Fangak, Jonglei State — November 21, 2022 — The National Transformational Leadership Institute (NTLI), with support from the UNDP-Peace and Community Cohesion (PaCC) project, successfully conducted a 10-day training for County Peace Committees in Fangak County, Jonglei State. The training, held from November 11th to 21st, 2022, brought together participants from six payams—Old Fangak, New Fangak, Paguer, Manreeng, Toch, Pulita, Manajang, and Barbuoy—as well as representatives from two town councils.
The comprehensive training assembled a diverse group of participants including county administrators, members of the business community, youth leaders, traditional leaders, religious leaders, women’s associations, and community members. Its primary objective was to enhance the capacity of peace committees in transformational leadership, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and addressing gender-based violence (GBV).
Using adult learning and participatory training methods, the sessions engaged participants in experiential learning through individual and group tasks, case studies, role plays, interactive discussions, demonstrations, guest speakers, and brainstorming. Key topics covered included transformational leadership, conflict resolution techniques, non-violent approaches to dispute management, gender-based violence, public speaking, the responsible use of power, and economic topics such as credit, collateral, money, and wealth.
Critical issues emerged during the training, particularly in Old Fangak, where serious GBV concerns such as rape and child defilement were reported. Participants noted that perpetrators often remain free due to a lack of detention facilities. Cultural practices also restrict women from participating in business, as doing so is viewed as a reflection of their husband’s inability to provide.
Participants emphasized the need for additional, targeted trainings, including specialized sessions for youth, women, and community leaders. Women particularly expressed interest in future trainings focusing on peacebuilding, GBV prevention, economic empowerment, and leadership development. Facilitators further observed that some women contribute to cycles of violence by encouraging their sons to engage in conflicts for blood compensation.
The NTLI and UNDP teams recommended continued capacity-building efforts, particularly for youth and women, to strengthen community resilience and reduce insecurity caused by cattle raiding and intercommunal conflicts.