Masculinity, Faith and Peace (MFP) — Faith-Based Norms-Shifting Programme, Plateau State, Nigeria

Masculinity, Faith and Peace (MFP) is a faith-based, norms-shifting curriculum that engages Christian and Muslim religious leaders and congregations to challenge harmful concepts of masculinity linked to gender-based violence, drawing on each faith's own texts and role models. It was implemented by a Tearfund-led consortium across local government areas of Plateau State, Nigeria, including Bassa, Barkin Ladi and Riyom, with a hub in the state capital, Jos.
An 18-month, community-based, two-arm cluster-randomised controlled trial evaluated MFP across 20 Christian and Muslim congregations, surveying 350 women and 281 of their male partners at baseline and endline. Published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence (Shaw et al., 2023), the trial found a statistically significant 61% reduction in the odds of women reporting any intimate partner violence in MFP congregations compared to controls, with a 64% reduction among Christian participants specifically and a 44% reduction across MFP congregations overall. The study also documented parallel improvements in gender attitudes, relationship quality and community cohesion.
Tearfund's own project reporting describes local partners going on to develop strategies to expand MFP's interfaith elements and geographic coverage in Plateau State, suggesting some post-trial continuity, though this review did not find independent confirmation of the scale or funding of that expansion.

Read the full analysis: https://learn.tearfund.org/-/media/learn/resources/reports/2021-tearfund-consortium-masculinities-faith-and-peace-in-nigeria-en.pdf