Liberia Training Workshop - February 2007

amccoy — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 21:13:15 -0600

LIBERIA TRAINING WORKSHOP

19-23 February 2007, Monrovia City Hall, Liberia

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The New Tactics Liberia Training Workshop was held to highlight tactics that have helped rebuild civil society in the aftermath of war or widespread human rights abuses. Civil society institutions can play a key role in rebuilding societies damaged by war or widespread human rights abuses. Unfortunately, often these organizations are themselves rebuilding or even starting from scratch in a post-conflict society.

The workshop drew from the experiences and resources of the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT), including the New Tactics in Human Rights project. The New Tactics project documents and promotes strategic innovations throughout the human rights movement. This includes projects as large as the International Capacity Building (ICB) project that strengthens torture rehabilitation programs in seventeen countries to CVT's mental health work in small communities in West Africa. The New Tactics website provides a central place for all human rights workers worldwide to learn about tactics and share ideas.

The three sponsoring organizations were the ICB project, the Liberian National Law Enforcement Association (LINLEA) which is a Liberian human rights organization, and CVT's Liberia program. Participants included people from other torture treatment programs as well as activists from eight African countries. The workshop was held in Liberia during the week of 19-23 February 2007.

Goals of the workshop:

Provide civil society activists from Liberia and Sierra Leone the opportunity to identify and adapt promising tactics that have been used by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that faced comparable challenges in other countries in Africa. In addition, to provide the broad range of Liberian civil society activists a one-day introduction (the public event, see below) to tactics, practical tools for strategic innovation, leadership, and managing collaborations.
Showcase efforts of advocates that have arisen from African torture rehabilitation programs; provide training to strengthen them as leaders, trainers, facilitators and writers; and increase their knowledge of promising tactics used by colleague organizations.
Increase the long-term impact and sustainability of CVT's community mental health projects in Liberia and Sierra Leone by connecting local staff with potential allies and supporters from torture treatment programs internationally, and a broader network of civil society activists in their countries.
Contribute to the body of knowledge on rebuilding post-conflict societies by highlighting key tactics and practical considerations for adapting these tactics to new situations.

METHODOLOGY

TACTICAL PRESENTATIONS

Child and Youth Activities: A Doorway for Community Engagement, Gundrun Kober
Human Rights Clubs in Schools, Dr. Charles Ntare, FACT, Rwanda
Empowering Survivors to Become Healers Now and Forever, Seidu Swaray, CVT Liberia
Multi-media Communication Efforts for Public Outreach: The Experience of ACTV, Sharon Lamwaka, ACTV, Uganda
Dealing with Trauma through Collective Bridging Activities, Miriam Fredericks, Trauma Center, South Africa
Advocacy Journalism and Human Rights Protection, Victor Bwire, Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), Kenya
Beneficiaries Committee and Coffee Ceremonies, Tekeste Ayalew, RCVTE, Ethiopia
Developing a Blue Print for Civil Society Organizations, Benjamin Tarnue, NACCSOL, Liberia

WORKSHOP HOSTS

ABOUT WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS

Liberia Workshop Participants and Staff List
One Day Public Presentation Participant List
Public Day Presentation: Keynote address given by Liberian Minister of Labor Samuel Kofi Woods

WORKSHOP AGENDA

TOP ISSUES OF CONCERN

COMMENTS FROM PARTICIPANTS

MS WORD Document - All materials about this conference (251.5 KB)

training workshops, Liberia

Liberia Training Workshop - February 2007

LIBERIA TRAINING WORKSHOP