Call for Application: Engagement of Social Media and Community Influencers on the “Promoting and Protecting Freedom of Religion and Belief” (PP-FORB Nigeria) Project.

Call for Application: Engagement of Social Media and Community Influencers on the “Promoting and Protecting Freedom of Religion and Belief” (PP-FORB Nigeria) Project.  (Remote Job)

Search is an international conflict transformation NGO that aims to transform the way individuals, groups, governments, and companies deal with conflict, away from adversarial approaches and towards collaborative solutions. Headquartered in Washington DC, USA, and Brussels, Belgium, with 52 field offices in 29 countries, Search designs and implements multifaceted, culturally appropriate, and conflict-sensitive programs using a diverse range of tools, including media and training, to promote dialogue, increase knowledge and determine a positive shift in behaviors.

Religion is deeply embedded in all aspects of Nigerian life – shaping citizens’ moral values and their moral understanding of the world, especially in times of crisis.  While there are no official indicators of religious affiliation in Nigeria, most analysts say it is roughly evenly divided between Muslims and Christians. The country has the largest Muslim population in sub-Saharan Africa. It is estimated that 9% of the population belongs to other or no religious groups. Religious affiliation is an important identity in the lives of most Nigerians; 87% of Nigerian citizens believe that religion plays an important role in their life. Religious and cultural pluralism is the daily experience of millions of Nigerians. Notwithstanding the existence of religious tensions, the reality is that most Nigerians want to live in harmony with their neighbors of different faiths. A Pew Research report found that 71% of Nigerians think that it is a good thing for people of other faiths to have the freedom to practice their beliefs. 

 

In addition, the fundamental right to religious freedom in Nigeria remains tenuous, with numerous violations committed by public and private actors alike. Citizens have been tried and convicted for blasphemy, with accusations sometimes triggering ‘mob violence.  Additionally, non-state actors have carried out attacks against religious leaders, houses of worship, and broader religious communities for years. Over several decades, the fundamental right of citizens to religious freedom has been threatened by acts of murder and mob violence.

 The overall goal is supported by three specific objectives and the corresponding six intermediate results and three expected results which will guide the project’s activities:

Objective 1: To establish effective Early Warning/Early Response (EWER) and referral mechanisms for addressing FoRB violations and violence along religious lines in Nigeria.

Objective 2: To strengthen support mechanisms for individuals at risk of FoRB violations.

Objective 3: To enhance public understanding of interfaith conflict and the importance of FoRB. 

The proposed project is premised on the following Theory of Change (ToC): 

IF Religious Leaders, Security Agencies, civil society actors and other key stakeholders leverage new and existing platforms to anticipate, prevent, respond to, and address religious-based conflicts and their root drivers AND IF citizens have access to effective and trustworthy FoRB support mechanisms, AND IF capable and conflict-sensitive media practitioners enhance public understanding of FoRB THEN there will be a decrease in religious-based divisions, tensions, and violence BECAUSE citizens will be equipped to implement a holistic series of prevention, response, and support mechanisms,  addressing every aspect of the ‘violence cycle’, including both long- and short-term drivers of religiously-motivated violence.

Search is seeking to engage 20 influential social media influencers drawn from diverse religious backgrounds from the 6 geo-political zones to disseminate peace messages in a conflict-sensitive manner towards promoting FoRB and mitigating religious-based violence across Nigeria.

Ahead of the dissemination process, the successful candidates will be trained on Search’s Common Ground Approach to Religious Engagement, a proven approach that equips practitioners, religious leaders and everyone seeking to engage in peacebuilding activities to understand how and to what extent religion matters and to then determine whether and how to engage with religious actors and institutions during times of both peace and conflict. They will be trained on how to create conflict-sensitive content which will enhance the capacity of the influencers to utilize their existing platforms to disseminate conflict-sensitive messages that promote interfaith harmony and FoRB in Nigeria. 

The social media influencers will be selected across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Note: Only two documents can be submitted, all required documents must be combined.

Search will organize a one day virtual induction and training and provide airtime reimbursement for participants after the activity. 

Search will facilitate 8 quarterly online exchange meetings with the social media influencers

Search will provide monthly stipends to cover internet costs. 

Interested candidates are invited to send their letter of application and resume to nigeriahr@sfcg.org

Submitted offers will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and selection made according to the above criteria.