Project coordination
Research shows that religious worldviews determine to a certain extent how people perceive disease and disability. Little research, however, investigated the positive role that religious communities can play in reducing stigma and promoting inclusion of people affected by leprosy.
Leprosy and Religion in Nigeria: the role of Churches and Mosques in stigma reduction.
Duration
June 2018 - November 2019
Project Coordination
Partners
The University of Jos, Nigeria
Project summary
Despite numerous interventions, leprosy-related stigma remains an obstacle to effective treatment and inclusion of people affected by leprosy. Research shows that religious worldviews determine to a certain extent how people perceive disease and disability. Little research, however, investigated the positive role that religious communities can play in reducing stigma and promoting inclusion of people affected by leprosy. This study builds on the 2016-2017 study on ‘The Role of Christian Churches’ and explores the perceptions and attitudes of the Muslim community in Northern Nigeria towards leprosy and those affected by leprosy. Comparison of perceptions from Islamic leaders and communities with their Christian counterparts may help to understand how stigma develops, factors related to its expanding or decreasing and how it can be reduced. Therefore, this study explores the perceptions of Muslim leaders and communities on the cause, cure and consequences of leprosy as well as the way Muslims are told to behave towards those affected by leprosy. Finally, the findings of the two studies will be compared and recommendation made on the role that religious communities can play to reduce leprosy-related stigma.
Research questions
The main research question is the following: How can leprosy organizations collaborate with Islamic and Christian leaders to reduce leprosy-related stigma and promote inclusion of people affected by leprosy in the religious and social community? Resulting in the sub-questions: (1) What are the perceptions of Islamic leaders and believers in Nigeria on causes of leprosy?; (2) What is the attitude of Islamic leaders and believers in Nigeria towards people affected by leprosy?; (3) To what extent are Islamic leaders and believers in Nigeria exposed to people affected by leprosy – and does that influence their perception on leprosy?; (4) To what extent do Christian and Muslim ‘Institutions for Training Religion’ address the topic of disease and disability, in specific leprosy?; (5) To what extent do perceptions on causes, attitudes, and levels of exposure of Islamic leaders and believers agree or disagree with Christian leaders and believers?
Plan of investigation
Data will be collected in four states of Northern Nigeria (Kano, Zamfara, Plateau and Kwara) among Muslim communities of the following divisions: Juma’atu Nasril Islam; Izala; Ansar-Ud-Deen; Qadiryya; and Salaf. After adapting the data collection tool from the 2016-2017 study, making them appropriate for the Muslim community a pilot study will be collected and data collected through interviews with Islamic leaders, Christian lecturers and Muslim lecturers of Institutions for Training Religion. In addition, surveys will be conducted among Muslim communities, as well as focus group discussion with people affected by leprosy. After data collection and analysis, a workshop will be organized together with people affected by leprosy and representatives to discuss the results of the study. Special attention will be given to the role that religious communities can play to reduce stigma and promote inclusion of people affected by leprosy.
Budget
€37,126 | Project number: 706.18.28