Northern Pulse: EU-funded CPCRR programme refreshes Katsina stakeholders’ skills on conflict prevention

The European Union (EU)-funded Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience (CPCRR) Programme has commenced refresher training for community stakeholders in Katsina State on conflict prevention, dialogue and sustainable resource management.

The programme is funded by the EU and implemented by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in partnership with Mercy Corps and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD).

The training is designed to refresh and strengthen the skills of community stakeholders who had previously received capacity-building training under the programme.

Speaking at the opening of the training in Katsina, the Coordinator, Ms Lynda Nkechi Emanuel, said the sessions were aimed at deepening participants’ understanding of peaceful dialogue and practical approaches to resolving conflicts at the community level.

Emanuel urged the participants to apply the knowledge and experience acquired during the refresher sessions in their respective communities and Local Government Areas (LGAs).

She said dialogue remained an effective tool for managing differences and preventing disputes from escalating into crises.

“The importance of being in a state of peace and harmony with one another cannot be over-emphasised,” she said.

The coordinator also encouraged the participants to share the knowledge gained with other members of their communities and contribute actively to conflict prevention, crisis response and peacebuilding efforts.

She explained that the refresher sessions were part of the CPCRR Programme's efforts to strengthen locally led approaches to peacebuilding, resilience and socio-economic stability in Northwest Nigeria.

The programme works across communities in selected LGAs in Katsina and Zamfara States, addressing the root causes of conflict, strengthening community resilience and supporting socio-economic recovery.

In Katsina State, the intervention covers Batsari, Danmusa, Jibia, Kankara, Dandume, Faskari, Sabuwa and Safana LGAs.

The refresher activities focus on Interest-Based Negotiation (IBN) and Community and Social Development Resource Management (CSDRM).

Emanuel said the IBN refresher training was designed to assess how participants had retained and applied negotiation skills acquired during previous training sessions.

She added that the sessions would reinforce the principles of interest-based negotiation and provide participants with opportunities to share practical experiences, lessons and challenges encountered in their communities.

The CSDRM refresher training, she said, would strengthen participants’ capacity to identify, map, use and protect community, social and natural resources.

According to her, the training also links resource management with livelihood resilience, climate change adaptation, conflict prevention and inclusive community development.

The programme brought together women, youth, farmers, herders, persons with disabilities, community representatives and other stakeholders from the eight intervention LGAs.

A participant with special needs, who spoke at the event, recounted her experience of discrimination and exclusion before participating in various capacity-building programmes.

She said the series of training and refresher sessions on conflict prevention, crisis response and inclusion had significantly improved her participation and acceptance in society.

The participant expressed appreciation to the EU for supporting the programme and commended the organisers for promoting inclusion, peace and resilience in communities.

Representatives of the participating LGAs also highlighted challenges and security-related issues confronting their communities and discussed possible approaches to addressing them.

The CPCRR Programme aims to reinforce peace and socio-economic stability in Northwest Nigeria through inclusive, locally led and sustainable approaches.

Mr Philip Ikita, Mercy Corps Programme Manager, said the refresher trainings were important in helping community stakeholders sustain and improve the practical skills required to manage differences, promote dialogue and address resource-related challenges.

The sessions are expected to strengthen participants’ ability to apply negotiation skills, engage in inclusive dialogue and support conflict-sensitive decision-making in their communities.

The trainings will also promote experience sharing among participants and strengthen engagement between community stakeholders, traditional leaders and relevant government institutions.

On the second day, one of the beneficiaries, Hafsat Rabi’u from Jibia LGA, recalled how she faced discrimination and rejection in society before becoming involved in the Mercy Corps training.

Hafsat, who has a physical disability affecting her legs, said her condition had made it difficult for her to secure meaningful opportunities despite obtaining a diploma certificate.

She said that before the intervention, she remained at home with little or nothing to do, despite her educational qualification.

“Before Mercy Corps came, I experienced severe discrimination in society because of my condition.

“But when Mercy Corps came, the narration completely changed. The programme shaped me and gave me a new life,” she said.

Hafsat said the programme also provided her with the opportunity to participate in community activities and contribute to resolving disputes in her community.

According to her, she and other team members working with the programme have been involved in settling disputes at the local government level.

She said Mercy Corps had trained her on issues ranging from personal hygiene and protection from sexual violence to conflict mediation and peaceful coexistence.

“Mercy Corps taught us many things, including good hygiene, how to protect ourselves from rape and other forms of abuse, and how to mediate disputes.

“We were also taught how to intervene in disputes between farmers and herders, between communities and in situations involving banditry,” she said.

Hafsat described the intervention as a major turning point in her life, saying it had helped her develop confidence and a stronger sense of responsibility toward her community.

She appealed to Mercy Corps to sustain the programme beyond its planned end in October 2026, stressing that its impact on persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups should not be allowed to end abruptly.

She also appealed to the Katsina State Government to give special recognition to persons with special needs by creating opportunities for them to participate in governance and community development.

Hafsat specifically called for adequate representation of persons with special needs in Jibia Local Government, saying such inclusion would enable them to contribute their experiences to policymaking and development.

Another beneficiary, Sabi’u Sani from Safana Local Government Area, who is visually impaired, said he was initially surprised when he received a telephone call from Ms. Lynda Nkechi Emanuel, the programme coordinator, inviting him to represent persons with special needs.

Sani said he initially wondered why he had been selected, but later realised that the invitation provided an opportunity for persons with disabilities to have their voices heard.

He said his participation in the programme had changed his perception about the ability of persons with disabilities to contribute to peacebuilding and community development.

Sani said the intervention had given him an avenue to interact with other stakeholders and share the experiences and challenges faced by persons with special needs in his community.

He commended Mercy Corps for including persons with disabilities in its programmes, saying such inclusion had helped to build confidence and promote a sense of belonging among beneficiaries.

Similarly, Shamsu H. Jibril from Sabuwa Local Government Area, another beneficiary living with a physical disability, said the programme had provided him with opportunities to acquire knowledge and participate actively in community affairs.

Jibril, who is also a diploma graduate, said his educational qualification alone had not provided him with sufficient opportunities to fully contribute to his community until he became involved in the intervention.

He said the programme had helped him understand the importance of peaceful coexistence, dialogue and community participation, particularly in addressing disputes and strengthening relationships among different groups.

According to him, persons with disabilities should not be viewed merely as recipients of assistance, but as people capable of contributing to peacebuilding and development when given the right opportunities.

The three beneficiaries appealed to relevant authorities, particularly the state government and development partners, to sustain interventions targeting persons with disabilities and other vulnerable members of society.

They said continued investment in inclusion, skills development, peacebuilding and community participation would enable persons with disabilities to become more self-reliant and contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities.

The beneficiaries also urged society to move away from discrimination and instead recognise persons with disabilities based on their abilities, qualifications and contributions rather than their physical conditions.