The role of religious teachings and grassroots religious teachers and clerics in combating intimate partner violence internationally

The second release draws from findings from long-term anthropological research with communities in Ethiopia and evidence collected from a programme implemented by Project dldl/ድልድል that engaged Christian clergy to build their preparedness to respond to domestic violence in Ethiopia.

It highlights the important role of religious teachings and grassroots religious teachers and clerics in combating intimate partner violence internationally. The findings suggest that theology-informed IPV trainings could enable religious teachers to become more active in IPV responses, provided that a) theological responses are embedded in the religious tradition that faith communities consider authoritative, and b) trainers are fully versed in the cultural context, theological tradition and IPV realities that the religious teachers they train are faced with in their everyday life.

“Previously, there was fear to speak on the now the workshop has given us capacity (skills) and the morale (to do so).” – Workshop clergy participant

“Starting from myself, it made me an example and a person who respects my wife as well as other women in society.” – Workshop clergy participant