The role of civil society in conflict prevention and the pacific settlement of disputes. Civil society has been an active mobilisational and agitational force in the resource conflicts of the niger delta region in nigeria. Nigeria is diverse, consisting of some 250 ethnic groups, and society has long represented this. Civil society organisations and conflict management. Conceptual and theoretical clarifications civil society as a social science term is not amenable to a straightjacket definition. The role of civil society in national reconciliation and. Filling a critical hiatus, the handbook of civil society in africa takes africa, african developments, and african perspectives very seriously and worthy of academic interrogation in their own right. Civil society, therefore, appears to have curved a niche for itself as a catalyst for social inclusion, conflict resolution and peace building in communities affected by poverty and conflict in different parts of the world. However, they can be easily avoided through various ways. Civil society and the 2012 general strikep rotest the c ivil society of the colonial order was cr eated to circumvent pressures that could create instabilit y in the society. Nigeria suffers a variety of complex political problems including inequality, corruption, oil disputes, national disunity, and the boko haram insurgency this seven year conflict and humanitarian crisis in the north has killed 20,000 and displaced 2. D senior lecturer and researcher, centre for peace and security studies, modibbo adama university of technology, yola, adamawa state. This society is a nongovernmental organization that checks the.
Development partners who seek to provide support to address gender inequality in all the. It holds that the monopolization of conflict management process by. Strengths and limitations 289 and peace work on international, regional and local levels. Nongovernmental organizations ngos have the potential to contribute to a vibrant civil society and build social capital within countries, but the potential for social media to support these connections is unclear, particularly in the developing world. It is a group of citizens who are linked by common interests and collective activity. Nigeria is a country that is full of surprises and conflicts in different areas and regions. Local and international critics saw the bill as a pretext for. Initially viewed as contributing to democracys development, however, civil society groups have come under increased scrutiny by. Discussing conflicts in nigeria may require us to situate the clarification of the term conflict. Csos have access to the parties involved in conflict and the ability to bring parties to dialogue. An engaged and informed civil society is essential for the development of a peaceful and democratic society, yet csos are often targeted and persecuted in situations of conflict. This chapter investigates the role of civil society actors in conflict transformation and peacebuilding. National action plan for the implementation of unscr 25. The role of civil society organizations in conflict management in nigeria.
Pdf class struggle and revolutionary pressures in nigeria. Civil society and ethnic conflict management in nigeria. As in many countries experiencing violent conflict, community militias in northeast nigeria fill gaps in community protection, fight armed opposition groups, and, in some cases, are themselves the cause of civilian harm. The various civil society organisations explored tools, from traditional religion, christian religion and modern conflict resolution mechanism to intervene in the conflicts. The book is the outcome of a study commissioned by the african strategic and peace research group afstrag, a prominent nongovernmental conflict management and good governance organization based in lagos. Competing visions of civil society democratic theory and conflict resolution methods. Competing priorities have further limited civil society s ability to mobilise a strong response. Pdf this study takes a critical look at the roles csos in nigeria can play in conflict management. From north to south, east to west, violent conflicts have negatively impacted on public service delivery and business. So, what are the problems of civil society in nigeria. Shortly thereafter, he fled the country, ostensibly seeking. The main purpose of the study is to explore conceptual frameworks on the roles and functions of civil societyin its many manifestationsin countries affected by violent conflict or emerging from conflict and confronting the challenge of making peace sustainable. Initially viewed as contributing to democracys development, however, civil society groups have come under increased scrutiny by scholars and policymakers. Civil society can be said to be made up of the community of citizens linked by common interests and bonded by collective action.
Poor funding, insecurity challenge to nomadic education. Building social capital requires constructing relationships between people, and social media will be most likely to accomplish this when it. See particularly chapter 10, organising civil society for ethnic conflict management in nigeria, by ibrahim james. Pdf civil society and conflict management in the niger. The publications highlight key issues and debates for each topic covered and identify relevant references.
This paper examined the roles of these organisations in conflict intervention in nigeria. Government, civil society, community organizations and all relevant stakeholders engaged in peace, security, governance, elections and humanitarian efforts will find the roadmap useful. Some are in the government sector, a few in the private sector which, given the nature of their involvement, are often closely linked with the government sector, but the bulk are in the communityvoluntaryngo sector. The role of civil society in peacebuilding, conflict. Wars leave societies destroyed and post conflict recovery requires a lot of financial resources.
This study takes a critical look at the roles csos in nigeria can play in conflict management. In this section, we will turn toward analyzing the influences on the civil society response to hiv in nigeria, identifying areas of potential conflict and cooption. Nigeriaafrica s most populous nationhas long enjoyed one of the continents most vibrant civil society spheres, which has been instrumental in political change. The chapter discerns four generations of nigerian civil society groups, each with its own distinctive character and approach to the state. The case of plateau state of nigeria abubakar sokoto mohammed 1. The final section turns to the identification of different factors determining the impact of civil society on conflicts, including political identities. Civil society, oil and conflict in the niger delta region of nigeria.
Political instability is one of the most significant issues in nigeria that drags civil society behind. Civil society, conflict resolution, and democracy in nigeria on jstor. Resolving the herdersfarmers conflict in nigeria, policy brief. Request pdf civil society, conflict resolution, and democracy in nigeria african nations have watched the recent civic dramas of the arab spring and. When it comes to parties to the conflict, civics work in nigeria has primarily focused on the nigerian armed forces. Nongovernmental organizations ngos, conflict and peace. Civil society refers to any nongovernmental entity that is formed by a group of people working in the interest of the citizens. The rise of civil society groups in africa africa renewal. They can as well induce local populations to get involved in longterm reconciliation efforts. In contrast, the term civil society is used as a broader concept related to the activities of statebuilding. Civil society, oil and conflict in the niger delta region. Nigeriaafricas most populous nationhas long enjoyed one of the continents most vibrant civil society spheres, which has been instrumental in political change. Civil society groups, ngos, church organisations and governmental agencies having direct or indirect involvement in the conflict were contacted and their documentation thoroughly examined. Civil society is an essential part of the proper functioning of the state, helping to initiate, promote, and strengthen comprehensive and objective dialogue between governments and their people.
The conflict takes place within the context of longstanding issues of religious violence between nigeria s muslim and christian communities, and the insurgents ultimate aim is to establish an islamic state. The role of civil society in national reconciliation and peacebuilding in liberia civil society and external funding internally, civil society s dependence on foreign aid largely provided by institutions in the us and the netherlands has threatened its own existence and survival and, in some cases, limited its capacity. Civil society organisations in situations of conflict. Though these may relate to the articulation of substantive ethnic, regional and communal demands, few studies have addressed the dynamics and ramifications of their engagement in struggles other than democratisation. Civil society organizations can be instrumental in this respect. Despite the governments announcement in 2016, that the group had been crushed, attacks have continued throughout 2017. Interviews, especially with christians affected by the violence, were of immense help in understanding the victims perspective of the conflict. The short term effects of violence and conflict are brutal and deadly. Civil society and conflict management in the niger delta. In this way, civil society fosters conflict resolution, advances human rights, and.
It demonstrates how its relationship to the state has been central in determining civil society s structure and overall orientation toward its role in politics. Civil society, conflict resolution, and democracy in nigeria. Civil society groups in cape town, south africa, protested against the protection of state information bill, dubbed the secrecy bill. Conflict and civil society research unit, department of international development, london school of economics and.
The handbook of civil society in africa springerlink. Pdf the role of civil society organizations in conflict. A reader by miriam ikejianiclark, ed, spectrum books limited. A conflict is different from competition and cooperation because in competitive situations, the two or more individuals or parties have mutually inconsistent goals as either party tries to reach its goals. Frequent changes of the government, incompetent policies and ignorant decisions from the authorities stop civil society from achieving any impressive results. After contrasting the inclusive, universal character of democratic notions of political citizenship within the relevant jurisdiction. The boko haram insurgency began in 2009, when the jihadist group boko haram started an armed rebellion against the government of nigeria. This is the background to civil society and ethnic conflict management in nigeria, edited by thomas imobighe. The paper examines the gender segment of civil society and its character, forms and roles in these conflicts. Civil society has been associated with challenges and popular struggles for state and democratic reforms. Nigeria, norway, peru, the republic of korea, singapore, south africa, sweden, switzerland, the. Functions of civil society in nigeria functions of civil society in nigeria the functions of civil society.
Civil society roles in violent and armed conflicts and conflict environments include. A conflict is a situation between two or more people in which one person perceives that another person has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, holmes, 2010. Conflict by itself is neither good nor bad but the manner in which conflict is handled determines whether it is constructive or destructive. Igbohausa feud that began after the military coup and countercoup of 1966, culminating in the civil war in 1967, efikibibio conflict, tivjukun debacle, fulanibirom clashes, and itsekiriurhoboijaw conflict in the niger delta. Causes of conflict in nigeria and ways of resolving them. Most importantly, donors and international organizations, through funding choices and capacity development efforts, also shape civil society advocacy. To support good governance, usaid partners with the government of nigeria, civil society and private sector institutions to improve the quality of the electoral process, strengthen civil society advocacy, and mitigate conflict to build a safer, more peaceful society.
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