SIERRA LEONE: ABIC Convenes Another Peace-building Training For MRU Women

The Angie Brooks International Centre (ABIC) for Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security will today convene a peace-building training where participants will be trained in the areas of “Women Leading Change Leadership Program”; “UNSCR 1325: Women, Peace and Security”; and “Women and Mass Information Program”. The training entitled: “Strengthening Women's Capacities in Leadership Development, Peace and Security” is organized in collaboration with local and international partners including the Mano River Women's Peace Network (MARWOPNET), and the Peace-building Fund Secretariat of Liberia. All 25 participants of the training which runs from Monday, November 8, to Wednesday, November 10, 2010 will focus on women of the Mano River Union basin which has already been drawn from Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast.

Six participants will come from each country with the exception of the host, Liberia, which will be represented by seven women. The women will be trained as part of the first core of women peace-builders and mediators in the region. The seven Liberian participants were selected from various counties including, Maryland, Bong, Grand Gedeh, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount and Montserrado. Building upon previous trainings, this workshop will feature advanced level materials so as to bolster participants' skills in the field of peace-building.

The opening of the training is expected be graced by several high level personalities including Ambassadors from the Mano River Union countries as well as local and international partners. This is not the first regional training organized by the ABIC. The ABIC has organized several trainings for both local and international participants
geared towards women's empowerment, leadership development, international peace and security.

This is the second international training within one year. In July 2010, the Centre hosted its first international training for forty women from the MRU basin under the project, “Enhancing Women's Participation in Peace-building in Post Conflict and Crisis Prone Countries”. When adequately trained, these women will in return train other women in their respective countries in the areas of mediation, peace-building and conflict resolution in an effort to help prevent the region from returning to conflict.

Meanwhile, the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark is providing support for the three-day intensive peace-building training, which will take place at the ABIC offices situated at the University of Liberia campus in Fendell, outside Monrovia. The Angie Brooks International Centre was launched in March 2009 during the International Colloquium for Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security. Its mandate is to follow-up on decisions reached during the historic gathering and to initiate programs that will ensure the empowerment of women and the development of their leadership and peace-building skills amongst others.