The Training started on 25th June 2018 with introductory remarks from Abdihakim Ahmed – PSA, followed by introductions by the participants; attended by 25 participants (10 men and 15 women), which comprised GBV stakeholders, staff and local administration and line ministries.
The facilitator then familiarized the participants on the objective of the training and its importance of attending it.
Abdihakim Ahmed – PSA program coordinator welcomed all participants on behalf of PSA to the stakeholders Capacity building training on GBV prevention and response. He said that has PSA he is pleased to hold such training and expect the participants to learn a lot from and urged them be the agents of change in GBV issues in the communities they come from.
The second to address the participants was Karkaar region Vice-governor, he thank PSA for organizing such a noble forum and also appreciated the participants for their time for attending the training and requested PSA to hold more of such trainings for the benefits of the community, he said GBV issues are serious and more advocacy and training are needed as away to instill behavior change on the issue.
The next was Mowdafa regional coordinator, who thank the entire participant for sparing a chance to attend the GBV Stakeholders training on – prevention and response , he said we are gathered here today for the GBV training and through this meeting, we will be able to get updated and informed on many issues on GBV, he said he happy to be part of the training and would like to welcome all the participants and requested them to put in action what they will leant for the benefit of the communities they come from.
The participants thereafter came up with house rules to be observed during the continuation of the training which included punctuality, maintaining their mobiles on silent mode during the sessions, among others. The participants went further to appoint a timekeeper and a house keeper.
Effective prevention and response to gender-based violence (GBV) requires a well planned and coordinated effort among an array of organizations, disciplines, and sectors. In populations affected by armed conflict, there are additional and specific threats and risks that require action in order to establish effective protection from GBV. This Training enhanced planning and coordination by bringing together key staff in the Africa region to assess progress so far and begin mapping next steps to increase their collaboration in addressing gender-based violence in populations affected by armed conflict. The two days participatory training combined information sharing, GBV prevention and response way and planning for awareness to the community.
Training design and Methodology
This course was developed by experienced trainers and it is based on training documents and experience which conform to Somalia context. Prior to the training, trainer consulted with UNHCR team to get a common accord on the contents.
Through the process, the trainers used the interactive/participatory teaching approaches rather than lecture to stimulate the learning environment more participatory and active. This approach includes role play, small group and plenary discussions, pair work and stress lease exercises
Objectives of the training
- Enhancing GBV Stakeholder’s knowledge on what constitutes GBV
- Teaching GBV Stakeholders how to recognize and prevent gender-based violence
- Helping GBV Stakeholders identify the relationship between gender-based violence and gender roles.
- Enabling and empowering GBV Stakeholders to build attitudes and skills regarding healthy relationships
- Helping GBV Stakeholder’s explore various ways they can use to protect themselves and others from gender-based violence
The trainings focused almost exclusively on experiential learning with activities being designed to be interactive and engage as many participants as possible. In trainings where it was important to provide some theoretical background (i.e. differences between gender and sex, information on the social construction of gender, definitions of violence and GBV etc) there was a brief run through of the theory at the beginning of the session, through the use of PowerPoint slides or pre-prepared flipcharts with definitions. Overall, all activities were designed in such a way so that they could be conducted during class time and in a class environment. Activities also took into account that access to the use of electronic equipment (PowerPoint, access to the internet, use of audiovisuals etc) could have been limited,. Hence, activities primarily relied on the use of the board, the flipchart, verbal discussions and the use of printed material (scenarios, role plays, handouts etc). Nevertheless, it was important that all activities were stimulating enough to ensure that they would generate participants’ interest, maintain this interest intact and encourage their active participation. Below are brief descriptions of the specific methods and training techniques used throughout the training sessions:
Brainstorming was used as a way to open a topic for discussion especially when a new topic was introduced (gender roles, stereotypes, types of violence etc). Brainstorming proved to be a great way for exploring ideas and perceptions. During brainstorming participants were encouraged to share their opinions freely without criticizing what others have shared. Once the brainstorming came to a natural end, the debriefing discussions identified common perceptions and conflicting opinions. Generally, brainstorming is a great activity and has multiple benefits when used in trainings, as for instance:
- It helps to break the ‘ice’ when the group gets stuck or seems to run out of ideas
- It invites everyone in the group to participate and thus ensures that all people in the group get a chance to contribute their thoughts
- It encourages participants to expand their thinking about an idea and examine a topic from different angles and perspectives.
Group Discussion:
Group discussion usually followed a brainstorm or an exercise (i.e. the gender in a box exercise, the scenarios and the role-play). Group discussion was a useful tool in eliciting responses from students on a particular topic because it encouraged them to challenge opinions, understand where they agree or disagree and find common grounds. Group discussions provided fruitful ground for facilitators to enhance participants’ knowledge on a specific topic and also correct any misinformation. The effectiveness of the group discussion greatly depends on the use of targeted open ended questions that help to bring out feelings or thoughts about a topic or an activity. Another strategy to ensure effective group discussions is to communicate acceptance and validate feelings. Participants are far more likely to share their feelings and ideas if they know they will not be judged or criticized for what they share in the group
There were 25 participants picked from various and organizations and agencies including line ministries around Qardo.
During the training period, participants showed sincerely and talked with their training mates and trainers. Additionally, participants jointly opened to each other by providing and receiving comments and feedback constructively. In summary, they were very interested in the training and participated in the training activities actively.