The Institute is divided in three phases.

The First phase is a two weeks training in understanding of conflict and tools for analysis, human rights mechanisms, research methods and documenting of women’s realities; in order to prepare women with skills needed to document stories, experiences and violence against women in conflict in their home countries. At the end of the two weeks training, women leaders develop plans of action relating to specific human rights issues affecting women in situations of armed conflict that require documentation.

The Second Phase takes place in the home countries of the women leaders where the participants carry out field research and collection of information on the particular human rights issue they choose to research on; in response to community action. Isis-WICCE supports the participants with the seed fund to enable them undertake the documentation process.

Third Phase:

During the third Phase of the institute, the participants are exposed to new learning on peace building, conflict transformation, advocacy, networking, leadership and organizational development. This phase is to arm the women leaders with knowledge and leadership skills to apply it when advocating for women’s concerns and to plan and execute their own action plans while dealing with realities of conflict in their own countries.

Conflict Analysis:

Women leaders are introduced to the historical view of armed conflict, causes of conflicts and tools of conflict analysis. This module equips participants with information needed to implement the second phase of institute that includes research.

Human Rights Mechanisms: International human rights mechanisms are explored including human rights concepts and principles. The module further breaks down into women’s rights and important international conventions that women leaders need to fight for women’s rights in armed conflicts. Women leaders are further trained in human rights enforcement and rights based approaches to development. This is to enable women to recognize situations and violations that legitimize violence against women, see it as a crime and demand accountability. This module enables women to propose means of redress within the human rights framework.

International Humanitarian Laws (IHL):

Participants learn concepts, principles of prohibitions under the IHL. They get to understand laws of warfare and provisions on the protection of civilians under conflict. Participants are introduced to war crimes, crimes against humanity and the working of International Criminal Tribunals. This module also provides insight into which agencies work in conflict settings.

Documenting:

The Institute enables participants to learn various forms of documentation and how to document sexual violence and other violations against women in conflict and post conflict settings. Participants are able to know gender sensitive documentation and how to investigate human rights violations. This module provides participants training in the use of ICTs as well as standardized reporting formats. In these module, participants in the Institute get hands on skills which prepare them for the second phase of the institute that require field work. The module also enables women leaders to learn how to design and make interventions from informed point of views as well as build database on issues they are working on in different countries.

Participants also draw up country situation reports and develop plans of action on specific human rights issues which they intend to document.

Conflict transformation and Peace Building

This module looks at peace building right from ceasefire agreements, peacekeeping, enforcement, conflict resolution mechanisms, conflict management and transformation. Participants learn more about negotiation, mediation, arbitration, reconciliation and reintegration. This module also tackles transitional justice mechanisms in Africa, human security instruments, resolutions and conventions. The participants are also able to learn and analyse the roles of United Nations Security Council and other regional bodies like the African Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) etc. This module improves women’ s capacity to engage in peace and security issues, respond to conflict as well know the right bodies to engage in different situations.

Advocacy and lobbying

Women leaders are trained in advocacy, role of media and use of ICTs and new media to promote women’s rights in conflict settings. This helps women acquire strategies of women organizing for change and also promote accountability and reallocation of resources.

Resource mobilization

Participants are introduced to ways of sourcing for funding of human rights work that can be sustainable, putting into consideration the local settings. Women leaders are trained in project proposal writing, accountability, managing networks and membership organisation. Under this module, women also learn monitoring and evaluation of projects. This module helps women to be able to map out ideas on how to develop sustainable women’s rights initiatives.