SSR is an essential part of conflict prevention and peacebuilding around the world in current national processes and through international support. The Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) offers a one-week SSR course for mid-level to senior practitioners where the conceptual approaches are combined with practical examples and methods for improved results.

Throughout the e-learning and the five-day residential phase, participants will explore the concept of SSR, building on democratic principles, human rights, gender equality and the rule of law. Experts and experienced practitioners will share theory and practical case studies to illustrate the comprehensive process of SSR. Specific technical areas and program approaches will be highlighted within the context of the wider, holistic process of reform. The challenges and opportunities arising in post-conflict situations will be discussed and analyzed with a focus on sustainable reforms, local ownership and political commitment.

For full information about the Course on Security Sector Reform (SSR), kindly follow the link. Last day for application was extended to 18 December 2019.

The course aims to give participants a comprehensive and critical understanding of the multiple dimensions and meanings of the protection of civilians (PoC) in armed conflict and crisis areas. This course enhances participants' knowledge and understanding of the EU integrated approach to conflict and crisis. It also aims to increase information sharing, collaboration and cooperation among the different actors, namely military, civilian crisis management, humanitarian and development aid actors in the wider context of CFSP/CSDP in the area of PoC in armed conflict. The course is an excellent opportunity to network and exchange views with other professionals from different institutional, geographical and cultural backgrounds, all working towards improving PoC in complex environments. The course will also provide an understanding of the challenges and problems faced by civilian, police and military decision makers in the field, as well as best practices aimed at preventing or responding to violence against civilians.

Application deadline: 25/11/2019

For full information about the ESDC Course on the Comprehensive Protection of Civilians, kindly follow the link. Last day for application is 20 October 2019. 

This e-learning course provides participants with an understanding of how a gender lens is critical to all elements of peacebuilding, conflict resolution and recovery work, initiatives and policy. It outlines the normative framework around women’s rights and peacebuilding, security sector governance, approaches to transitional justice, security policy making and awareness raising on women’s and gender issues. This course uses weekly case studies to illustrate how the normative framework has been put into practice in different regions of the world. Finally, the course takes a critical look at the implementation of the women, peace and security resolutions, including gaps that that make a comprehensive, realistic and effective response to gender, peace and security issues challenging in field as well as in the global discourse. Participants will critically analyse international interventions on peace and security from a women’s rights perspective.

For full information about the Women, peace and security E-learning, kindly follow the link. 

Whether you work in a post-conflict or post-crisis context, or in complex political circumstances, whether your work focuses on humanitarian assistance, technical development issues or specifically on the protection of human rights, or on facilitating dialogue in conflict and post-conflict situations, the course will link your practice with the exploration of working on the nexus where human rights and conflict meet.

For full information about the Working at the Nexus between Human Rights and Conflict Transformation, kindly follow the link. Last day for application is 04 November 2019. 

Children's experiences within armed groups or armed forces invariably leave them traumatized and deprived of their childhood, whether they were used in combat roles or not. The release and reintegration of children associated with armed forces and armed groups (CAAFAG) must emanate from the child, and emphasize the role of the family and community with the intention of achieving an effective and sustainable reintegration.

Girls and boys must be provided with tailored service, such as family reunification, psychosocial support and education. Failing to support children can lead to further marginalization and exposure to violence, and may later lead to re-recruitment into armed violence or organized crime. To build sustainable peace and protect children from armed conflict, the direct humanitarian assistance given to CAAFAG must be linked with long term peacebuilding and development agendas, as well as measures to prevent (re-)recruitment into armed violence.

This six-day course will be built around the trajectories and lived experiences of children being recruited to, functioning within, as well as being released from armed groups and forces, emphasizing the role of the family and community in the success of reintegration as well as taking into account the overlapping areas between child protection frameworks and DDR (disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants).

For full information about the Pilot Course on Prevention, Release and Reintegration of Children Associated with Armed Forces and Armed Groups, kindly follow the link. Last day for application is 20 October 2019. 

The course takes place 2019-12-02 - 2019-12-07 in Barcelona, Spain. 

The International Institute of Peace and Development Studies (IIPDS) is calling for applications from peace activists, community development workers, scholars, journalists and youth, women and religious leaders for its next School of Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation Course. The two-week course will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from 26^th October – 8^th November 2019. It will include workshops, lectures and exposure visits to local communities and peace initiatives.

For more details about the 19th School of Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation, kindly follow the link. 

Women’s empowerment, protection and participation in the context peace and security have gained momentum with the adoption of UNSC Resolution 1325 in 2000. Today, almost 20 years and several resolutions, action plans and projects later, many still struggle to consider inclusivity and gender sensitivity in their work in peace operations. There is still considerable room for improvement in overcoming stereotypes about women and men in peace and security and mainstreaming gender-sensitive approaches across peace operations. At the same time, the adoption of gender-sensitive perspective and practice is essential to effective, efficient and professional practice of crisis management and peacebuilding.

Taking stock of these developments, the Police College Baden-Württemberg and ZIF are relaunching the Women, Peace and Security course, building on almost 20 years of experiences and lessons learned on gender-sensitive approaches in the context of EU, UN, OSCE and other peace missions. This course provides the essential knowledge on this topic and equips participations with tools and skills on how to develop gender-sensitive approaches and projects in peace operations.

For full details about the course Women, Peace & Security reloaded - Gender-Sensitive Approaches in Peace Missions kindly follow the link. 

Making Mediation & Peace Processes Work: Peacemaking in Deeply Divided Societies and Challenging Conflicts is a three-day Advanced Professional Training designed for governments, UN agencies and missions, and national and international organisations working with mediation, negotiations, dialogue processes (from community to national and inter-party levels), peacemaking, and peace processes. The programme is intended for expert mediators and parties to mediation and negotiation processes seeking to identify measures to strengthen and improve their processes.

This training is organised by PATRIR and facilitated by an expert practitioner. The programme will assist those involved in mediation and peacemaking efforts – before, during or postwar – to address key challenges and explore practical ways of improving the quality and results of their mediation and peacemaking processes.

For more details about the course Making Mediation & Peace Processes Work: Peacemaking in Deeply Divided Societies and Challenging Contexts, kindly follow the link.