Conflict resolution remains a continuous struggle, as violent conflicts escalate at local, regional, and international levels. Consequently, alternative conflict resolution techniques, such as mediation, are essential to address these issues.
Faith-based mediation, which involves deep-faith individuals with extensive knowledge of scriptures and religious references, is a successful alternative. Faith-based mediators help disputants understand divine expectations, the damage caused by conflict, relationship between the disputants and the divine. They serve as a connecting agent between the parties involved.
It is in this light that the Justice and Peace Service, Archdiocese of Bamenda trained 22 members of the Catholic Women Association (CWA) on Faith-Based Mediation (FBM) at the JPS Conference Hall, Bamenda from November 12th to 15th 2023. It was aimed to provide the participants with a deeper understanding of mediation as a conflict resolution method, the concept of faith-based mediation, the role of women as faith-based mediators, and how to integrate faith in mediation.
The training was conducted through a participative approach, incorporating role play, group work, video projection, and icebreakers with modules like understanding mediation, integrating faith in mediation, cultural sensitivity and inclusivity, effective communication, mediation process and structure.
At the end of the training, participants understood conflicts which require legal attention as well as those which need faith-based mediation. As mothers of the church, they embraced the concept of Faith-Based Mediation and pledged to improve the way they have been handling conflicts and to ensure that they integrate faith in such interventions.
