Tulodo is pleased to announce our appointment by the Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) to conduct a baseline study on freedom of religious belief in Indonesia. The objectives for the baseline study are to explore situations and contexts of religious freedom in Indonesia; provide input on the validity of the four pathways of change and their interactions with each other as described in the Theory of Change; feed the knowledge and learning agenda for the Indonesia program; support evidence-based advocacy; provide recommendations for adjusting program strategies and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plans; and inform how interventions in Indonesia should be conflict-sensitive and support adaptive management of interventions.
Freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) remains a significant issue in Indonesia due to intolerant actions and even violent extremism in the name of faith itself. The Government of Indonesia has implemented several policies and actions to ensure religious harmony and FoRB in Indonesia. At the national level, The Ministry of Religious Affairs – through its 2020-2024 Strategic Planning or Renstra – has designed three program targets (Sasaran Program) as part of its Strategic Goal of “Increasing religious moderation and religious harmony.” Several international organizations and consortiums are also working to address the FoRB issues in Indonesia, including JISRA. JISRA will work with various religious communities to address discrimination, extremist tendencies and hate towards others; strengthen the bridge between religious communities; and engage international, national, and subnational authorities to address these issues.
To design effective interventions, there is a need to conduct situation analyses among community members and related stakeholders on the FoRB, gender and inclusion issues that address the JISRA’s above-mentioned area of interests, including reviewing the Theory of Change developed by JISRA. Tulodo will conduct a mixed-method approach – including using policy review and the context analysis approach – to explore and discuss FoRB, gender and inclusion issues to generate recommendations for JISRA in designing intervention strategies, including advocacy. Targeting community members and religious actors, the study was conducted from November to December 2021 in West Java (specifically Bandung City, West Bandung, the Bandung Regency, Cimahi and Cirebon), Yogyakarta (Bantul), Central Java (Solo), South Sulawesi (Makassar) and Central Sulawesi (Poso). The baseline study has obtained ethics clearance from the University of Indonesia.
About JISRA
JISRA (Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action) is an international interfaith consortium that consists of Mensen met een Missie, Faith to Action Network, Tearfund (UK and Netherlands) and Search for Common Ground. The Arabic word Jisr’ means bridge, which symbolizes what JISRA aims to do: to build bridges between divided communities. The JISRA programme for 2021-2025 will be implemented in seven countries, namely Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mali and Nigeria. The JISRA consortium in Indonesia works with a variety of local faith-based actors, partners, networks, youth organizations and women’s organizations to support, capacitate and amplify inclusive voices and policies. The unique composition allows JISRA to work within faith communities, as well as with high-level decision-makers. JISRA also works within religious communities to challenge discrimination, extremist tendencies and hate towards others. JISRA facilitates and strengthens bridges between religious communities by encouraging interreligious action and addressing common grievances. JISRA engages with local, national and international authorities to make state action towards religious freedom more effective and to challenge divisive policies and practices. Broadly, the programme seeks to strengthen the voice of religious actors in civil society and in nurturing civic spaces; to leverage religious actors’ constructive roles in high-level advocacy; to build on the partners’ extensive FoRB experience and best practices; and to specifically focus on women and youth.
About Tulodo
Tulodo is a consulting, project management and incubation agency specializing in social and behavior change. We help partners and clients solve issues related to the environment, health, governance, education, technology, human rights, microfinance, water, safety and more. We provide services in research, strategy, design and development, management, capacity-building, marketing and communications, evaluation and fundraising.
Tulodo is a different kind of organization. We have the client service, focus on results and creativity of a marketing agency; we provide the expertise, research and capability development of a university; and we bring the social focus, community and passion of a non-profit organization. We’re as capable with mobile solutions, big data and user-centric design as we are with community mobilization, capacity-building and partnership. Tulodo has a presence in Indonesia, Australia and Timor-Leste, as well as partners throughout the Asia Pacific region and globally. We work with governments, communities, businesses, and non-profit, industry and multilateral organizations.
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