Resources

Este es un documento de una serie de dos sobre la acción de las comunidades de fe para poner fin a la violencia contra los niños y niñas. Su objetivo es informar a los actores religiosos, profesionales del desarrollo, formuladores…

This Sermon Guide is for pastors and other faith leaders to help the talk about sexual and gender-based violence with their communities, and, when appropriate, encourage them to take action. It begins with a discussion of GBV and why this relates to the Church, and then is followed by three chapters, each dealing with a specific GBV issue. This guide was developed for a US-based Christian group in mind; however, versions for other groups are coming soon.

Journal: Migration and Society Local faith actors are deeply involved in assisting refugees around the world. Their place in refugee response, however, can be in parallel with and, at times, in disagreement with the efforts of international humanitarian organizations. Focusing…

Ending Violence Against Children Scoping Study Brief 1. This is one brief in a series of two on faith-based action to end violence against children globally. These briefs are intended for faith actors, development practitioners, policymakers, and donors. Both briefing…

This case study focuses on several situations in Kenya, Senegal, and Cambodia where religious attitudes and actors are directly involved in specific challenges facing children, notably the roles that religious beliefs and religious communities play in appreciating the challenges of…

Tearfund commissioned some research in January 2011 on ‘The current situation regarding sexual violence in Burundi, the role of the church and possible avenues for intervention.’

This note to religious communities developed by Arigatou International for the World Day of Prayer and Action, outlines the scope and consequences of child marriage. It also provides examples of practical action, which religious communities can take all year long…

The Accord Research Alliance Podcast - Recap of Accord Research Alliance Intensive   https://soundcloud.com/user-666881060/2019-recap   The Accord Research Alliance Podcast - Jean Duff at 2018 ARA Research Intensive Jean Duff, President of the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities…

This paper considers the complex ontological and epistemological positionalities that underpin how individuals and organizations in the aid industry define development and legitimate their role in its actualization. This will include a description of the dominant industry power dynamics that influence the formation and…

The articles that compose this publication come from presentations at the Women’s Human Rights Advocacy Training for Faith-Based Organizations and articulate both the religious aspect, grounded in theology, and the human rights dimension, with its standards and working methods. The…

The following policy brief focuses on lessons learned around attitudes toward engaging faith more broadly.

The purpose of this report is to document and discuss the asset-based work of Mukuru on the Move (MOTM), a program developed in collaboration between the Interfaith Health Program (IHP) at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA and St. Paul’s University,…

There are many lessons that can be drawn from the movements of people with HIV, where they became key advocates in shaping the global response. The aim of this report therefore is to assess the depth and breadth of survivors needs in order to determine the legitimacy and potential
benefits of a survivor movement.

The report highlights findings from our research and recommendations from the pilot of the Bridge Builder Model for humanitarian organisations and donors seeking ways to increase localisation in humanitarian response. This is a two-way, capacity-sharing model aimed at bringing together…

A common value shared across diverse people of faith is the belief that each person, regardless of age, has infinite value, dignity and worth. The responsibility to care for and protect vulnerable children also forms an explicit mandate in many…

For over five decades, USAID has partnered and collaborated with civil society actors, of which faith-based, faith-inspired and local community organizations play a vital role towards achieving developmental goals. The United States writ large is an extraordinarily generous country. Faith-based…

Channels of Hope (CoH) is an interactive, facilitated process to create a safe space for faith leaders and faith communities to learn, share and debate. It reaches to the root causes and deepest convictions that impact attitudes, norms, values and…

Faith leaders are well-positioned to address violence against children, but the extent to which they do so is unclear. This mixed-method study examined faith leaders’ child protection practices, attitudes towards child rights, and views around physical punishment in Senegal, Uganda,…

This paper seeks to examine how Palestinian children’s agency integrates Islamic religious idioms in daily life to combat Israeli oppression. While children are often seen as objects that are merely subjected to political and cultural processes, this research shows that…

World Vision's series of Church Engagement Fact Sheets to provide a learning resource that helps World Vision staff understand how we partner with churches to accelerate change in communities to transform children’s lives. The  document includes a total of 66…

“Churches’ Commitments to Children” is an open invitation to the WCC member churches and partners to address the needs of children as an integral part of the ecumenical commitment to the pilgrimage of justice and peace. The present document has…

Although many crime victims seek support from members of the faith community, faith leaders may feel unsure of their abilities to assist. This paper describes findings from a descriptive needs assessment that preceded a national project to link faith-based organizations…

Promoting respectful relationships, equitable communities, child spacing and social cohesion This resource has been adapted for Gender Champions who have been trained using Tearfund’s Transforming Masculinities toolkit and are working with Muslim communities as part of the Masculinities, Faith and…

We recognize different faith traditions may approach matters of mental illness from different perspectives. Some faith communities may not believe that modern medicine of the sort described in this Guide can play a legitimate role in well being. The purpose…

Series 4: Resource Guide for Religious Leaders and Faith Communities Violence against children and women increases during emergencies, conflicts, and health crises. The COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. Infection prevention measures that require staying at home have brought on a…

Series 1: Resource Guide for Religious Leaders and Faith Communities During a global crisis people tend to turn to their religious leaders and faith communities for social, emotional, spiritual, and material support. National and global institutions, including religious, political, and…

Series 2: Resource Guide for Religious Leaders and Faith Communities Ensuring trust, mental health, spiritual guidance, and social support are essential during a pandemic, when people are coping with intensified levels of fear, uncertainty, loss, and anxiety. Based on their…

Series 3: Resource Guide for Religious Leaders and Faith Communities Certain groups of people are at greater risk of complications and death. These include the elderly and those with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and heart disease. People…

DECLARATION “Conference on the Role of Religions and Religious Leaders in Confronting Corporal Punishment of Children in the Family and Educational Settings” Qom – October 20, 2011 During 19th - 20th October 2011, religious leaders from different faiths in Iran…

There is a growing awareness of the importance that faith and belief systems play in the lives of refugees, displaced persons and those affected by humanitarian crises in general. This was clearly articulated in the UNHCR High Commissioner’s Dialogue on…

Development Across Faith Boundaries investigates the dynamics of cross-faith partnerships in a range of development contexts, from India, Cambodia and Myanmar, to Melanesia, Bosnia, Ethiopia and Afghanistan. The book demonstrates how far FBOs extend their activities beyond their own faith communities…

Guidelines for church leaders in areas where disasters (earthquakes, fires, flood etc.) are common. Chapters include:  Introduction Chapter 1 – The local church and disasters Chapter 2 – Organising ourselves Chapter 3 – Risks, needs and capacity assessments Chapter 4 – Displaced people…

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence As the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign takes off, it is an opportune time to revisit the role of faith and theology in addressing domestic violence. The article discusses the…

Eagles Relief and Development Programme - Malawi How this story represents an international-local faith partnership in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL): International Christian donor & National faith-based Christian organisation, partnerships with local churches in Malawi. Living Waters Church established…

This case study will briefly examine MERATH’s localized approach, including a spotlight on child-focused programming in education in emergencies in Lebanon and child protection in Syria, providing quantitative and qualitative evidence of its community-level impact based on focus group discussions,…

A curated list of academic references around faith and ending violence against children. This is an ongoing resource list that will be updated periodically.

Abid Gulzar from World Vision on behalf of the Advocacy Working Group for the Localization of Humanitarian Response Forum to the ICVA meeting in Bangkok in December  

Violence against children is shaped by social norms which are frequently underpinned by faith-related beliefs and values. There is renewed global recognition of the role of religions in legitimating or challenging harmful attitudes and practices, and this highlights the relevance…

This toolkit is published by ACT Alliance EU, Caritas Europa, EU-CORD and Islamic Relief Worldwide  to give EU decision-makers a concise practical tool to encourage engagement of local religious leaders and faith communities in pandemic response and the post-recovery phase.…

The Seminar on Role of Faith Actors in Implementing the Global Compact on Refugees, that took place in Beirut on June 18, 2019, sought not only to bring together leaders and faith-based organisations from the three main sects together, but…

The December 18, 2020 event was hosted by the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI) and co-sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University and the World Faiths Development Dialogue (WFDD)…

In 2016 the Secretary General presented a report titled  One Humanity: Shared Responsibility. The report identifies five core responsibilities that will be the focus of discussion and proposed action. The JLIF&LC has prepared evidence briefs linked to each of these responsibilities. Each…

The Online Information Platform for the WHS Side Event hosted by JLIF&LC, Soka Gakki International, and others is available at www.jliflc.com/whs.

Mozambique’s Interfaith Program against Malaria (PIRCOM) developed the volunteer, Christian and Muslim sermon guide. They provide basic facts about malaria prevention and health seeking behavior, providing scriptural texts in support of the actions that a family should be taking. These…

This guide is intended to provide practical guidance for climate communicators, both inside and outside faith communities, about what language works well and – crucially – what language might pose an obstacle for communicating with any specific faith group. In…

This guide is intended to provide practical guidance for climate communicators, both inside and outside faith communities, about what language works well and – crucially – what language might pose an obstacle for communicating with any specific faith group. In…

[et_pb_section admin_label="section"] [et_pb_row admin_label="row"] [et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text"] Lives and day-to-day work and relationships have changed due to COVID-19. Religious leaders and health care workers share how faith actors are addressing family planning during COVID in an ICFP Community Panel on…

On November 20, 2019, the international community will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) by the United Nations General Assembly. The CRC has been ratified by 196 States, making…

Nigeria’s vibrant and dynamic religious landscape plays many roles in the nation’s life and development. It is also a factor, albeit a complex one, in conflicts and violence that many see as linked to religious divides. Religious institutions have deep…

One of the most powerful influencers of individual behaviours, social norms and collective action at community and societal level is religion.
To maximize opportunities for more positive and impactful influence towards improving child and family wellbeing, UNICEF (Communication for Development Section and Civil Society Partnerships Unit in NYHQ), the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities and Religions for Peace in 2018 embarked on a new global Initiative on Faith and Positive Change for Children.

Multi-level, Multi-theme and Multi-platform Inter-faith engagement Overview The partnership between Al-Azhar University and UNICEF Egypt initially started through advocacy in the 1980s. With an enabling government environment, the involvement of the Ministry has shown success in joint advocacy and policy…

Children thrive in strong communities, equipped and strengthened to address child protection challenges. Faith leaders, their spouses and faith communities play a critical role in shaping community social norms and catalysing shifts in attitudes and behaviours that can protect children…

This book was first published at the beginning of the twenty-first century. A joint project of the United Nations Environment Programme and the Interfaith Partnership for the Environment, it was titled Earth and Faith: A Book of Reflection for Action.…

October 2020 For over five decades, USAID has partnered and collaborated with civil society actors, of which faith-based, faith-inspired and local community organizations play a vital role towards achieving developmental goals. Faith-based and community organizations’ invaluable programming reaches into every…

This report is background for the Berkely Center’s “mapping” of faith-inspired organizations worldwide and global development policy focusing on South and Central Asia.

Religions for Peace and UNICEF, with input from religious leaders and
child protection specialists, have developed this guide as a tool to support
religious communities’ work to promote child rights and to prevent and
respond to rights violations, in particular violence against children.

The guide is intended to: Provide a general overview of the nature and scope of violence against children that can be used for informational and educational purposes; Highlight the positive roles that religious communities can and do play in advocating…

Melton, Gary B. PhD; Anderson, David PsyD In both popular and professional discourse, religious institutions are often perceived as sources of risk to children either as places where children are unusually vulnerable to abuse or as belief systems that sometimes…

Fuji Technology Press, Ltd. In studies of disasters, cases of religious communities providing support to victims at times of disaster have been reported. Such support can be understood as a function of social capital within religious communities. This paper considers…

This report has been prepared by ADRA International on behalf of the Adventist Church as part of Every child. Everywhere. In School. Focused on ensuring every child, everywhere, attends school and completes their education so they can fulfill their God-given…

James Choi and Lincoln Lau for Mobilisation of Local Faith Communities Hub Webinar in May 2018  

“Created in Gods Image” Southern Africa Faith Leaders Support Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights for All We, as members of the faith community, believe that we cannot stand by and watch when our people are without information on Sexual and…

“We will walk every step with our Children” Southern African Faith Leaders Commit to Respond to Teenage Pregnancy We, the faith community in Southern Africa (African Traditional Religion, Baha’i faith, Christian and Muslim) view children as whole human beings who…

The primary aim of this Resource Guide is to mobilize Faith-inspired resources to end Child Poverty. The Guide has been developed by Arigatou International's Interfaith Initiative to End Child Poverty, (End Child Poverty) - a multi-faith, child centered, global initiative…

Faith-based organizations and religious groups are important partners in UNICEF's work to protect children across the globe. Communities of faith are important advocates for the rights and protection of vulnerable groups and key players in preventing and ending the exploitation…

This report evaluates contemporary interreligious dialogue activities in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq. In order to do so, it introduces a theoretical framework for analyzing interreligious dialogue activities in the Middle East and presents a cross-national analysis of contemporary dialogue…

The JLI convenes policymakers, academics and professionals to build and communicate evidence of religions’ and faith-based organizations’ roles in development work. Because of growing interest in environment related topics, JLI created a webinar series to discuss faith and climate work,…

Working effectively with faith leaders to challenge harmful traditional practices Study Speakers Dr Elisabet le Roux is the Research Director at the Unit for Religion and Development Research Dr Brenda Bartelink is an anthropologist and scholar in the Academic Study of Religion…

The Organization of African Initiated Churches (OAIC) and International Care Ministries (ICM) have partnered up to learn from each other on monitoring, evaluation, and learning for organizations working through local faith communities. We spoke to Rev. Nicta Lubaale (OAIC) and…

Learning Exchange with MEAL Hub member, Sam Verbi at Eido Research January 22 Presentation How Eido started Initial feedback from local faith actors Impact evaluation frameworks Kingdom Impact Framework Impact Evaluation Design: response shift bias   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae4KjSJQVwM&feature=youtu.be   Join the…

Learning Exchange with MEAL WG member, Michelle Garred Nov 20, 2019   Listen to Michelle Garred's presentation on Outcome Harvesting & Attitude Change for Grassroots Interreligious Peacebuilding looking at two pilot evaluations with Tearfund and Peace Catalyst: [audio m4a="https://jliflc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Michelle-Garred-Outcome-Harvesting4a-AudioTrimmer.com_.m4a.crdownload.m4a"][/audio]  …

JLI Mobilisation of Local Faith Communities- March 2018 webinar slides Webinar Agenda: Hub Introduction and 2018 Work (Andrea Kaufmann) Role of Local Faith Actors in the context of the localisation agenda (Catriona Dejean) Lauren Kejeh, Tearfund and Lydia Tanner, The…

The aim of this report is to highlight evidence regarding the roles and impact that Local Faith Communities (LFCs) play in relation to urban refugees, with the aim of informing interconnected conversations around localisation and urbanisation. The international community is…

Local Faith Communities in Urban Displacement: Evidence on Urbanization and Localization Brief Author: Olivia Wilkinson Design: Stacy Nam Key points: Local faith actors should be recognized as legitimate “local,” “civil society” actors A greater familiarity with the structures of local…

Mobilisation of Local Faith Communities Learning Hub Webinar: Sustainable Development Goals and role of religion and local faith communities  

13-17 May 2019, Geneva, Switzerland

The Role of Local Faith Communities in Refugee Response 08.05.2018 Resources for refugee response are increasingly squeezed as the number of displaced people around the world grows. Yet within local communities there are already strong bases of diverse human, cultural…

Religion is a major cultural, social, political, and economic factor in many official development assistance (ODA) recipient countries.Understanding religious dynamics and the role of faith communities and actors is crucial for sustainable development. While faith communities have endured and thrived…

Since 1946, local faith communities have been at the heart of CWS responses to forced displacement. When we conceived of this research in 2019, it was because of our conviction that local faith communities remain as essential in welcoming the…

Faith Action for Children on the Move: October 16-19 in Rome, Italy

Published by JLI and WVI in preparation for the Faith Action for Children on the Move – Global Partners Forum.

Role of religions and faith actors in combatting xenophobia; the embeddedness of religion in social, cultural, political and economic dynamics

OUR RESEARCH STRATEGY: A FEMINIST APPROACH Marginalized people and others who have struggled with grave challenges to their human rights possess a unique understanding of the problems in their communities—and their insights have the potential to fuel effective, lasting solutions.…

Health is wealth, so says the adage and this is an undisputed fact for the reason that the well being of a people can holistically add to their development generally. Local communities with little infrastructure seem to be more susceptible…

Chapter in The Handbook of Displacement pp 771-784 Local faith communities often assist displaced people, from acting as first responders to long-term support. Given that local faith communities are critical local civil society actors, there has been relatively little attention…

Resilience—the ability to anticipate, withstand and bounce back from external pressures and shocks—is an increasingly important construct in shaping humanitarian strategy by the international community (DFID 2011; UNICEF 2011; USAID 2012). Local faith communities (LFCs)—groupings of religious actors bonded through…

Since 2015, over 5 million refugees from Syria have sought safety and protection in cities, towns and camps across Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey. Key responders have included local faith communities, whose members have provided material and spiritual support alike to…

10/3 Joint Learning Webinar For more information on the webinar see post below https://jliflc.com/2017/09/joint-learning-webinar-oxfam-america/ [embed]https://youtu.be/rvA0qTXXM48[/embed]

The Forum on Localizing Response to Humanitarian Need was held on Oct 16-19 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Forum was organized as a follow on from the World Humanitarian Summit, responding to and reinforcing the localization of aid/Grand Bargain discussions, and…

Reflections on missionary and wider faith-based approaches to development Misean Cara is an Irish and international faith-based missionary movement working with poor, marginalised and vulnerable communities in more than 50 developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle…

Conceptual Framework and Current Development Context July 2018 The missionary approach to development interventions is driven by the Christian inspiration and ethos of the global movement of missionary organisations1 (see Figure 1, above). Specific features of the missionary approach make…

Learning from the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary’s effective responses to the EVD crises in Liberia and Sierra Leone 2014-2016 The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) epidemic which struck West Africa in 2014 presented unprecedent-ed challenges for the international humanitarian…

Extending Service Delivery (ESD)

Child participation is a central pillar in preventing and ending violence against children. Many faith traditions offer critical perspectives on the importance of meaningful child participation and the inherent dignity and value of children as complete members of society. To…

Afin de maximiser les opportunités considérables qu’offre le Pacte mondial sur les réfugiés (PMR), la communauté internationale doit reconnaître l’expérience et les capacités des acteurs confessionnels et lever les obstacles qui se posent aux partenariats avec ces acteurs afin d’être…

Key messages from Islam and Christianity on protecting children from violence and harmful practices This book explores the approaches to preventing all forms of violence against children from the perspectives of Islam and Christianity. It is intended as a guide…

This article explores the perceptions of COVID-19 among faith communities in north-eastern DR Congo and their intersection with public health responses to disease outbreaks. In a situation of a political and economic insecurity and significant unaddressed health needs, faith communities…

La participación infantil es un pilar fundamental para prevenir y poner fin a la violencia contra los niños y las niñas. Muchas tradiciones religiosas ofrecen perspectivas críticas sobre la importancia de una participación significativa de los niños y las niñas,…

The Evidence for Development podcast shares methods and approaches to locally-led development and research developed by Christian Aid, its partners and communities living in the Global South to improve their lives. Episodes are available here on Christian Aid's website.

To maximize the significant opportunities presented by the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), the international community must recognize the experience and capabilities of faith actors (FAs) and break down existing barriers to partnerships to enable a more comprehensive, effective, and…

This toolkit is funded as a part of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership project, which includes an initiative to identify and address concerns among religious leaders and faith-based communities around vaccination. From 2020…

In this memorandum we list current developments and experiences regarding proselytism and conversion zeal. We then examine how Faith Based Organisations can best deal with this phenomenon.