13-01-2025 | di COOPI

Sila, Chad. Village conflict management committees: a response for vulnerable communities

The "Aleawdat 'iilaa almadrasa/Return to School: responding to the needs of vulnerable populations and deschooled boys and girls in the Sila region” project, run by COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale with financial support from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), has reached a key milestone with the creation of village conflict management committees in eight targeted villages. Launched in April 2024, the project aims to support almost 5,000 people.

The province of Sila, in eastern Chad, has been affected by the Sudanese crisis for several years, a situation that has persisted and continues to have a negative impact on all sectors, particularly education and health. The massive presence of returnees and refugees sometimes generates tensions, both within the host communities and between the returnees and the refugees themselves. It is against this backdrop that these committees have been set up and trained to effectively manage the conflicts that may arise in their communities. Since conflict management is an acquired skill, these committees are now operational and active in their localities to foster mutual acceptance and promote peaceful cohabitation.

The committees were set up according to rigorous and inclusive criteria, in consultation with community leaders, resource persons and traditional authorities. The principles of inclusion and parity have been respected: each committee has 70 members, equally divided between men and women (35 each).

The main aim of structuring these community bodies is to strengthen their ability to manage conflicts effectively, while promoting prevention and awareness-raising within their communities in favour of peaceful cohabitation. The members of these committees have received in-depth training on a number of key aspects: the role and responsibilities of the committee, the fundamental concepts relating to conflicts (in particular peace and violence), the identification and typology of conflicts, and the factors that fuel them. Specific modules were also devoted to analysing the political, economic, social, environmental and security contexts, as well as taking account of gender sensitivity (men and women) and conflicts in schools.

At the end of the training, the members expressed their gratitude and satisfaction at having acquired essential knowledge about conflict management, their main mission, as well as the challenges they will have to face to support their communities. It should be emphasised that one of the key factors in the success of this initiative was the transparency of the member selection process. Thanks to the rigorous involvement of the project team, influential people within the communities were chosen, ensuring effective conflict management that was rooted in the local context.

To guarantee the effectiveness and sustainability of the committees, the project provides for post-training follow-up. The aim of this stage is to reinforce the skills acquired and maximise the impact of the actions undertaken on the ground.

In conclusion, this initiative illustrates how well-structured and transparent community-based solutions can meet the urgent needs of populations affected by complex crises.

Thanks to these committees, the Sila region now has invaluable tools for promoting peace and strengthening the resilience of communities in the face of current and future challenges."

Affirms the project manager with satisfaction.

COOPI has been working in Chad since 1976, adopting a multi-sectoral approach. In the regions of Lac and N'Djamena, it provides emergency education to displaced children and local communities, offers psychosocial support to trauma victims and promotes peace building, with a focus on women's empowerment, gender-based violence and discrimination, and conflict prevention.