Search for Common Ground (SFCG) in Côte d’Ivoire

SFCG works in both urban and rural areas, targeting places with high intercommunity tensions where there is a risk of violent conflict. SFCG describes its campaign as informative, community-centred and focused on tolerance and reconciliation in general, and on Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reinsertion (RRR) in particular. According to the NGO, the campaign prepares communities to be more receptive to and become more involved in the community-based conflict resolution processes.

To achieve its goals, the project uses training and support to strengthen the capacity of local radio stations, drama troupes and staff in its partner organisations to facilitate reconciliation in communities and support RRR. SFCG arranges working sessions with civil society and local radio stations, to map conflict areas and identify affected groups and their issues. This ensures a community-driven and coordinated campaign.

SFCG also provides gender-sensitive conflict transformation trainings to selected individuals who are in positions of influence in their communities.These trainings are based on local experiences and case studies. After training, SFCG supports these individuals to develop their own opportunities for training within their spheres of influence. The individuals trained form the core of the project and then become the trainers, spreading out to pass their skills and knowledge to other members of their communities.

Radio has proven to be an extremely effective method of promoting peace-building in all of SFCG’s programmes in Africa, as it promotes positive changes in attitudes and behaviours and reaches a large number of people, including illiterate and under-educated populations. The studios operate under the name of Talking Drum Studio, leveraging the reputation already developed by SFCG’s other programmes in the sub-region.

SFCG broadcasts three radio programmes and is preparing production on more programmes in the near future. The first production, Main dans la Main (‘Hand in Hand’), is broadcast on partner stations and ONUCI FM (UN radio station). This weekly 30-minute programme centres on human rights and social cohesion. Woro Woro Youth is a series of short skits that focus on individual responsibility in building peace.

Every drama is set in a taxi where Kofi Mory, the driver, and his passengers analyse current affairs from a ‘Common Ground’ perspective, looking for shared interests and agreement between dissenting views. A third programme, entitled Passerelle (‘Bridge’), integrates traditional conflict resolution mechanisms of various ethnic groups in Côte d’Ivoire with modern conflict resolution techniques, using local languages, parables, and other culturally appropriate forms familiar to ordinary citizens. SFCG developed this programme in response to requests made by the community radio stations.

Conflict, Gender.

SFCG aims to reduce tensions among communities and groups, to facilitate reconciliation and to strengthen social cohesion. Its objectives are to strengthen local capacity to transform conflict non-violently, to enhance social dialogue on key issues, and to bring about constructive cooperation at community level through radio.

In early 2006, SFCG began broadcasting its newest programme, Unis dans Nos Différences (United in Our Differences), a news and features programme that deals with life in diverse communities, their experiences with conflict, and the steps they have taken to deal with those conflicts.