Peaceful Elections in 2023 Starts Now: CPS Partners Receive Training to Tackle Hate Speech in Communities

By Abdul Kaprr Dumbuya

“Hate speech uses words as a weapon – aimed at specific groups of people. The expressers devalue people in comments, verbally attack them or call for violence. These devaluations are based on stereotypes or the assumption that certain groups of people are worthless than others. It violates people’s dignity and rights and can intimidate entire groups…” This statement by Kathrin Prinzing, BftW-CPS Seconded Personnel attached to the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone was deemed as a better descriptionof Hate Speech, in the absence of clear definition of the concept among participants at a training in Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone witnessed one of the most violent incidences in recent times, when a reportedly peaceful demonstration turned violent on August 10, 2022. It largely shows the fragility of the current peace in the country, and how easy especially young people can be lured into violent actions by politicians using hate speech through social media. Hate Speech is not a new phenomenon, but with increased misuse of social media, it is becoming a serious challenge across the world. Information can be shared anonymously and fast through social media.

Bread for the World (BftW) in Germany offers trainings for peace work in different contexts in the Mano River Union in West Africa and beyond. Most trainings already delivered by the Support Team of BftW to the Civil Peace Service (CPS) network partners in Sierra Leone and Liberia have all focused on the upcoming general elections in 2023 in both countries, and on the areas of tackling hate speech before, during and after elections.

Early in October, the CPS partners in Sierra Leone were engaged in a two-day training on “How to react and stop hate speech”. The training was co-facilitated by one of the Support Team members, Juliane Westphal and the CPS Seconded Personnel attached to SLADEA, Alseny Diallo.

During the workshop, participants learned what hate speech is, how it is identified, and why it is dangerous even when it is meant as a joke. They practiced how to react to hate speech through real life situations. Trainees were divided into three different groups. While two groups were tasked to accuse each other using hate speech, the third group was required to intervene and try to stop the use of hate speech. It was realised at the end that, it is very challenging to stop hate speech on social media because messages are posted very fast. However, constant engagement along with peace messages across the media was seen as one of the means to diffuse tensions and build peace.