Mercy Corps Trains Katsina Youths in Conflict Resolution

The Mercy Corps has commenced a four-day interest-based negotiation training for youths in Katsina State,

It is aimed at equipping them with skills to prevent and resolve conflicts in their communities.

The training, organised under the Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience (CPCRR) Programme, holds  at Katsina Guest Inn.

The programme focuses on strengthening the capacity of young people to use negotiation, dialogue and mediation as tools for addressing disputes and promoting peaceful coexistence at the grassroots.

Addressing the participants at the training, Mercy Corps state coordinator, Mr Phillip Ikita, urged them to take the sessions seriously and make effective use of the knowledge and skills they would acquire.

Ikita asked the participants to see the training as an opportunity to develop practical skills that could help them respond constructively to conflicts in their respective communities.

He encouraged them to return to their communities as peace ambassadors, stressing the importance of sharing the lessons learned with other members of their communities.

The coordinator urged the youths to actively participate in the training and understand the principles of negotiation so that they could become part of efforts to prevent conflicts before they escalate.

The training agenda shows that participants are being exposed to the history and meaning of negotiation, Mercy Corps’ approach to negotiation and mediation, as well as practical negotiation simulations.

The participants are also learning about negotiation models and common pitfalls through practical exercises such as the Dance of Concessions, Chicken Run, Prisoners’ Dilemma and the Orange Quarrel.

A key session focuses on the Interest-Based Negotiation (IBN) Framework, including its seven elements, three phases, relationship and substance challenges, and ways of creating mutual value during negotiations.

The organisers said the sessions are designed to help participants understand negotiation dynamics, identify effective negotiation goals and apply the knowledge to real-life situations.

The first day of the programme will conclude with key takeaways and feedback from participants, while the overall training is expected to strengthen the youths’ capacity to contribute to peacebuilding and conflict prevention in their communities.

The CPCRR Programme is supported by the European Union and implemented through IOM, Mercy Corps and CDD as part of broader efforts to promote conflict prevention, crisis response and resilience in communities affected by insecurity and other forms of conflict.