Call for Application: Development of Curriculum and Training of Selected Journalists on Common Ground Journalism in Relation to FoRB
Search for Common Ground, Indonesia

Call for Application: Development of Curriculum and Training of Selected Journalists on Common Ground Journalism in Relation to FoRB
About Search for Common GroundSearch is an international non-profit organization that promotes peaceful resolution of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC and a European office in Brussels, Belgium, Search mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflict - away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. Search seeks to help conflicting parties understand their differences and act on their commonalities. With a total of approximately 600 staff worldwide, Search implements projects from 50 offices in 35 countries, including in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.
Since 2003, Search has worked through its multi-media division, Common Ground Productions, in Nigeria, from 2004 to 2008 producing and broadcasting a TV series targeting a youth audience. In 2010, Search began building its engagement in Nigeria, initiating a multi-year conflict transformation program, utilizing media and support to civil society in order to expand and deepen the impact of the Common Ground approach in Nigeria. Search has established a permanent presence in Abuja as an operational base for a number of initiatives comprising the country program. Search works to support peaceful resolution of conflict in regions of Nigeria such as the Niger Delta, the North East and North Central.
About the ProjectSearch for Common Ground (Search) Nigeria is proposing a 36-month project with an overall goal to empower actors to prevent and address conflicts along religious lines and advance Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Nigeria. The overall goal will be supported by three specific objectives:
Project Strategic Objectives: 1. To establish effective Early Warning/Early Response (EWER) and referral mechanisms for addressing FoRB violations and violence along religious lines in Nigeria. 2. To strengthen support mechanisms for individuals at risk of FoRB violations. 3. To enhance public understanding of interfaith conflict and the importance of FoRB.
Search is implementing a nation wide project that is engaging key actors at National level and also across the 6 geopolitical regions of Nigeria. The geographic scope is National, Search will at regular intervals convene key actors from all regions in a central location and thereafter coordinate them through in-person and online engagements on this project. The scope is on the premise of the difficulty in predicting which region of the country will be affected by conflict along religious lines. It is also an outcome of an analysis of recent incidents of religious conflicts in Nigeria which has cut across the North, South and Eastern regions. The choice of a national scope is also informed by learnings of Search from similar projects implemented in the past where key stakeholders have asked questions related to the rationale for limiting the scope to the Northern Region of Nigeria. In addition, the National scope also presents an opportunity to establish a Nationwide EWER mechanism through the National Inter-religious council, Community of Practice, Common Ground Journalist forum and social media influencers which will comprise key actors at National level and across the 6 geo-political regions with the mandate to respond to the rise in conflict along religious lines.
Background on the Curriculum Development and training of selected Journalists on Common Ground Journalism in relation to FoRBThe impact of non-sensitive reports of religious crises have been colossal and caused more tension around the world and in Nigeria as a context. Nigeria is a very fragile and sensitive country that insensitive reporting could result in violent crises that can lead to huge annihilation of lives and properties. This has been the experience of a series of religious crises that has engulfed the country in the past. Religion is deeply embedded in all aspects of Nigerian life shaping not only citizens’ moral values, but also 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 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 t