Community Dialogues as a Catalyst for Strengthening Peace and Promoting Inclusive Elections in the Central African Republic

^{Clarisse Zihindula/PBF Secretariat/CAR | Members of the Bouar CLPR at their weekly meeting.?}

September 2024

The Central African Republic has made notable strides towards peace with the National Recovery and Peacebuilding Plan (2017-2023), the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation (APPR) signed in 2019, and the Luanda Joint Roadmap for Peace adopted in September 2021. To consolidate the path to lasting peace, the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) is financing UN action to support national partners to strengthen democratic governance, justice, human rights and security.

As one of the key engagements of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation (APPR), the Local elections are a priority for the government, seen as crucial for strengthening peace, supporting decentralized governance and promoting local development. The PBF has played a key role in this process, particularly through the project “Support for Inclusive Social and Community Dialogue for the Central African Republic.” With a budget of $3.5 million, this initiative, implemented by UNDP and UN Women from October 2021 to February 2024, focused on the North-West and South-East regions of the country.??????

Historically, peace negotiations, electoral processes and other decision-making platforms in the Central African Republic have often excluded grassroots communities. This project sought to bridge that gap by ensuring that the voices of local populations are heard and engaged in these critical processes.???

One of the project’s significant achievements has been facilitating the issuance of birth certificates to over 25,000 Central Africans of voting age, including displaced persons and other vulnerable individuals. These identity documents, distributed in June 2024, will enable their holders to participate in the upcoming local elections scheduled for April 2025.

^{Clarisse Zihindula/PBF Secretariat/CAR | Bokuma Marie, happy to have received her birth certificate.}

“It’s great to have identity documents! This will allow us to take part in the local elections next year! It will be wonderful to see women working at polling stations, in the police force, and perhaps even a female mayor in Mongoumba,” says Bokuma Marie, one of the indigenous BAAKA women who received her birth certificate.?

The project also focused on enhancing women’s participation in local governance. Training and coaching sessions were provided for 1,000 women and girls, equipping them with leadership skills, political dialogue techniques and election campaign strategies. Local authorities have recognized the civic commitment of these women, noting their increased involvement in the daily management of their duties.

“Since the project to support inclusive dialogue in CAR has been building women's capacities, we have noticed their willingness to help us with day-to-day management. For our part, we are trying to get them more involved in grassroots consultations, we also make sure that women are represented at local safety meetings,” said Balipou Magloire, Secretary General of the Haute Kotto prefecture.?

^{Clarisse Zihindula/PBF Secretariat/CAR | Community dialogue between returnees and host communities in Bria.}

The project has also addressed the persistent threat of community violence. Local peace and reconciliation committees (CLPRs), established as a result of recommendations from the Bangui National Forum in 2015, have played a vital role in this effort. To date, there are about sixty committees in the Central African Republic, comprising members from grassroots communities – including 40 percent?women and youth – who serve as platforms for dialogue on issues related to peace, civic culture, and local development. Under the supervision of the Ministry of Reconciliation, CLPR leaders, delegated by their communities, serve as volunteers to mobilize their communities for peace, reconciliation, and development. The project revitalized 12 CLPRs in the North-Wets and South-East regions, training 400 community leaders in mediation techniques and peaceful conflict resolution. Additionally, the construction and rehabilitation of 12 “peace houses” provided spaces for mediation sessions, with four of them exclusively for women. The project also supported the financial autonomy of 300 youth and 400 women by financing income-generating activities, enabling them to participate more fully in civic life.??

These committees have proven effective in fostering dialogue between communities. Over the two years of the project, the CLPRs resolved 32 cases of inter- and intra-community conflicts involving more than 3,000 people. Their efforts contributed to a 40 percent reduction in community violence in the areas targeted by the project in the northwest and southeast regions, from 65 percent in 2021 to 25 percent in 2023 (according to project monitoring surveys), one of the most significant changes observed.

^{Clarisse Zihindula/PBF Secretariat/CAR | Community dialogue between returnees and host communities in Bria.}

Though the project ended in February 2024, the CLPRs continue to hold dialogues and mediate conflicts, especially in anticipation of the local elections.?For instance, in July 2024, the CLPR in Bria, Haute-Koto, organized one of the region's largest dialogues between returning persons and host communities to address and prevent ongoing conflicts. Over 50?people took part in this dialogue.

According to CLPR’s Chair Rosalie Blich, "In anticipation of the local elections, we are intensifying dialogues to involve all communities, particularly women and youth, to prevent electoral violence and boost their participation. Thanks to the project’s support, we have become a powerful tool for peace, focusing on conflict prevention and resolution in our society. Their work also includes raising awareness among young people and women of the need to participate in the elections."

Recognizing the relevance of this project, the UNDP allocated $500,000 from its regular resources to scale up its initiatives. The catalytic effects of these programs have brought about structural, and societal changes in CAR. The revitalization of CLPRs in the project's 12 target localities has not only enabled local authorities and security forces to become involved in conflict resolution but also inspired other actors to expand on the project’s initiatives. For instance, the PBF project "Amelioration de environment sécuritaire et consolidation de la paix par la reintegration à base Communautaire des Ex-combattants en République Centrafricaine” has used the revitalized CLPRs and peace houses as spaces for dialogue and peacebuilding.?

“Revitalising the CLPRs has enabled us to understand that managing community conflicts requires considering and involving community members at the grassroots level if peace is to be achieved. We are now closely monitoring the work of the CLPRs in our area. We are relieved to see that mediation and dialogue are making a significant contribution to reducing community violence,” said Victor Bissekoin, Prefect of the Ouaka region.???

Today, the CLPRs have become essential tools for conflict management and prevention, frequently utilized by local authorities, peacekeepers, and community leaders throughout the Central African Republic.?

51吃瓜