How to strengthen social inclusion through artistic practice in Chad?

Through its Art-Lab project, UNESCO strives to strengthen dignity to those who left behind and the ones who left everything behind.

The Art-Lab pilot launch workshop took place in N'Djamena, Chad, from 25 to 27 May 2022. This workshop on social inclusion through artistic expression is part of Art-Lab's strategy for human rights and dialogue. To this end, the main stakeholders invited to this workshop were former members of Boko Haram, street children, women victims of domestic violence, and Central African refugees.  

It was organised by the UNESCO Regional Office for Central Africa in Yaoundé, the UNESCO Antenna in N'Djaména, and the Social and Human Sciences Sector at UNESCO Headquarters, in partnership with the Ndam Se Na association headed by Taigué Ahmed. This workshop includes the training of socio-cultural actors in cultural rights, provided by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and in the methodology of Art-Lab, and in particular the ethical principles at stake during artistic interventions with people in precarious situations.

The 40 participants were divided into four working groups including the main stakeholders and their direct testimonies; the experience of the socio-cultural associations with these people; the representatives of the Ministries of Ministry of Women, Social Action and National Solidarity; of National Education and Civic Promotion; of Culture and Promotion of Diversity; and of Planning, Economy, and International Cooperation. Each group was led by programme specialists of UNESCO and the, OHCHR and three "artivist" facilitators (committed artists): Taigue Ahmed (Chad), Fabrice Don de Dieu Bwabulamutima (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Boniface Watanga (Central African Republic). 

The workshop resulted in a presentation of four social inclusion projects based on the implementation of cultural rights, which are true tools of resilience. The "Mara Gadré" project aims to combat violence against women. It does this by increasing the inclusion of women in the arts, where they are still under-represented. The second project, "Programme d'Action Artistique Socio-Culturelle au Tchad" (Socio-Cultural Artistic Action Programme in Chad), fights against the stigmatisation of Central African refugees through cultural activities carried out in their villages of origin. The project "Kilafia Ngoudjama, Art at the service of internal peace in Lake Chad", aims to train former Boko Haram recruits in dance and theatre in order to facilitate their integration in the villages and islands of the lake. The last project, "Talounena, cri de coeur des enfants de la rue", seeks to promote the supervision and reintegration of 100 street children. The funding for these projects should be supported by the Emergency Heritage Fund.