Sierra Leone: ‘We See the Sparks Before They Turn into Fires’: Training Women to Avoid Conflict in Sierra Leone

Nov 21, 2020 | UN News
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In the West African country of Sierra Leone, the UN is supporting a government programme, training women and men to take on leadership roles in areas such as peacebuilding, with the aim of promoting peace and non-violence.

"We have learned how to see the sparks before they turn into fires, metaphorically speaking," says Susan Pessima, from Selenga Chiefdom, Bo District, in the south of Sierra Leone. "That’s important, because fires can spread fast if the conditions are right for it".

Ms. Pessima is talking about the fires of conflict and violence, fanned in part by the climate crisis, and dwindling natural resources. Often these take the form of land disputes. For example, there may be a disagreement over the boundary line between two properties. The problems often seem small, but they reflect larger and long-simmering tensions over class, ownership, and land rights. Sometimes, these disputes turn violent, and may even unleash bigger waves of violence.