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Peace and Security
Angola's recent history was marked by cycles of violence and insecurity, and as such presented a post war situation post-conflict situation fraught with many challenges and opportunities transition towards a peaceful society. SFCG works with the Angolan military, police, ex-combatants, and the Civil Defense Forces (local militias), to help them develop the capacity to be a source of security for communities and active promoters of social justice in Angola. Our strategy is based on the following principles:
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Start with what you know: SFCG trainers use tools such as story telling, group theater, and debates to discuss day to day events in the lives of military and police officers where they have opportunities to apply human rights principles and protect their communities.
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Apply what you've learned: Training for trainings sake is meaningless without opportunities for application. Following every police or military training, SFCG co-facilitates a town-hall meeting between security forces and community members. This gives trainees the opportunity to apply lessons learned by engaging directly with the community members they are charged with protecting.
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Spread the word: SFCG has excellent relationships with professionals in TV and radio-broadcasting as well as print media. Through targeted use of these media contacts, SFCG shares lessons learned and applications to a broad audience maximizing impact, reach, and credibility.
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Leverage results: SFCG has built a strong group of police and military trainers within the security forces of several provinces. In the upcoming year, SFCG seeks to leverage these early successes by building a national network of trainers to travel to various provinces to co-facilitate workshops in conflict resolution and human rights.
While some Angolans see their local police forces as important actors for resolving local conflict, many of these officers are among the greatest human rights abusers in their communities. SFCG trainings are designed to help these groups become sources of genuine security for their communities as well as becoming active promoters of human rights and social justice. Over the course of this project, SFCG has found that the most effective approach is one that uses the soldiers' and police officers' own experiences to present human rights principles and demonstrate that these principles can be upheld practically through the application of negotiation, mediation, and active listening techniques.
Security Force Traning Manual
SFCG recently published an innovative new conflict-resolution training manual designed for security forces to be used in post-conflict Angola and beyond. The manual is designed to help these become sources of genuine security for their communities and become active promoters of human rights and social justice.
SFCG's program has been recognized as highly effective by both the police and military. The National Police Division of Civic and Moral Education has requested that SFCG hold a special ‘training for trainers' session for their own national trainers so that they can put the manual to use in provinces not yet touched by SFCG's efforts. In addition, SFCG plans to use this curriculum as a model to help improve security sector reform projects in other countries throughout Africa and the world.
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