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Centre for Research and Dialogue
Xarunta Cilmibaarista & Wadatashiga |
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An affiliate of WSP International
CENTER FOR RESEARCH AND DIALOGUE (CRD) WAR-TORN SOCIETIES
PROJECT INTERNATIONAL (WSP) Brief Profile The
Centre for Research & Dialogue (CRD) is an independent not-for-profit
corporation aimed to promote the social, economic & political rebuilding
of Somalia. The Centre utilises Participatory Research as a means to
facilitate processes of dialogue, consensus building, policy development
and institutional capacity building at the national and local levels. CRD is an affiliate of War-torn Societies
Project International whose Somali program is designed to assist local and national
actors as well as the international community in responding more affectively
to the challenges of overcoming conflict, preventing its re-occurrence
and building a lasting peace in Somalia. It does so by employing an
approach that (1) embraces the
value of democracy, peaceful change and consensus; (2) is participatory,
research based, and flexible; and (3) aims at result that are macro-oriented,
and consensus-built policy. The program brings together actors from local and international institutions, civil society groups, private sector, community leaders, local and international NGOs, and external assistance partners in a consensus-based process for the identification and prioritisation of reconstruction and development need, action-oriented research and problem solving, and development of recommendations for improved policy and practices. The Center also
provides a neutral forum for dialogue and to create opportunities to
discuss and address development & reconstruction issues of common
concern to the Somali Society. The services of the Centre has been utilised
by various institutions and some international organizations including
the United Nations agencies. APPROACH
AND METHODOLOGY
CRD/WSP International employs a unique variant of Participatory
Action research (PAR) methodology. Researchers and social actors join
forces in collective research and analysis forming a true partnership.
The social actors contribute their knowledge of the issues at stake
and the researchers help systematize this knowledge, carry out targeted
investigations to complete it, and lead the collective analysis exercise.
Social actors, who traditionally are the objects of research, become
- at the same time - the active subjects of research.
The
methodology is designed to produce results in different domains simultaneously:
Ø
Research and
analysis: The Participatory Action Research methodology is the main
approach in which dialogue and research are used together to help participants
identify options for policy formulation and priority setting.
Ø
Peace-building
and conflict prevention: The research team promotes and mediates dialogue,
building consensus among the main actors involved in post-conflict rebuilding
through regular meetings in a neutral forum.
Ø
Good governance: The bottom-up strategy encourages an inclusive approach
to problem solving without directly challenging established power relations,
ensuring the participation of a broad cross-section of society in the
articulation of political, economic and social priorities and in subsequent
discussions on related policy issues and local community levels.
Ø Review and coordination: International and national assistance organizations agencies are offered a window through which they could evaluate the impact and acceptance of their programmers and the extent to which their programs correspond to local priorities.
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