KPAC24 Session organized by Réseau des Plates Formes d'ONG d'Afrique de l'Ouest et du Centre (REPAOC) and Cordaid
November 20, 2024 | 15:00-16:30
Session Language: French and English mix (translation TBD)
Session Description:
This session will examine the issue of civic space and freedom restrictions in the West African region in depth with stellar speakers from AJCAD (Mali), the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), the Network of West African NGO Platforms (REPAOC) and from the Guinea Bissau National Civil Society Movement for Peace, Democracy and Development (MOVIMENTO). The session will explore different views and perspectives, and discuss around the problematic of what prevents the effective implementation of principles and rights to freedoms and the proper functioning of civic space in West Africa.
In this session we aim to discuss the roles of civil society in West Africa, but also what prevents the proper functioning of their roles and mandates in the region. Looking at human rights, democratic principles, transitional regimes, the role of women and youth and more, we will explore the conditions for an open civic space in West Africa.
Speakers:
Adam Dicko: From the age of 15, Adam Dicko campaigned at various levels (in her social circle, at school, within the Mouvement d'action des Jeunes) for the education of all in sexual health, as well as the defense of women's rights to control their own bodies and to study. From the national to the international level, she subsequently promoted the participation of young people in civic and political life through her involvement in various networks and spaces. Currently Executive Director of the Association des Jeunes pour la Citoyenneté Active et la Démocratie (AJCAD), which she founded in Mali in 2014 with other committed young people, Adam continues to fight today for the involvement of young people in the management of public policies and for democracy. She also campaigns in the Sahel region for equal access to economic and political opportunities between women and men and for a peaceful and socially just Sahel.
Vincent Azumah is currently the Head of Monitoring and Evaluation for the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) and also the Founder of Trans4orm Ghana, a youth oriented peacebuilding and pro-good Governance organisation. Dr. Azumah is a Fellow of the UK Defence Academy, a visiting Scholar of Columbia University’s Human Rights Advocates Program in New York and also a DANIDA Fellow and a board member of the Network for Peace and Security of Women in the ECOWAS Space(NOPSWECO)in Ghana. He has worked in Development and Peacebuilding across 25 countries in Africa facilitating and supporting strategic development processes, dialogue and mediation and also teaching how to monitor and evaluate peacebuilding initiatives. He is an international trainer and served as a faculty member at the West Africa Peace Institute (WAPI) at the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Ghana and as an associate trainer at the Danish Centre for Development (TCDC) in Arusha, Tanzania. He also served as a trainer on the Mitchel Group, USAID and the Graduate School of International Affairs of the University of Pittsburgh’s Democracy and Governance and Conflict Mitigation Project.
Peter van Sluijs is the coordinator of the Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding, and the Expert on Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention employed by Cordaid. Before joining Cordaid Mr. Van Sluijs has held various positions in international organisations (including UNDP, IUCN and WWF). His work has rangedacrosspoverty reduction, development policy, knowledge management, governance, and environmental management. Mr. Van Sluijs holds a M.S. degree in Political Science from the University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Komi Abitor: Trained as an agro-economist and with an MBA from the University of Paris 1 Sorbonne, Komi has 23 years' experience in family farming development and market access. As a development practitioner, he helped to develop a business model in Togo and Benin called ESOP (Entreprises de Production de l'Ouest) for the processing and marketing of agricultural products in rural areas, acting as a key link in agri-food chains. He has carried out consultations and run workshops in Togo, Benin and Niger on farmers' practices in marketing agricultural products, the contribution of fair trade and organic farming in strengthening the structure of agricultural producers. He has strengthened his skills by carrying out technical support missions in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Ecuador Chile, and France.
Mamadu Queta: With extensive experience in youth development and civil society, he served as a professor of Portuguese and held significant leadership roles, including Deputy in the National Assembly and President of the Youth Institute. He co-founded various organizations aimed at youth support and empowerment and has been a member of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission in Guinea-Bissau since 2008. His work reflects a commitment to fostering youth engagement and societal progress through strategic planning and cooperation.