2013-2014
Summary
In 2013-2014, HRF in partnership with Responding To Conflict introduced 15-20 civic organizations to conflict transformation, building their skills in conflict analysis, dialogue and problem-solving. Through training, continual support and mentoring, we assisted in developing the confidence and capacity of a young emerging group of civil society individuals and organisations to contribute towards a new and democratic Libya.
Project Context
Libya is emerging from 42 years of dictatorship. The country is in a historic transition phase, which offers the opportunity for the Libyan people to build a pluralistic, vibrant and democratic new Libya. The need for capacity building in this crucial moment of state building is great. Public institutions, political parties and civil society were non-existent under the authoritarian rule of Gaddafi, and are now in a process of forming. They are trying to cope with the legacy of Gaddafi’s longstanding divide-and- rule strategy which set communities against one another, each vying for a share of resources and the regime’s favor, and the aftermath of the revolution which brought to the fore many formerly repressed conflicts.
These conflicts, combined with the lack of analysis, conflict resolution, dialogue and consensus reaching skills which are crucial building blocks for democracy, are now hindering the development of an inclusive, democratic society. There exist key civil society actors and organisations which are, or have the capacity to become, a resource within an emergent civil society to address (non- violently) existing and future conflicts and address fragmenting identities.
Project Outline
As part of the induction phase of the project, a 9-day Scoping Mission was conducted to Libya by the HRF Project Manager and partner Responding To Conflict (RTC) Senior Peace and Conflict Advisor in order to promote the project, coordinate with international organisations working on issues of peace and conflict as well as strengthening democracy in Libya.
HRF in collaboration with implementing partners, introduced 15-20 civic organizations to conflict transformation and build their skills in conflict analysis, dialogue and problem-solving to address those conflicts and issues hindering the transition process and the emergence of a democratic state in Libya. Through training, continual support and mentoring, this project contributed towards developing the capacity and confidence of a group of emerging civil society individuals and organisations to identify, develop and enact strategies for conflict resolution for an inclusive, participatory, and democratic new Libya. The project was funded by National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
