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Enviar a un amigoThe Ligue des Droits de la Personne dans la Region des Grands Lacs (Human Rights League of the Great Lakes Region or LDGL) has used the tactic of dialogue to build strong alliances among organizations that share information and collaborate effectively in a region deeply affected by civil conflict.
The League acts as an umbrella group, gathering together 22 members from different countries (Burundi, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of the Congo). The Great Lakes region has long suffered from violence cased by ideological and ethnic mistrust or hatred. Some organizations in the region, including human rights groups, reflect these divisions, taking actions on behalf of narrow, ethnically-based constituencies.
When divisions within the LDGL emerge, leaders of the group try to understand the underlying problems creating the dispute. When an understanding of this has been gained, the LDGL maps out potential allies, and identifies the approach to dialogue that has the most potential for expanding support and maintaining productive relationships. The basis for dialogue includes the principles of Ubuntu (humanness), as a basis for a positive way of interacting and working together with people from different backgrounds and cultures. As a result, thoughtful consideration is given to creating an atmosphere of trust. LDGL selects individuals who can most effectively carry the message of trust and collaboration. The group very carefully chooses the language, both verbal and non-verbal, of its message. This language must build credibility and trust, so that all alliance members feel assured that they are respected, and their concerns will be addressed.
By using methods of dialogue, the League has succeeded in building and maintaining confidence from different organizations to monitor human rights abuses within the region and disseminate information quickly. Human rights progress depends on productive alliances. The dialogue methodology helps avoid polarization and the fractioning of alliances. It builds mutual understanding of commonalities and differences, enabling the most efficient and effective joint action. But it requires a conscious effort. Frictions are natural and logical in an alliance working in a conflictual environment. Internal conflicts are not the result of “bad people,” but rather a signal reminding us of the constant need for open and rigorous dialogue – involving sensitive but honest communication.
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To whom it may regard, I’m
To whom it may regard,
I’m currently working as the International Program Officer of Friends Women’s Association (FWA), a Burundian organization formed and managed by women, for women of the community. FWA operates a clinic in Kamenge where it offers free and low-cost medical examinations to women and to their families. Services include primary care, preventative care, laboratory testing, HIV testing and counseling, and psychological counseling. In addition to medical services, FWA provides holistic care to its patients by incorporating those with a demonstrated need into social assistance programs, which include home visits and micro-finance programs. Finally, FWA runs community trauma healing and reconciliation workshops in the communities of Kamenge, Rutegama, Gitega and Mutaho.
Of course, similar grassroot organizations have emerged in Eastern Africa and the Great Lakes Region, developing their own means of procuring health for women whose livelihoods have been dismantled, if not completely destroyed by conflict. These NGOs, like FWA, share an understanding that health and peace work within a symbiotic relationship.
Each of these organization, including yourself, have strived to work independently towards a common goal of peace and health—and in the process they’ve each developed innovative and efficient ways to deliver health services or rebuild a peaceful community.
So FWA has begun to organize a pan-African summit of 3 days where we will gather grassroot organizations and community advocates to discuss, compare and to develop community strategies that will stimulate as a model for policy change and inter-agency networking. It’s an exciting project that has the potential of driving grassroot organizations and peacebuilding advocates to finally work collectively in a single effort to re-evaluate, reshape, and improve today’s health and peace work.
This summit, corresponds with the current work of the Leade de Droigts de la Personne dans la Region des Grands Lacs in that it seeks to improve upon the peacebuilding work of community-based organizations.
Borrowing upon your experience, we’d like to know if you have suggestions, ideas, and if you would like to participate and lend your support. Since this project was conceived of recently and is expected to take place at the start of this coming May, we are hoping that you might be willing to be financial sponsors to our pan-African summit: Mainstreaming Peace and Health.
I thank you so much for your time and I hope that you take interest in this summit, its peace-health and grassroots concept, and the exciting opportunities we hope it will generate.
Best Regards,
Kat McGee- kat [at] fwaburundi [dot] com
Kat McGee
International Program Officer
fwaburundi.com