11-07-2024 | di COOPI

Lake Chad. Launch of the second phase of the "Gender and Peace" project

In the Lake Chad region, COOPI- Cooperazione Internazionale has launched the second phase of the project "Gender and Peace: mobilizing for an inclusive peacebuilding process," thanks to funding from the British government's Commonwealth Foreign and Development Office (CFDO).

The initiative aims to strengthen the capacities of women's organizations and their networks by fostering dialogue on peace and economic conflict management. It also promotes the economic activities of women and young women so as to improve economic opportunities in the region.

During the launch, Sidiki Aboubakar Mfokoue, COOPI's base manager in Bol, emphasized the organization's commitment to supporting the government in resolving inter-community conflicts through the inclusion of women. Governorate Secretary General Grossouchet Boubou reiterated the support of local authorities in implementing the project, exhorting administrative structures, community leaders, and state services to actively engage in the success of the initiative.

The second phase, which will last nine months, will continue the activities of the first phase in the five departments of Lake Province, aiming to reduce social conflicts related to the lack of economic opportunities. Indeed, climate change has eroded natural resources and arable land, increasing tensions in the region. In this context, women and girls are among the main victims.

Therefore, COOPI believes it is crucial to support networks of local women's organizations, such as the Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (ACORD), a pan-African NGO, and the Liaison Unit for Women's Associations of Chad (CELIAF), a network of more than 450 NGOs dedicated to promoting women's rights in the country.

COOPI has been working in Chad since 1976 with a multi-sectoral approach. In the Lake and N'Djamena regions, COOPI provides emergency education to displaced children and local communities, psychological support to trauma victims, and promotes peace, focusing on women's empowerment, the fight against violence and gender discrimination, and conflict prevention.