JISRA Honours Religious Violence Victims

The Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA), a consortium of faith-based and secular organisations promoting freedom of religion and belief (FoRB), has called for sober reflection on the global impact of religious intolerance and persecution.

Joseph Aloo, chairperson of JISRA’s Country Steering Committee, called at the 2024 International Day Commemorating Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief held in Abuja.

Represented by Bolanle Oyebola, the Acting Country Director of Tearfund Nigeria, Aloo said the occasion presents an opportunity for individuals, communities, and state actors to reflect soberly and strive to make the world a peaceful place for ourselves and our neighbours.

He revealed that JISRA was founded on the principle that religious communities play a crucial role in fostering understanding and addressing conflicts. It empowers religious actors to become effective change agents within their communities.

“Our religious partners have talked about the impact that they are making in their communities. They are working with Traditional Rulers, women and Youths towards achieving the program’s objective in Nigeria”, he said.

JISRA, a peace-building organisation actively operating in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Mali, the Netherlands, and the United States, is being implemented in Nigeria’s Kaduna and Plateau states to support religious actors in becoming agents of peace and inclusion.