Civil Society Organisations in Conflict Prevention in Northern Ghana: Contributions and Challenges

Abstract

For the past two decades, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have been recognized internationally as key actors in implementing conflict prevention activities. To that end, the international community has called for the full participation of CSOs in conflict prevention. This study examines the responses of CSOs to this clarion call with a focus on their contribution to conflict prevention and the challenges confronting them in the Northern Region of Ghana. The paper employed a purposive sampling technique in selecting thirty-nine (39) participants, while in-depth interviews were used to elicit responses from the respondents. The findings of the paper suggest that CSOs engaged in conflict prevention, concentrate their efforts on early warning and early response, public education and awareness creation and post conflict reconstruction among others.  The findings reveal further that inadequate funding and human resources, security, weak coordination and networking, higher expectations from beneficiaries and sustainability are some of the challenges confronting CSOs working in conflict prevention. The paper concludes that while CSOs have a role to play in promoting sustainable peace, the ultimate task rests on the local people and state institutions.

Keywords: Civil Society, Civil Society Organisations, Conflict and Conflict prevention