10/13/2018 Nigeria (International Christian Concern) – One of the most essential, yet often overlooked, facets of ICC’s ministry is advocacy. ICC’s advocacy department strives to be a voice for persecuted communities around the world through their influence in various government bodies. As such, ICC has a volunteer team specifically dedicated to supporting these efforts. One of the primary responsibilities of advocacy volunteers involves sharing ICC’s petitions.
This past summer, ICC launched a petition on behalf of persecuted Christian farmers in Nigeria. Over the last 20 years, it is estimated that victims of attacks led by Boko Haram and Fulani militants number as high as 50,000 to 60,000. Unfortunately, the lack of action by the Nigerian government continues to embolden Fulani militants in their violent actions. This petition called on the Nigerian government to take action to bring Fulani militants to justice and protect the vulnerable Christian community in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region.
Volunteers all over the world sprang into action to raise awareness about persecution in Nigeria and share the petition in their communities. Volunteers found creative ways to draw attention to ICC’s petitions in a variety of ways. Some shared the petition online, whether through social media or among family and friends via email. Others opted to share the petition in a face-to-face manner, such as speaking about the petition in church, sharing it in their small groups, or simply raising awareness among their neighbors.
Due, in part, to the global reach of ICC’s volunteers, this petition garnered signatures from nearly 90 countries, across six continents. The international reach of these petitions is very beneficial in ICC’s advocacy work, because it supports the fact that religious freedom is not a regional or partisan issue.
For interviews with Nathan Johnson, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org
