Writing By Daniel Karlmax ; Editing By Godwin Duru
An indigenous non-profit organization, One Tribe Initiative, has trained twelve women on advanced mediation and negotiation skills in Kaduna State.
The three-day workshop was aimed at empowering women with the necessary tools to become effective peacebuilders in their communities.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the training, the Executive Director of the Initiative, Magdaline Habiba Musa, said the program was organized in partnership with the Women in Mediation Network to cascade mediation and negotiation skills down to grassroots communities.
“The purpose of this workshop is to empower women mediators in Kaduna with advanced mediation and negotiation skills, so they can play a greater role as peace actors in their various communities,” Musa explained.
“We were at The Hague, Netherlands, in July for a two-week intensive training on advanced mediation and negotiation. As part of our action plan, we are cascading that knowledge to the grassroots—and that’s exactly what we’re doing here today,” she added.
Miss. Musa emphasized the inclusive nature of the training, revealing that participants were selected from diverse communities across Kaduna metropolis, representing different religions, ethnicities, and backgrounds.
“Some of the women have a track record in peacebuilding in their communities and workplaces”.
“Others include young women passionate about mediation, as well as businesswomen who wish to contribute to peaceful coexistence,” she said.
The overall goal of the initiative according to her, is to boost women’s participation in peacebuilding at community, state, and national levels.
One of the participants, Rebecca James Belain, described the workshop as a well-thought-out training that fostered knowledge sharing and strengthened the participants’ capacity in mediation.
She emphasized the importance of effective communication, one of the key training modules, noting that miscommunication can often trigger conflict.
She urged fellow participants to apply what they have learned, starting from their homes and extending to their wider communities.
Another participant, Hauwa’u Salisu from Kakuri Makera in Kaduna South Local Government Area, called for more initiatives of this kind to help sustain peace and promote harmonious coexistence in Kaduna and Nigeria at large.
The three-day workshop covered various modules including non-violent communication, minefield games, conflict-sensitive analysis, phases of negotiation, and strategic presentations.
Daniel Karlmax
