Grants and Contributions:

Contribution to Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement (RFLD)

CFLI-2023-OUAGA-BJ-0002

$34,571.11

Aug 23, 2024 - Apr 30, 2024

For a few years now, Benin has been dealing with insecurity and peace challenges. This is having a devastating impact on people’s lives and livelihoods, especially young people, women and children. Some of the immediate causes of the violent extremism include the fact that extremist narratives have become commonplace; absent or weak complaint mechanisms at the local level; and a heightened tendency toward despair and vulnerability among young people. This is why this project proposes to start ongoing public dialogues, build the capacity of young people, women and religious leaders, and develop a participation model to promote social cohesion and peaceful behaviours among young people and women. Planned activities 1. Organize a 3-day consultation with 35 local and commune stakeholders (2 mayors, 12 commune councillors, 16 village leaders) from Kandi and Parakou to identify collaborative conflict-prevention strategies and early warning mechanisms, and to share knowledge and best practices in territorial communities, with a view to creating a manual. 2. Organize 2 community forums, each 2 days long, with 60 traditional and religious leaders from the communes of Kandi and Parakou on their roles in peacebuilding and peacekeeping. 3. Organize 2 community forums, each 3 days long, with 60 young people (men and women) from the communes of Kandi and Parakou on non-violent communication and their roles in peacebuilding. 4. Produce 100 copies of a prevention and guidance manual on conflict-prevention and conflict-management strategies in Benin. The manual will be created based on the consultations with local stakeholders and the community forums with traditional leaders, young people and women, and it will be distributed to communities in both communes. 5. Organize 6 interactive radio shows on non-violent communication, conflict prevention and the importance of peacebuilding and peacekeeping. Expected results 1. A 3-day consultation with 35 local and commune stakeholders (2 mayors, 12 commune councillors, 16 village leaders) was organized on collaborative conflict-prevention strategies, early warning mechanisms and the sharing of knowledge and best practices in territorial communities, with a view to developing a manual. 2. Sixty (60) traditional and religious leaders from Kandi and Parakou understand their roles in peacebuilding and peacekeeping, as a result of 2 community forums. 3. Sixty (60) young people (men and women) from Kandi and Parakou understand the importance of non-violence and their roles in peacebuilding and peacekeeping, as a result of 2 community forums. 4. One hundred (100) prevention and guidance manuals on conflict-prevention and conflict-management strategies in Benin were created based on consultations with local stakeholders and distributed to communities in both communes. 5. Six (6) interactive radio shows on non-violent communication, conflict prevention and the importance of peacebuilding and peacekeeping were hosted by the young people (men and women) and resource people who were the project’s beneficiaries. 6. Local stakeholders, religious and traditional leaders, and young men and women have stronger skills relating to conflict-prevention strategies and each stakeholder’s role in peacebuilding, and the populations were educated on the culture of non-violence and peace.

Global Affairs Canada

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) is designed to support small projects proposed and implemented by local organizations. In providing funding for small projects that offer direct social, economic, or technical assistance to local populations, the CFLI contributes to the overall goal of reducing poverty.

Porto-Novo, BJ

064-2024-2025-Q2-CFLI-0001

Contribution

Grants and Contributions

International (non-government)

Belated reporting.

Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement (RFLD)

Canada Fund for Local Initiatives

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) is a contribution program that contributes to Canada’s thematic priorities for international assistance. The program is delivered through Canada’s missions abroad in countries that are eligible for official development assistance.