ZOA & YMCA Community-based Sociotherapy & Liberia ZOA - YMCA Community-based Sociotherapy & Liberia Peacebuilding Office Sveriges ambassad i Monrovia har mottagit en förfrågan från ZOA angående stöd till projektet "Peacebuilding and Reconciliation through Community Dialogues: Strengthening Social Cohesion and Civic Trust in Five Counties, Liberia" för perioden 2017 - 2020. Insatsen innebär att utföra den evidensbaserade metoden "Community-based social therapy", en form av social gruppterapi för byar. Målet med sessionerna är att bygga förtroende mellan deltagarna och att lära ut verktyg för hur att hantera svåra minnen och traumatiska upplevelser från kriget samt verktyg för konfliktlösning och kommunikation. Det finns positiva resultat från bland annat Rwanda där modellen först introducerades. ZOA arbetar även med att utbilda och träna lokala myndighetsanställda och ledare från civilsamhället i CBS-metoden och faciliterar dialogforum för byinvånare och lokala ledare (statliga och traditionella). En del av programmet inkluderar även att engagera lärare och skolungdomar i så kallade "fredsklubbar".

Insatsen har som övergripande mål att bidra till försoning och fredsbyggande genom samhällsdialoger. För att åstadkomma detta arbetar ZOA med målsättningar på fyra nivåer: i) individnivå: förbättrad individuell psykosocial hälsa och välbefinnande; ii) familjenivå: förbättrad familjedynamik, inklusive ökad jämställdhet; iii) samhällsnivå: stärkt och förbättrad social dynamik från gräsrotsnivå, inom och mellan målgrupper; iv) medborgerligt deltagande och förtroende: ökat engagemang hos medborgare samt förbättrade relationer mellan medborgare och lokala myndigheter. Projektet har genomgått en pilotfas som utvärderats och visar att dessa fyra nivåer bidrar till konfliktlösning och försoning på lokal och nationell nivå. Sweden's Embassy in Monrovia has received a request from ZOA for support for the project "Peacebuilding and Reconciliation through Community Dialogues: Strengthening Social Cohesion and Civic Trust in Five Counties, Liberia" for the period 2017-2020. The contribution includes carrying out the evidence-based method "Community- based social therapy " which is a form of social group therapy for communities. The aim of these social group therapy sessions is to build trust among the participants and to communicate tools for dealing with difficult memories and traumatic experiences from the war, as well as proving tools for conflict resolution and communication. There are positive results from, for example Rwanda, where this apporach was first introduced. ZOA also trains local civil servants and civil society leaders in the CBS method and facilitates platforms for dialogue for community residents and local leaders, both formal and traditional. A part of the project also includes engaging teachers and schoolchildren in so-called "peace clubs".

The overall goal of the contribution is to contribute to reconciliation and peace building through community dialogues. To achieve this, ZOA works at four different levels: i) individual level: improved individual psychosocial health and well-being; ii) family level: improved family dynamics, including increased gender equality; iii) social level: strengthened and improved social dynamics from grassroots level, within and between target groups; iv) civic participation and trust: increased involvement of citizens as well as improved relationships between citizens and local authorities. The project has undergone a pilot phase that has been evaluated and shows that these four levels contribute to conflict resolutionand reconciliation at local and national level. Component 1: Peacebuilding and Reconciliation through Community Dialogues: Strengthening Social Cohesion and Civic Trust in Five Counties, Liberia. This project has outcomes at four levels:

The first outcome focuses on the individual level: improved individual psychosocial health and well-being. The second outcome focuses on the family level: improved family dynamics, including more gender equal relations. The third outcome has to do with community level: renewed social fabric from the grass-roots, in and between target communities, identified by improved social interaction and reduction of tension between different groups. The fourth outcome looks at citizen participation and civil trust: improved citizen participation and positive engagement with local government. ZOAs pilot community based social-therapy intervention in Margibi County in 2015 provides evidence that these four outcomes contribute to conflict resolution and reconciliation at local and national levels.

Component 2: Support to Early Warning and Early Response, County Peace Committees and District Level Political Reconciliation Dialogues and Civic Engagement Project, has five outcomes:

Outcome 1: Reduced conflict incidents in 15 counties due to increased technical and institutional capacity of existing conflict prevention and management mechanisms (specifically the Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) mechanism and County Peace Committees (CPC).

Outcome 2: Enhanced political reconciliation and peaceful coexistence, and reduced pre- and post-election conflicts in six counties Lofa, Grand Cape Mount, Sinoe, Bong, Nimba and Montserrado.

Outcome 3: Enhanced intergroup harmony and coexistence through improved relations in Margibi, Grand Cape Mount and Gbarpolu Counties.

Outcome 4: Increased public participation and civic trust in Sinoe, Bomi, River Gee and Maryland Counties

Outcome 5: Advanced youth leadership in peacebuilding at the national and county level.