Enhancing the Capacity of CBOS Around Bwindi – Mgahinga and Volcanoes National Parks

Blog | 15/12/22

While Community Based Conservation Organizations mushroomed and became a trend around Virunga -Massif a few years ago, few of these survived and those that kind of made it, indeed struggled to have a definitive working plan, or even a future. Gaps were evident in administration and management, gender mainstreaming, conflict resolution, and governance among others.  This however has started to change since IGCP trained the select CBOs in Human Rights Based Approach, gender mainstreaming and Conflict sensitivity.

Commenting on the capacity building received, the CBOs appreciate the training especially the knowledge and skills attained. “The training was eye opening, it helped us appreciate the importance of dialogue in addressing conflict, gender sensitivity and accountability. We immediately made changes in our governance structures to include women representatives, formed executive and disciplinary committees to address conflict and evaluate loan requests, among others,” says Rev Earnest Sebasore, a member of Gitenderi Protect Environment (GPEG).

According to Henry Mutaabazi, the IGCP Country Coordinator the trainings were aimed at creating major transformation in line with women empowerment, human rights observation and conflict resolution.

The International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) currently consists of Conservation International, Fauna & Flora International and the World Wide Fund for Nature. We recognise that the earth's survival is dependent on humanity's ability to maintain a healthy and balanced environment that includes all species of wildlife.