Building on the success and lessons of the 2025 Social Cohesion and Peacebuilding Programme, ACCORD implemented the Advanced Leadership Training for Women in Peacebuilding and Social Facilitation, from 17-19 March 2026 in Durban, South Africa. The training was designed not only to enhance knowledge, but to build demonstrable capacity to engage, negotiate, and advocate effectively amongst women leaders within the KwaMashu, Umlazi, and Isipingo communities, in the lead‑up to the 2026 local government elections.
The training framework was anchored around three key objectives. First, it strengthened applied advocacy and leadership skills for community‑level and local governance contexts, critical capabilities as communities entered an election period where tensions and competition for resources often intensified. Second, it enhanced advocacy, facilitation and strategic communication skills, enabling participants to articulate community priorities, engage stakeholders credibly, and mobilise support for gender‑responsive initiatives. Third, the programme translated individual leadership development into practical collective action by guiding participants to develop shared priorities and clear pathways for engagement through the existing women‑led forums.
The training was highly practical, incorporating scenario‑based simulations, negotiation exercises grounded in typical community‑level interactions, and guided sessions where participants worked through stakeholder mapping, interests analysis, and advocacy route planning using real community challenges.
This training formed part of ACCORD’s ongoing strategic efforts to strengthen the role of multi-dimensional stakeholders to deal with complex conflicts.
