The CLEEN foundation is set to launch an Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) Project in Nigeria with focus in sixteen (16) communities in four states of the Federation- Kaduna, Plateau, Zamfara and Taraba to contribute to the reduction of civil attacks.
The Acting Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation, Mrs Ruth Olofin in a statement in Abuja explained that CLEEN is collaborating with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Toronto by the United States Department of State.
She said the purpose of the National Project Launch is to formally present and launch the project to the project stakeholders at the federal/national level.
She further explained that the project is designed to contribute to the mitigation and to bring to an end the frequent, conflicts , disappearances and mass violence that is persistent in Northern Nigeria.
She said this incidences are being driven by the effects of climate change; ethnic, religious and cultural tensions; weak response by security agencies. Collectively, in a bid to protect themselves, communities have resorted to self-help; self protection and a progress involvement of women through the empowerment of community members, including women, to serve as peace-builders. These will be trained in early detection and early response to conflicts.
According to her, the specific objectives of the project are to: Strengthen understanding of regional conflicts and mitigation opportunities through stakeholder assessment and community engagement.
“Strengthen and expand linkages in sixteen (16) communities between early warning alerts of incidents and on-the-ground responders through communications and networking activities and to build the capacity of thirty-two (32) early responders to respond to conflict incidents and mitigate violence in sixteen (16) Northern Nigerian communities over a two-year period.
According to her , the EWER project is supported by the United State Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations in partnership with the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
She said it seeks to end the cycle of violent conflict in Northern Nigeria through the empowerment of community members, including women trained to serve as peace builders in early detection and early response to conflict, and through fostering their full participation as citizens in a more equitable economy and more tolerant religious and cultural landscape. It will be implemented over a two year period.
