Sudan - Activities
Capacity-building on small arms control and DD&R in Southern Sudan
Arms Control Workshop in Yei (Sudan)
From 19-21 February 2008, BICC delivered a small arms control workshop in Yei (Southern Sudan) in partnership with a locally-based non-governmental organization, the Institute for the Promotion of Civil Society (IPCS).
The workshop aimed to raise awareness amongst participants of the dangers of guns and to spread this message more broadly through the use of Participatory Video Advocacy.
The workshop was led by Elvan Isikozlu and Lydia Stone (BICC) in cooperation with Nik Lehnert (PVA specialist) and the IPCS.
Activities 2007-08
BICC will continue to focus its efforts on developing the capacity of local actors to strengthen peace and security in Southern Sudan. Our activities this year include:
- DD&R training for the professional staff of the Southern Sudan DDR Commission (SSDDRC) on international best practices;
- Civil society training courses on small arms issues;
- Awareness-raising on small arms control through media and entertainment;
- A stakeholder workshop.
DD&R Training
BICC is co-founder of an international network of training organizations on DD&R, the Integrated DDR Training Group (IDDRTG). Training is based on the UN's recently published Integrated DDR Standards, a collection of best practices and guidelines for designing, implementing and monitoring DD&R programs. The target audience of these courses varies from UN personnel, staff of international organizations, government and military officials, and national authorities responsible for DD&R. For more information on the IDDRTG and its activities, see www.iddrtg.org.
In October 2007, BICC provided training to over 80 professional staff of the Southern Sudan DDR Commission (SSDDRC) in Rumbek, Malakal and Juba. The SSDDRC is the responsible authority for planning and implementing DD&R in the South, as mandated in Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed with the North in 2005. For more information on the DD&R process in Sudan, see:
Civil society training courses
Through training, BICC endeavors to transfer knowledge and skills on small arms issues to help develop individual and group capacity for action on these issues. Being aware of the threat of small arms proliferation is crucial to curbing their negative impact at all levels of society, and is hence a key goal of our training.
Target audiences are varied, but consist of members from civil society with reach and influence in their own communities - this includes, but is not limited to community elders, village or payam administrators, peace committee members, youth associations, teachers and women's groups. By providing support for follow-up activities, BICC training aims to have an additive effect and make its participants "agents of change" within their own organizations or communities.
Awareness-raising through local media and entertainment
Through partnership with local newspapers, radio and drama groups, BICC is supporting the development of awareness-raising material and activities on the importance of small arms control. This includes articles, booklets, posters, t-shirts, songs, videos, as well as the production of live performances and radio shows. We are working very closely with the Southern Sudan Artists Association (SSAA) and the Juba Post in the development of these materials.
Available samples can be downloaded here:
- NEW! Communities Safe from Small Arms in Southern Sudan
A Handbook for Civil Society - NEW! SSAA Poster: Stop the use of Small Arms & Light Weapons
- BICC's "People Safe from Guns in South Sudan" poster
- People Safe from Guns in South Sudan
A Training Manual for Local Stakeholders
BICC News