From, Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
International Alert on an EU funded project, developed a community action plan with stakeholders on community reintegration of SGBV survivors and repentant Non State Armed Groups (NSAGs).
Those who benefited from the capacity building were chosen from the religious groups, traditional institutions, security agencies, opinion leaders, people living with disabilities, youth group, women, government stakeholders among others.
The Project Manager, International Alert Williams Ubimago while briefing Journalists on the programme stated that they are champions of peace building pointing out that their operations in Yobe State, they work with local partners such as Taimako Development Initiatives and African Youth for Peace Development and Empowerment Foundation.
“We are peace building organization and that is why we work with community structures, traditional leaders, religious leaders and government stakeholders on how to resolve conflicts amicably and non violently”.
According to him, the aim of the workshop is to get stakeholders opinion on what reintegration process should be in Yobe State. “The outcome of the workshop should give birth to a community action plan that will highlight what the Yobe people feel, that the reintegration should look like in the state”.
He further disclosed that at the end of the day, the outcome of the workshop could be used for advocacy purposes, “we will use it to influence decisions regarding integration as a result of the ongoing conflict and in order for us to resolve issues particularly concerning survivors, women and Girls. Children who have been abducted by Non State Armed Groups and returning back to the community”.
“The main aim of indulging in all this is to actually reduce stigma and negative perception against survivors of sexual violence and other Gender Based Violence (GBV) related offences by organized armed groups”
Others are “to prepare communities to accept our loved ones, sisters, mothers, children and family members to actually make them feel safe with us and get over their experiences in the hands of their abductors”.
One of the participants from the People Living With Disability (PLWD), Abba Isa commended the organisers of the training, saying “the state is just recovering from the effects of insurgency and resettlement.
