country the team will be expanded. Ulti-mately, a national coalition that will revolutionize educa-tion in West Africa would evolve in each country.

Follow-up plansThe following are the plans we hope will help to achieve theoverall goal of the programme in the subsequent and finalproject year:• Translation of materials into French• Training of trainers (francophone countries)• Training of Teachers who will train peer mediators• Training of peer mediators in schools• Research on Education Policies Roles in Promoting

Peace, Social Reconciliation, and inter-group co-exist-ence

• Conference of ministers of education for Policy design foreducation for peacebuilding in West Africa

• Development of learner�s handbook• Formation of peace clubs


WARN is an integral part of the West Africa Proventive Peacebuilding Program of WANEP. As a member of the Forumon Early Warning and Early Response (FEWER) WANEP through this program is setting the stage for a civil societybased early warning and response network in West Africa. WARN�s geographical scope covers the entire EconomicCommunity of West African States (ECOWAS) sub-region including Cameroon and Chad. Present focus is the ManoRiver Basin countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, and Côte d�Ivoire with immediate plans to expand into the formerSene-Gambia region. Funding for activities implemented during this reporting period was provided by the Catholic ReliefServices (CRS)-West Africa Regional Office (CRS-WARO). Activities for this reporting period included two trainingworkshops for conflict monitors in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea Conakry, and Côte d�Ivoire, two strategic risk andopportunity assessment reports, and a training manual.Objectives• Develop local and regional capacities/structures for early-warning and response through training, technical assis-

tance and data-based development• Develop and monitor context-specific conflict and peace indicators• Foster a collaborative relationship between civil society and already established regional/international peacebuilding

and conflict prevention organizations by sharing and documenting preventive instruments, mechanisms, tools andpriorities

• Promote proactive and integrated approaches to conflict prevention and peacebuilding

• Training of Monitors (TOM): TheWest Africa Early Warning andResponse Network (WARN) con-siders training as the foundationon which the analysts and practi-tioners draw their knowledge andskills. The goal of the training istherefore to develop knowledgebase and skills of peacebuilding,human rights, media and develop-ment workers who will serve asconflict and peace monitors to re-port on conflict trends and thepsycho-dynamics of key peaceand conflict stakeholders in the

sub-region. A total of 75 conflictand peace monitors were trainedin Liberia (August 5-10) for SierraLeone and Liberia and Côte d�Ivoire(August 26-30) for Guinea-Conakryand Côte d�Ivoire. The Côte d�Ivoiretraining was particularly signifi-cant. Less than three weeks afterthe training a rebellion engulfed thecountry and the conflict indicatorsparticipants identified have be-come the justification for thepresent rebellion in Côte d�Ivoire.

• Training Manual: The two train-ing of monitors sessionsand WANEP�s experi-ence over the years pro-vided the basis and ma-terial for the region spe-cific training manual inconflict and peace moni-toring that has been de-veloped. The manual isbeing reviewed and willbe published in the nextproject period. Themanual is divided intothree sections: ConflictAnalysis, Early Monitor-ing and Warning, and

Response Mapping, Analysis andMobilization.

• Strategic Risk and OpportunityAssessment: This constitutes adata base document. It identifiesthe country specific stability andinstability indicators, key actors/spoilers/connectors/triggers, ana-lyzes them, and proposes strate-gies for conflict prevention, reso-lution and transformation. Twostudies were conducted during thereporting period on post-war SierraLeone and crisis-ridden Coted�Ivoire. Reports from the studiesare completed.

• Situation or Early Warning Re-ports and Policy Briefs:WARN�s idea was to complete thefirst phase of the training this yearand effectively start the reportingprocess beginning 2003. The Sep-tember 19 coup turned rebellion inCôte d�Ivoire became the litmustest for WARN. WARN in responsepublished five Policy Briefs on thesituation in Côte d�Ivoire. Theanalyses and the scenarios werevastly circulated to WANEP�s part-

West Africa Early Warning & Response Network (WARN) T. Suifon




ners. FEWER Secretariat providedthe peer review and led in interna-tional dissemination. Feedbacksfrom readers including diplomats,the UN agencies, and key politi-cal leaders in the region are stillcoming in.

• Engaging the Media: Althoughthis was not a planned activity theProgram Coordinator and directorsof WANEP have provided inter-views with local and internationalmedia institution. Three interviewswith Radio Deutschewelle (Voiceof Germany), three interviews withBBC World Service, one briefingwith Radio France International(RFI), one interview with ChristianScience Monitor-World Service,and a number of interviews with lo-cal FM stations in Accra, Ghana.

OUTCOMES• As a result of WANEP�s quality

analysis of conflicts in West Af-rica, the organization has gainedthe attention of highly credible in-ternational media;

• WANEP is quoted by a number ofinternational diplomats and report-ing networks including UN-IRIN

• 75 individuals are now trained con-flict monitors in the most unstableregion of West Africa; their reportswill hopefully contribute to peace

and security inthe region. Al-ready conflictmonitors inCôte d�Ivoire areresponsible forthe unique roleWANEP isplaying in thecurrent crisis;their local onthe ground re-ports inform thea n a l y s e sWANEP is pro-ducing for

policy makersChallenges• The need for timely conflict report-

ing for effective policy influencingis critical, yet the rapid rate atwhich conflict changes once it hasreached a crisis proportion is diffi-cult if not impossible to manage;

• Those who have the means andresponsibility to act to manage ortransform conflicts often do notread conflict reports. They are toobusy to give any attention to analy-sis. WANEP is yet to have fullaccess to national and regionalpolicy makers in West Africa; Con-sequently, we suffer the traumaborne out of helplessness�know-ing about an impending crisis andgoing through the risksand pain to warn aboutit and yet living to seethe doom happens�ishighly traumatic to saythe least;

• Governments in WestAfrica, especially re-pressive regimes, stillperceive civil societybased early warning asintelligence gatheringfor foreign governments;as a result conflict moni-



Program Report 2002

tors and analysts suffer personalthreats including death threats.During the period under review theExecutive Director of WANEP es-caped near death in the hands ofthe Anti-Terrorist Unit of the Gov-ernment of Liberia while conduct-ing training for conflict monitors inMonrovia; he walked several hoursinto the bushes to escape Liberia.These threats are real and couldincrease as WANEP�s conflict re-ports gain wide acceptance andare referred to by international me-dia institutions. How to managesuch risks is a major challenge.

Activities for the Next PeriodWARN has just entered into a majorpartnership with the Catholic ReliefServices (CRS) to implement a Ca-pacity Building in Conflict Preventionand Good Governance Project for theConflict Prevention Unit of ECOWASand Civil Society Organizations(COSs) in West Africa. The projectcommenced October 2002. Activitieswill include training, institution supportto CSOs and ECOWAS, and conflictreporting. We look to 2003 with ex-citement as this project brings uscloser to ECOWAS, the institution thatis at the centre of track onepeacebuilding in West Africa.


Collaborative Peacebuilding Programme in Sierra Leone (CPP-SL): During the year under review, WANEPsuccessfully concluded the first phase of the Collaborative Peacebuilding Program in Sierra Leone (CPP-SL). Theprogram was designed in September 1999 following an intensive assessment of the Sierra Leone conflict. WANEPtogether with its partners consulted with 15 civil society organizations, 2 inter-governmental agencies and two govern-ment ministers. The Collaborative Peacebuilding Program was then designed taking into account concerted and inte-grated strategies in peacebuilding. Twenty national consultations, workshops, and meetings were held during theproject life. Eighty members of parliament, 120 civil society leaders, 20 paramount chiefs, 40 primary victims, and 180former combatants of the defunct Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), Revolutionary United Front (RUF),former Sierra Leonean Army (SLA), and the Civil Defence Forces (CDF) directly benefited from the project.Core activities carried out during this reporting period included a consultation with primary victims and an interimend-of-project assessment. Ongoing institutional support to the Network for Collaborative Peacebuilding in SierraLeone, an offspring of the CPP-SL is captured in the report.Objectives• Promote the development and articulation of local perspectives and definition of the Sierra Leone Conflict• Facilitate understanding of the concepts and frameworks of peace and reconciliation in a context of a post-war

society• Build national coalition for peace, social reconciliation and post-war re-socialization• Participate in the design and operationalization of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Special Court

• Victim GroupsAs part of the consultations with stra-tegic stakeholders who have the ca-pacity to influence durable socialpeace, WANEP organized a threeday consultation with VictimGroups. Forty participants includingthose physically disabled by the civilwar attended the consultation. Ourprimary objective was to ascertainthe prevailing understanding of pri-mary victims of the definition of theconflict, their expectations for post-war Sierra Leone, and their role inhealing and reconciliation. It wasrevealed during the consultation thathumanitarian support to victimgroups has been increasingly re-duced. There has been no cam-paign, commensurate to the inter-nationally acclaimed disarmamentprogram for ex-combatants, to de-mobilize and restore the lost hu-manity of war victims. No public andnational recognition has been ac-corded them as yet. The workshopprovided the opportunity for victimsto express their grief, anger, shame,and despair.

We were challenged to demonstratein concrete terms our commitmentto address the material and survivalneeds of victims. ConsequentlyWANEP supported three of the vic-tims with sewing machines andemployed one of the ex-combatantsin the offices of the NCP-SL. Otherswere given one-year scholarships.While it is true that WANEP is not inrelief, it was difficult to leave thesevictims without a symbolic demon-stration of goodwill. The NCP-SLhas been following progress in thelives of the participants from theseworkshops especially those forwhom we provided scholarshipsand skills support. Some have al-ready been referred to members ofWANEP who deal directly with reliefand rehabilitation.

• Peace Impact Assessment (PIA)In the three-year program for SierraLeone WANEP integrate a mecha-nism to monitor and assess the im-pact of work done in the country.During this reporting period, a peaceimpact assessment survey wasconducted. Terms of reference in-

cluding a framework for conductingthe survey were developed, dis-cussed and approved by all stake-holders including the Network forCollaborative Peacebuilding in Si-erra Leone (NCP-SL), donor part-ners (CORDAID and Act-Nether-lands) and the African Peacebuildingand Reconciliation Network basedin Nairobi, Kenya.A total of 60 participants drawn fromthe four provinces in Sierra Leoneattended the PIA. Those who at-tended the assessment consulta-tion were participants of the project.After attending the workshops andconsultation they applied the skillsand concept in their works. The goalof WANEP, therefore, was to ascer-tain the impact of the project on theirpersonal lives and professional orcommunity work. It also examinedpeacebuilding approaches andstrategies adopted by the beneficia-ries of this project, whether the fiveoperating principles ofpeacebuilding shared during theworkshops and consultations wereupheld in their work. The principles



Program Report 2002Collaborative Peacebuilding in Sierra Leone E. Bombande, Coordinator


Highlights of Activitiesare comprehensiveness, local ownership, strategic think-ing and acting, interdependence, and sustainability. A fullreport of the PIA including narratives of qualitative impactof the project is available at WANEP Secretariat and willbe hosted on the website (www.wanep.org) in 2003.

OUTPUTS• 630 participants (about 200 women) participated directly

in all activities of the project; while over 50,000 radio audi-ence benefited from peace campaigns carried out throughthe radio.

• A framework for concerted and collaborativepeacebuilding called Network for CollaborativePeacebuilding was established during the project; theNCP-SL remains the only infrastructure that articulatecooperation, networking, and coordination among local,national, and international organizations operating in post-war Sierra Leone.

• Over 60 members of the NCPSL have attended advancedcourses through the support of WANEP both in and out ofWest Africa; these trained members are now the team oftrainers, conflict monitors and analysts in Sierra Leone.Their expertise are being used locally and internationally.

• A Standing Committee on National Reconciliation wasconceived during consultations with members of parlia-ment in 2001; the MPs followed through their commit-ments by establishing into law a framework in parliamentthat will strategize and articulate peacebuilding and so-cial reconciliation in Sierra Leone.

• While it may be difficult for WANEP to claim its role inSierra Leone�s peace process at the political level, lead-ers of the RUF and AFRC who participated in WANEP�sconsultation have indicated the impact of those delibera-tions on decisions they made during negotiations in andout of the country; change of language and frequent useof words like �the cycle of violence�, reconciliation, build-ing bridges with coalition of the willing, became commonjargons picked up from these consultations by the rebelleaders.

• Beneficiaries of this project still maintain their relation-ship with WANEP and the NCP-SL by frequently visitingthe offices of NCP-SL, maintaining communication withWANEP, and actively participating in post-warpeacebuilding in Sierra Leone.

KEY CHALLENGES• Scars of Sierra Leone�s decade long civil war are evident

everywhere in the country. While a number of people try torepress the psychological scars in order to survive, the


Program Report 2002

maimed and physically disabled, women and girls whobecame HIV positive out of gang rape, the unprecedentedincrease in prostitution and street begging, and the pres-ence of dilapidated buildings everywhere make forget-ting impossible for all Sierra Leoneans. Facing head onthe painful past cannot be wished away.

• Resources needed to heal the past are in short supply.The Truth and Reconciliation Commission charged withthis responsibility to heal old wounds and build a newsociety is grossly under-funded while the Special Courtthat targets not more than 100 war criminal in the countryhas 58 million United States dollars to do its job. TheSpecial Court, though needed to re-establish justice inSierra Leone, lacks the mandate and capacity to rebuildSierra Leone�s shattered society. The under-funding ofhealing and reconciliation processes in Sierra Leone isnot only a challenge, it is a threat to durable peace in thecountry.

• There are multiple intervention activities in Sierra Leonewith hundreds of organizations working on a wide rangeof issues including relief, development and peace. Inmany instances, these multiple activities have not informedone another; thus, creating a gridlock. The Network forCollaborative Peacebuilding in Sierra Leone and itsmembers are attempting to encourage complimentarityand cooperation. The task is proving difficult althoughgradually many are beginning to appreciate workingtogether.

• Managing the leadership of the Network and ensuringeffective coordination is the current challenge. WANEP isendeavoring to elaborate and clarify the structure and op-eration of network and collaborative frameworks. In thecoming years the structural and operational clarity will bedone in Sierra Leone through workshops and consulta-tions.

LESSONS LEARNEDSierra Leone taught us that operating integrated and collabo-rative peacebuilding program in a deeply divided society re-quires flexibility, careful and continuous planning, and con-stant affirmation of the power and resources of local actors. Itrequires transparency, trust-building, and focus on processinstead of result. During the three years we cannot count oneplan that was carried out smoothly and according to sched-ule. Exigencies including sporadic armed clashes and diffi-culty getting all actors at a scheduled time challenged oursearch for peace in the country. The success we claim todayis a result of patience, hope, faith in local actors, and constantexploitation of interpersonal conflicts as opportunity for per-sonal and collective growth. Our understanding of the psy-chology of people under crisis and people intervening in cri-sis increased significantly as well.


Justice Building in West Africa: With support from the European Union through CORDAID, a study is underway tosurvey the current relationship between peacebuilding and human rights organisations in West Africa. The projectseeks to develop the framework and strategy whereby human rights and peacebuilding practitioners will harmonizetheir interventions so that justice and peace can embrace both in theory and in practice. The project was conceivedalong with CORDAID and Samuel Kofi Woods, a renowned human rights activist from Liberia. The partners believe thatin order to achieve durable peace in West Africa, a more collaborative relationship between human rights and peacebuildingorganizations is required.A consultant was hired by WANEP to carryout the study. At the first meeting with Management of WANEP, a detailedwork plan was produced. Activities include a survey of human rights organisations in West Africa and their capacitiesto influence issues of justice and peace, conduct two case studies on transitional justice in Sierra Leone and the roleof the Africa Commission for Human and People�s Rights in re-establishing justice in countries emerging from armedconflicts in West Africa; conduct 3 in-country consultations between human rights & peacebuilding organisations inSenegal, Guinea Bissau & Sierra Leone; and develop a conceptual framework for an integrated justice and peacebuildingcourse to be taught at the West Africa Peacebuilding Institute (WAPI).Objectives• Identify and map human rights and peacebuilding organizations in West Africa and their capacity to influence issues of

justice and peace in their respective contexts;• Assess the operational relationship between human rights and peacebuilding organizations in West Africa, as well as

their ability or willingness to participate in regional collaborative programmes;• Assess the main issues and challenges facing human rights and peacebuilding organizations in West Africa and their

current strategies to counter such challenges;• Promote national and regional dialogue between human rights and peacebuilding practitioners and organizations in

West Africa;• Identify key strategic interventions of human rights organizations and their correlation in peacebuilding and vice versa;• Support longer-term efforts of human rights organizations to promote the culture of peace, justice, and reconciliation

through offering appropriate training in justice and peacebuilding concepts and skills at the West Africa PeacebuildingInstitute (WAPI);

Annual Report 2002

Justice Building in West Africa F. M�Boge

17

Program Report 2002

Highlights of Activities• Directory of Human Rightsorganisations

A data base on human rights andpeacebuilding organizations in allcountries of West Africa is beingcompiled. This will act as a usefulguide as it will highlight their institu-tional and operational capacities, thestrengths they will bring to joint ven-tures, their weaknesses and criticalareas for capacity building. A Ques-tionnaire was developed and usedas instrument for data collection inthe field.

• In-Country Consultation with Hu-man rights and PeacebuildingorganisationsThree consultations were planned.So far, two have been held inZighinchor at the heart of the

Casamance region of SouthernSenegal and in the capital of GuineeBissau. During each consultation,a total of 25 peacebuilding and hu-man rights organisations active onthe ground came together to engagein open dialogue aimed at assess-ing their operational relationship, aswell as their ability or willingness toparticipate in regional collaborativeprogrammes. In doing so, we con-sidered the main issues and chal-lenges facing human rights andpeacebuilding organizations andbrainstormed on the current strate-gies to counter such challenges.The media expressed interest in theconsultations and awareness wasincreased with the general public byWANEP�s participation in radioprogrammes and interviews inGuinea Bissau and Senegal.

• Case studiesThe study was also expected to con-duct two case studies in which theConsultant is to analyse strategiesused by justice or human rights andpeacebuilding organizations in theirrespective interventions with focuson identifying strategic links. Thedemonstrative case studies gavethe study a thematic focus. The firstcase study was conducted on �Therole of the African Commission onHuman and People�s Rights in ad-dressing human rights violations incountries emerging from violent civilconflicts�. Draft report from this studyis completed and is being reviewedat the WANEP Secretariat. The sec-ond case study aimed at assess-ing �the role of human rights andpeacebuilding NGOs in Post-Con-


flict Peacebuilding� is due to be con-ducted in Sierra Leone in February2003.

• Application for Observer Status tothe African Commission on Humanand People�s RightsHuman rights activists andorganisations from across the Afri-can continent and internationalNGOs, state representatives, andnational human rights institutionsgather each year for the OrdinarySession of the African Commissionon Human and People�s Rights withheadquarters in Banjul, TheGambia. While pre-paring to conduct thefirst case study on theCommission, theConsultant discov-ered that althoughWANEP is the largestpeacebuilding coali-tion in West Africa itdoes not affiliate withthe African Commis-sion. The Consultanttherefore applied onbehalf of WANEP forobserver status withthe Commission. Atthe 32nd OrdinarySession of the AfricanCommission on Hu-man and Peoples�rights, held in theGambian capital, Banjul, WANEPwas granted Observer Status to theCommission. WANEP has nowbeen provided with the unique op-portunity to participate fully in theCommission�s activities and serveas a reference point for issues re-lating to peace and security in WestAfrica. WANEP can now bring to theattention of the Commission issuesof peace and security and influencethe agenda of Ordinary sessions.

Outcomes• A major outcome during this report-

ing period is the granting of observerstatus to WANEP by the African Com-mission on Human and People�s

Rights. Being close to the largesthuman rights entity on the Africancontinent is already a markedachievement for WANEP�s goal toharmonize justice andpeacebuilding work in the sub re-gion.

• As a result of the consultation inSenegal, human rights andpeacebuilding organizations are inthe process of launching apeacebuilding network for WANEPin Senegal. This is a clear indica-tion of the level of commitment ofthese various organizations to de-velop an all inclusive approach to

building justice and peace inSenegal particularly in theCasamance region where a 20-yearsecession war persists.

• Also, for the first time, through thisproject, WANEP has entered GuineaBissau. Organizations in GuineaBissau are also working to estab-lish a national coalition for justiceand peacebuilding. With a networkin Guinea Bissau, WANEP can nowboast of presence in all memberstates of the Economic Communityof West African States (ECOWAS).

Challenges· Language divide in West Africa

proved to be a challenge in linkingorganizations and expertise acrossthe region. The major challengewas experienced in the Portuguesespeaking country of Guinea Bissauas none of WANEP�s staff speak Por-tuguese. The use of interpreters andthe translation of documents wasdifficult and yet necessary.

• Arranging travel throughout theregion posed its own challengeswhich meant that extra days had tobe added to each travel to coverdelays and flight irregularity andconnections.· The organization of in-country con-sultations revealed some of the chal-

lenges and obstaclesfaced by the organisationsthemselves that hindertheir ability to work to-gether effectively.· Involvement in coun-tries where WANEP hasnot been active requiredsome active work to en-gage partners and con-tacts to facilitate thesmooth implementation ofthe project.

Activities for the NextProject Period• Organise the final incountry consultation withhuman rights &p e a c e b u i l d i n g

organisations in Sierra Leone• Conduct case study on the role of

human rights and peacebuildingNGOs in post-conflict Sierra Leone

• Produce a working directory of hu-man rights organisations in WestAfrica

• Design a module outline for a jus-tice and peacebuilding course to betaught at WAPI 2003

• Publish the final report of the projectas a monograph· Formulate a concept paper for a re-gional conference on adopting jointstrategies that look at the link be-tween justice / human rights andpeacebuilding issues that are spe-cific to the regional context.


Program Report 2002


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