
Overview
The project aims to tackle systemic violence and criminality in the Niger Delta through a holistic, community-centered approach involving multiple stakeholders.
Key elements include addressing socio-economic drivers, fostering collaboration, and promoting social cohesion. The project leverages the expertise and networks of various partners to implement innovative, bottom-up strategies for sustainable peace and security in the region.
Duration: 18 months.
Donor organization: European Union
Consortium Partners: AAPW, SDN, PIND, and Search as the Lead organization.
Geographic Focus: Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States.
Overall Goal:
To foster inclusive community security approaches to address the systemic drivers of violence and criminality in the Niger Delta.
Specific Objectives (SO) and Expected Results (ER):
SO1: Empower diverse community actors to address social exclusion, lack of economic opportunity, and environmental degradation.
ER1.1: Equip local community actors, including youth, to address social issues collaboratively.
ER1.2: Promote collaboration among youth and adult leaders to tackle division, criminality, and conflict.
SO2: Strengthen collaboration among communities, security actors, and the private sector.
ER2.1: Enhance early warning and response collaboration between communities and security/government actors.
ER2.2: Improve private sector collaboration with local communities.
SO3: Foster online and offline social cohesion within and between communities.
ER3.1: Increase positive interactions across dividing lines in target communities.
ER3.2: Provide online audiences with positive content to foster social cohesion.
SO4: Facilitate multi-level dialogue for innovative policy development.
ER4.1: Enhance networks for formulating policies addressing violence drivers.
Context and Challenges:
Oil Bunkering Crisis: Significant oil theft and artisanal refining impacting security and economy.
Economic and Social Issues: Fiscal imbalances, economic degradation, climate change, social exclusion.
Security and Stability: Broader socio-economic inequalities exacerbating security issues.
Programme Approach and Target Participants:
Young Women and Men
Build resilience against violence and criminality.
Facilitate dialogues to restore trust and integrate youth into security structures.
Traditional and Community Leaders
Strengthen intra- and inter-community relationships.
Participate in multi-level security platforms to inform participatory security processes.
Government Security Actors
Engage in training on human rights and trust-building.
Involvement in peace architecture structures.
Private Security Actors
Train on responsibilities and best practices.
Participate in coordinated community-centred security responses.
Oil Companies
Engage in dialogues and peace architecture bodies.
Contribute to accountability for operational impacts.
State and Regional Policy Makers
Collaborate on community-centred security strategies.
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)
Strengthen capacity to design and implement peace initiatives.
Local Authorities
Involvement in peace architecture structures for coordinated security efforts.
Communities-at-Large
Disseminate programme messages and outcomes through multimedia campaigns.