Sindh:

Pakistan
is confronted with multiple social, environmental and economic issues. These
issues are causing chaos in the society hence creating unprecedented conflict
situations. Moreover, lack of equal resource distribution is creating dividing
lines between social classes, provinces, and majority and minority groups. The
dividing lines are increasing with the involvement of secondary actors and
spoilers. Misconceptions and lack of proper handling of the conflict situation
is giving rise to violence hence threatening the social life in the country.
Terrorism, target killings, and bomb blasts are some of the reactions of the
social disparities. These add to the existing external threats that are posed
to the country at large.

Government
alone has failed to combat the crisis situation in the country. Joint actions
are needed to be taken in order to procure peace and security in Pakistan.
Keeping in view the deteriorating peace and security situation there is a dire
need to provoke and involve stakeholders along with government to ensure
tranquility in the country.? These
stakeholders include Political Parties, Religious Scholars, Minority Leaders,
Government Institutions, Civil Society, Advocates, Cooperate and Business
Sector. The role of these stakeholders is not only limited to the country but
has a ripple effect on the security situation in the region.

SDPI
organized and facilitated six 5-day training workshops for 125 local leaders
from twenty five districts of Pakistan. Four of these trainings were conducted
in provincial capitals and two in Federal Capital Islamabad.

These
selected local leaders were invited to go through a process of dialogue and
cooperative action during these trainings on peacebuilding and were imparted
with the following set of skills:

• Conflict analysis tools that will
  enable them to understand each other?s positions and interests vis-?-vis
  conflict situations at the local level
• Non-adversarial advocacy,
  mediation, facilitation and dialogue tools that will enable them to play a
  positive and constructive role in building peace in their communities
• Effective advocacy, communication
  skills, behavioral change and communication strategy?
• Leadership skills to build
  relationships with media and to constructively participate in radio, TV
  talkshows and to lead community activities locally i.e. district peace
  forums.
• Theories
  of leadership, role identification , key competencies, role switching,
  negotiation skills and working in diverse cultural groups