The Bible reminds Christians that God reconciled the world to himself through Christ Jesus and he has now given us the ministry of reconciliation as ambassadors of the kingdom of God. This is strengthened by the words of Jesus himself, when he said, “Blessed are the peace makers because they will be called the children of God,” (Matthew 5:9). The Church is a source of power – subversive power – to transform the world by virtue of it being the salt and the light of the world. The Sermon on the Mount is a practical lesson of how Jesus instructed us, as his ambassadors, to operate in our assignments of duty here on earth. This course provides the Christian peace practitioner with the capacity and creativity needed to build peace in communities. This is critical and necessary for Christian peace practitioners, as role players in conflict management. If conflict is unavoidable, then peace is a choice we all need to make.
Current
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)
In this module, participants will explore the nexus of peacebuilding and situations that create refugees and internally displaced persons. The crises of displaced persons often stem from violent conflict, but refugees create new conflicts as they migrate. Indeed, situations of humanitarian assistance are often fraught with conflicts and potential conflicts. Participants will investigate the many layers involved in peace-building work focused on issues related to refugees and internally displaced persons
Elections and Good Governance
Many democracies have been plagued by accusations of election fraud and manipulation. An aspect of peacebuilding includes ensuring the integrity of electoral processes as a foundation for productive conversation among rival groups and as a pivotal measure for hearing the ‘voice’ of the people. This module will deepen participants’ understanding regarding fair elections and the necessary conditions for holding free elections. But elections are not enough in themselves. There must also be capacities for good governance. Participants will explore these capacities and how the citizenry can work to ensure that they enjoy good governance.
Gender and Peacebuilding
Both conflict and peace are highly gendered phenomenon, as men and women experience and respond to social, economic, and political challenges differently. By addressing gender issues and concerns, men and women are empowered to collaboratively work towards building a gender-sensitive and peaceful society. Course participants will look at the nexus between gender, peacebuilding, and human development. Attention to gender roles, stereotypes, and how they are played out in society is necessary to understand the root of many conflicts, including those emanating from economic disparities. The module will also examine issues related to gender and economic development and how skewed development in favor of either women or men has a correlation with peace and human security. This exploration is anchored on the understanding that the needs of men and women are often overlooked during peace and armed conflict. This should be addressed if sustainable peace is to be realized and maintained.
Project Monitoring and Evaluation (PME)
Peace work not only requires planning and implementation but also monitoring and evaluation for it to be effective and sustainable. This module will equip participants with basic knowledge and skills for use in monitoring and evaluating peace work initiatives in their own organisations and contexts. Taking a hands-on approach to learning and cognisant of the constraints that may be there in the real world, each participant will identify a peace initiative or strategy within their own context and plan on how to evaluate it. Upon successful completion of the module the participant will be able to:
- Distinguish between a project and a program
- Design and conduct monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of projects in the real world
- Use the monitoring and evaluation data collected to improve peace projects
- Work with stakeholders for sustainability of peace work projects
- Uphold evaluation standards in conduct of project evaluations
- Appreciate the role of M&E in tracking performance of peace projects.
Trauma Awareness and Reconciliation
This module is designed to provide participants with greater awareness of trauma and resilience in relation to participants’ contexts. Participants will explore the physiological and psychological effects of trauma as well as the long-term effects of unhealed trauma. The module will integrate various tools and skills for responding to traumatic events and building resilience, as well as drawing knowledge from participants’ experiences. Be prepared to be vulnerable, and to participate in exercises that will broaden your understanding and provide skills that can assist with personal and community healing. This is an academic module but will allow opportunities for participants to share their personal trauma and discover ways of healing.