By Chimezie Godfrey
The CLEEN Foundation has received grant to deepen and fast-track its advocacy on ethnic justice and police reforms in Nigeria.
This is contained in a statement endorsed by its Executive Director, Dr Benson Olugbuo on Wednesday.
Olugbuo stated that the grant is part of a roughly $80 million in awards in support of the MacArthur Foundation’s Equitable Recovery Initiative, centered on advancing racial and ethnic justice.
He stated,”The initiative is funded by MacArthur’s social bonds, issued in response to the crises of the Covid-19 pandemic and racial inequity.
“The grant will support the CLEEN Foundation to deepen the advocacy on police reforms through strategic collaboration with critical stakeholders concerned with policing in Nigeria,” said the Executive Director of CLEEN Foundation, Dr. Benson Olugbuo.
“The drive for reformed police in Nigeria has become apparent and non-negotiable considering events that surrounded the EndSARS protests which touched on the need for the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to respect the fundamental rights of citizens to protest impunity and misconduct and for them to act within the confines of the law.”
Olugbuo disclosed that CLEEN Foundation is one of the organisations receiving grants to advance the racial justice field support, with a focus on combating anti-blackness focus areas of the MacArthur Foundation’s initiative.
According to him, the grant will sustain CLEEN Foundation’s efforts to push for holistic police reforms in Nigeria and to make the police more accountable to the citizens, working in concert with key government agencies and partners.
“To advance racial and ethnic justice, MacArthur is supporting work in that focus, as well as three other areas:
“Self-determination of Indigenous Peoples supports uplifting Indigenous communities to enable autonomous pursuit of a recovery guided by their priorities, cultures, and practices.
“Public Health Equity and COVID-19 Mitigation and Recovery supports improving access to resources for immediate health challenges while advancing new policies, models, and structures to support a more equitable and resilient public health sector in the future.
“An Equitable Housing Demonstration Project supports restoring communities and reducing incarceration and housing instability by generating an array of housing solutions that can help to permanently end the use of jails and prisons as housing of last resort.
“MacArthur identified the areas through a participatory process with a diverse group of external advisors, who informed its strategic approach.
“The participatory process aimed to center the voices of communities that are affected by the Foundation’s decisions and have a stake in the grantmaking outcomes,” he stated.
On equitable recovery initiative, Olugbuo recalled that in the fall of 2020, MacArthur established a $125 million Equitable Recovery Initiative.
He added that the Foundation deployed $40 million of bond proceeds through 24 grants.
According to him, initial grants focused on strengthening voter mobilization and election protection, addressing anti-Black racism, and supporting Native Americans impacted by COVID-19.
He mentioned that grants also supported Black, Latinx, Asian, and Indigenous arts organizations in Chicago, technology and justice, and a fund for social entrepreneurs advancing racial equity.
The CLEEN Foundation (formerly known as the Centre for Law Enforcement Education in Nigeria) is happy to announce the award of a grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to improve police accountability in Nigeria through sustained police reforms.
CLEEN Foundation is a non-governmental organization established in January 1998 with the mission of promoting public safety, security, and accessible justice through the strategies of empirical research, legislative advocacy, demonstration programmes and publications, in partnership with government, civil society and the private sector.
CLEEN Foundation is a recipient of several awards, including the Human Rights Award 2019 (National Human Rights Commission), The Best e-Governance Project 2016 (NITDA-Nihilent e-Governance Award), Advocate of Peace and Social Justice 2016 (The Limit Breakers’ Award), The Best NGO in ICT Deployment 2016 (NITDA-Nihilent e-Governance Award) and MacArthur Foundation 2006 (Creative & Effective Institutions Award).
