BELLWETHER INTERNATIONAL

Nigeria: Bellwethers work in Nigeria sought to test how far protecting religious freedom could go in mass atrocity prevention. In 2021 we began interfaith dialogues between Christians and Muslims as well as between tribes IDPs and host communities. These efforts centered religious freedom as a gateway for intimate reflections about daily life and the community they wanted to create for their children to grow up in. From 2021-2024 working in 12 different cities there was a meaningful decrease in violence. More importantly the enormous energy and momentum led to participants starting their own initiatives. In remote communities Bellwether combined interfaith dialogues with emergency response and education initiatives. Meanwhile in 2024 Bellwether launched the Faith for Rights Symposium with the United Nations where attendees from 120 organizations designed locally-led projects aligned with the UNs Faith for Rights commitments aimed at reducing ethnic and religious intolerance. These projects are now being implemented across Nigeria. Bellwethers work in Nigeria highlighted that violence is often manifest along religious divisions but enhancing religious freedom alone is not sufficient-it must be combined with other efforts. The "Faith for Rights" Frameworks 18 commitments serve as a crucial mechanism for promoting ethno-religious tolerance and preventing genocide within Nigerian communities. This was underscored in a three-day UN Faith for Rights Symposium held in Abuja attended by 101 participants representing over twenty organizations. Participants were strategically selected from Nigerias six geopolitical regions-North-Central Northeast Southwest Southeast Northwest and South-South-to ensure a comprehensive diverse approach. The symposium gathered faith leaders youth and women leaders local government representatives security and political figures ethnic leaders and civil society actors to study the UN Faith for Rights Framework with a particular focus on religious freedom and genocide prevention. Through interactive sessions such as group discussions case studies and brainstorming participants developed action plans to foster safer more resilient communities. The training also incorporated analytical tools to deepen participants insights such as conflict management style assessments and exercises in identifying hopes and fears which allowed for personal reflection and constructive group dialogue. In the post-symposium survey 94% of participants reported a full understanding of the framework and several actionable strategies were created for future interventions aimed at strengthening community resilience and tolerance. A three-day Community Cohesion Workshop was held in Jos Nigeria for 30 participants from Benue Kaduna and Plateau States. This workshop brought together key stakeholders including ethnic and community leaders from conflict-affected areas to address and analyze the root causes of violence extremism and religious intolerance in their regions. The participants represented communities that have endured repeated violent attacks including locations in Plateau State such as Barkin Ladi Jos East and Bokkos and Southern Kaduna including Adara Kajuru and Zangon Kataf as well as various areas in Benue State like Guma Agatu and Katsina-Ala. Notable organizations like the Plateau Initiative for the Advancement of the Natives PIDAN and the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union SOKAPU which serve as umbrella bodies for tribal and community groups participated actively fostering a collaborative environment. By the workshops conclusion attendees had developed action plans for each state setting a foundation for ongoing efforts toward community resilience peace-building and reducing sectarian violence across these regions. In commemoration of International Peace Day Bellwether International organized a series of impactful events in both Abuja and Jos. In Abuja in partnership with the National Security and Civil Defense Corps the day kicked off with a peace walk aimed at raising awareness about fostering a culture of peace. The program also included a one-day symposium a media parley and a two-day school peace seminar that engaged students from five schools on the theme of International Peace Day. Over the course of these activities more than 4,973 individuals participated contributing to the broader mission of promoting peace and unity. In Jos a two-day workshop brought together selected youth leaders from across Plateau State to focus on inter-faith dialogue and the promotion of a culture of peace. The first day featured lectures while the second day was highly interactive with participants discussing papers and collaboratively designing a framework for peace-building activities within their communities. A total of 54 youth leaders took part in the workshop helping to shape sustainable peace initiatives for the future. In Oyo State a two-day workshop was conducted in collaboration with the local government providing a vital platform for dialogue among the diverse religious and ethnic groups in the Iwajowa community. The workshop aimed to enhance understanding of the cultural and religious diversity within the area develop coexistence strategies and equip community leaders with the tools to serve as ambassadors for interfaith tolerance. A total of 100 participants attended the workshop with 40% being newcomers and 60% returning from the previous year. The post-assessment survey indicated that all participants felt better prepared to contribute to peaceful coexistence in their community and everyone expressed a willingness to engage in future initiatives focused on community cohesion. A capacity-building workshop was held in Lagos for 50 women from inter-religious backgrounds focusing on empowering participants to protect their families and contribute to prosperous communities. This initiative titled "Capacity Building Workshop for Women of Interreligious Background to Protect Families and Build Prosperous Societies," specifically engaged women from the Igbooye Community providing them with knowledge of their rights leadership skills and a deeper understanding of their roles within their community and society. Following the workshop 90% of the participants reported feeling more equipped to take on leadership roles demonstrating the effectiveness of the training in fostering confidence and promoting active community involvement. This project was co-sponsored by Bellwether and designed and implemented by Nigeria Women Lead. The objective of the Nigeria Women Lead Project held in Abuja was to empower women with knowledge of human rights and freedom of religion enabling them to become powerful agents of positive change in society. The initiative began with a reception and dinner featuring the screening of Pray the Devil Back to Hell a film that highlights the transformative impact of women coming together to create change in Liberia. The following day included a course on Freedom of Religion or Belief followed by an inter-religious community organizing session. Over the course of the two-day seminar a total of 80 women were actively engaged in the program. This project was co-sponsored by Bellwether and designed and implemented by Nigeria Women Lead. The statewide initiative focused on empowering women through leadership trainings to promote freedom of religion or belief was continued in Kafanchan of Kaduna State. A total of 150 women and youth leaders participated in a one-day seminar which included guest presentations panel discussions and a film screening.

Ambassador program which is an education program to certify individuals in basic human rights principles.