Resources

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) has offices in 17 countries across Asia, the most disaster- prone region of the world. ADRA recognizes the importance and urgency of increasing resilience to disasters through an inclusive, integrated community-managed disaster risk…

Focus on local actors; the key to humanitarian effectiveness Local actors are often the most effective in conducting humanitarian operations. However, despite their critical role, they struggle to attract the funding and support they need. The 2015 World Disasters Report…

Family Planning Advocacy Through Religious Leaders: A Guide for Faith Communities.  This document guides the efforts of faith-based organizations to equip and encourage religious leaders to advocate for family planning with their governments, the media and their own congregations and communities.…

Religious leaders could help improve uptake of male circumcision in HIV-prevention effort Education of religious leaders had a substantial effect on uptake of male circumcision, and should be considered as part of male circumcision programmes in other sub-Saharan African countries.…

This publication is collection of testimonies in English and in Japanese, from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Written by Masahiko Murakami, Ken'ichi Kurosawa, Yoshihiro Matsumoto's stories might be appropriate. Mikio Yamane's testimony introduces our organizational activity. Published by Soka Gakkai…

The HRF-Indonesia was established in 2001 and became operational in 2002. Since then, it has provided Indonesian and international NGOs with rapid and flexible funding for humanitarian projects targeting the most vulnerable population. Here's their latest report.

Disaster response tends to progress in recognizable stages through a cycle that ideally begins with advance preparedness. Warning signs may precede the impact of disasters like tornadoes and hurricanes, allowing time for additional protective measures, though other events, such as…

After the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, Soka Gakkai's headquarters, its local organizations, and its individual members were engaged in relief and recovery activities. This report covers those activities conducted by September of the same year.

Faith leaders, as trusted and respected members of their community, have played a hugely significant, and often unsung, role in the Ebola crisis. In the midst of confusion, fear and panic, communities have often turned to them for guidance. They…

Julie Clague’s presentation to the UNFPA faith meeting for the UN General Assembly, September 2014: ‘A Call to Action: Faith for Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Post 2015 Development Agenda’. It offers a Catholic perspective on ‘Sexual And Reproductive Health And Reproductive Rights: Religious and Cultural Contexts for Development Effectiveness Post 2015’.

The leadership of the Church in the Philippines has historically exercised a powerful influence on politics and social life. The country is at least 80% Catholic and there is a deeply ingrained cultural deference for clergy and religious. Previous attempts in the last 14 years to pass a reproductive health law have failed because of the opposition of Catholic bishops. Thus the recent passage of the ‘Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012’ (R.A.
10354) was viewed by some Filipinos as a stunning failure for the Church and a sign of its diminished influence on Philippine society. This article proposes that the Church’s engagement in the reproductive health bill (RH Bill) debate and the manner of its discourse undermined its own campaign to block the law. The first part of the article gives a historical overview of the Church’s opposition to government family planning programs. The second part discusses key points of conflict in the RH Bill debate. The third part will examine factors that shaped the Church’s attitude and responses to the RH Bill. The fourth part will examine the effects of the debate on the Church’s unity, moral authority, and role in Philippine society. The fifth part will draw lessons for the Church and will explore paths that the Church community can take in response to the challenges arising from the law’s implementation.

This article discusses the similarities derived from the experiences of female survivors of these two disasters.