Project Overview
The Pharos project "Support for Incubators of Pluralism in Nigeria" aims at strengthening the actors of social cohesion with technical and material support to promote cultural and religious pluralism in communities faced with tension linked by means of identity.
The CSOs working on building social cohesion in communities with a focus on young people are the target groups of this project. The selected CSOs will form a network of incubators of Pluralism Actors that will promote inter-group collaborations and communication to boost Pluralism as a major input in the construction of peace in communities.
This project brings together 20 different CSOs identified based on their peace-building interventions and effort towards protecting human dignity and rights.
General Objective
To reinforce civil rights (protection from discrimination on grounds such as race, gender, national origin, color, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or disability) and individual rights such as privacy, the freedoms of thought and conscience, speech and expression, religion or belief, the press, assembly and movement.
The project also aims to strengthen political rights such as the rights of the accused, including the right to a fair trial; due process; the right to seek redress or a legal remedy; and rights of participation in civil society and politics such as freedom of association and the right to assemble.
Project Structure
Coordinated by the Justice Development and Peace Caritas/Commission (JDPC) and funded by the Pharos Observatoire-France, the Centre for Community Actions for Peace and Development (CCAPAD) has been selected as a member organization to partner in the implementation of the project and has been actively engaged in its activities.
Specific Objectives
- To strengthen the capacity of institutional actors in promoting pluralism in Nigeria
- To reduce stigmatization and defamation proceedings against disadvantaged groups as minority religions, poor people, women and most vulnerable members of the community
- To promote the social inclusion of disadvantaged groups as minority religions, poor people, women and most vulnerable members of society in the delivery of social services
- To encourage and promote interfaith cooperation through civic education
- To promote inter-faith/cultural cooperation among people of different faiths/cultures
Key Interventions
Youth Awareness Creation for 2023 Gubernatorial Election
In view of the 2023 Gubernatorial election, the Pharos team of CCAPAD implemented an activity titled: "Awareness Creation for Youth in Bassa, Jos-East, Jos-South and Barkin Ladi LGAs of Plateau State Nigeria."
The activity was aimed to:
- Create awareness among youths on ethnic and religious politics against 2023 Gubernatorial election in the state
- Strengthen their capacities on the peaceful conduct of the elections
- Help them understand the need for peaceful coexistence as a Nation
- Emphasize the importance of violence-free elections in the state
At the end of the presentation, the participants were able to come up with an action plan on how to ensure peaceful and credible elections in their various communities.
Impact and Sustainability
Through the Pharos project, CCAPAD continues to work with a network of civil society organizations to promote pluralism, protect human rights, and build social cohesion in communities across Plateau State.
The project's focus on youth engagement, interfaith cooperation, and civic education creates a foundation for long-term peace and understanding in communities that have experienced identity-based tensions.