Resources

This report focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and its partners and examines their advocacy and policy engagement work during the pandemic.

This article examines the role of local faith actors in institutional responses to refugees (henceforth refugee response), first in relation to global policy guidelines and frameworks promoted through the Global Compact for Refugees (GCR) affirmed by the UN General Assembly…

Reflections on Health and Healing for Churches on Commemorative World Health Days This booklet includes 15 reflections on international commemorative health days from Dr Mwai Makoka WCC Programme Executive for Health and Healing, who emphasises that he is not a…

Faith Engagement in the HLM The Interfaith Health Platform, in consultation with partners, has developed the following messages to support religious leaders and faith-based representatives as they meet with their government representatives and at global level to discuss and help…

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.…

Background: Community-level reconciliation, essential in conflict-affected contexts, involves efforts to promote intergroup relationships and to build trust. These processes are related to the development of social capital, which alongside the reduction of horizontal inequalities is a key component of social…

This Resource Guide is part of a series of briefs meant to inform and inspire faith communities to action to help safeguard tropical forests and their inhabitants. Through facts, graphics, analysis, photos, and faith-inspired perspectives, this Resource Guide presents the…

The book addresses developments in the discourse on religion and development, globally. It outlines the major debates and highlights the emerging consensus that religion remains important. An overview of development in Zimbabwe and the controversies regarding politics, particularly under the…

This article examines the engagement of Indonesian Islamic civil society organisations in the international arena by paying particular attention to the role of the Islamic modernist movement, Muhammadiyah. Beyond its vibrant religious and social activism in the domestic context of…

The International Consortium on Nurturing Values and Spirituality in Early Childhood for the Prevention of Violence developed these country-specific advocacy booklets based on the reflections of religious leaders and other stakeholders collected during a series of roundtable discussions in 2019…

JLI Director of Research, Olivia Wilkinson This book investigates the ways in which the humanitarian system is secular and understands religious beliefs and practices when responding to disasters. The book teases out the reasons why humanitarians are reluctant to engage…

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…

This guide provides information on how World Vision offices can integrate child marriage prevention and response into programming, including guidance on working with married children. In addition, the guide intends to support the development of country-specific technical approaches and new…

This book contains a series of group studies to help you live justly in six key areas of life: advocacy, prayer, consumption, generosity, relationships and creation care. They are designed to help you and those in your community in your…

There has been great success in the alleviation of global poverty over the last 25 years. However, due to the current model of economic growth, these successes in economic development have been at a grave cost to the environment. As…

Tearfund’s Advocacy toolkit is easy to understand and easy to use. It is an introductory and comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of advocacy. It is set out in a logical order, providing a clear overview and guidance about…

This publication sets out Islamic Relief’s policy on climate change. It builds on the foundation of Islamic perspectives and scientific evidence described in the Islamic Relief Climate Change Policy of December 2014. Outlining policy messages for Islamic Relief programmes, partners…

Religions for Peace worked with the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities to devise a guide to action for religious leaders and faith communities. This guide includes introductory information on global responses to refugees and migrants, reflections on…

The ACT Alliance climate change advocacy framework position paper is designed as a broad outline of the policy areas and approaches that the alliance is working on. It serves as the general vision and guide for ACT Alliance’s climate change…

Nation Unies Conference Sur les Changements Climatiques 2015 COP21/CMP11 The Paris Agreement on Climate Change is an important milestone in climate change policy and diplomacy. It demonstrates the success of a multilateral process that lasted several years and that was…

ACT Alliance has launched a Toolkit, Towards the Ambitious Implementation of the Paris Agreement.  The purpose of the Toolkit is to support the climate change advocacy actions of ACT members, forums and partners at the national level. The Toolkit guides FBOs…

The UN Environment Foresight Briefs are published by UN Environment to, among others, highlight a hotspot of environmental change, feature an emerging science topic, or discuss a contemporary environmental issue. This is an opportunity to find out what is happening…

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…

This publication sets out Islamic Relief’s policy on climate change. It builds on the foundation of Islamic perspectives and scientific evidence described in the Islamic Relief Climate Change Policy of December 2014. Outlining policy messages for Islamic Relief programmes, partners…

Effective prevention and response to gender-based violence (GBV) require a well-planned and coordinated effort among an array of organizations, disciplines, and sectors. In populations affected by conflict, there are additional and specific threats and risks that require action in order…

For the past 50 years, we have been on a journey to shape and outwork a distinctively Christian, faith-based approach, with the communities, individuals and supporters we partner with, at home and overseas. It is not enough for us simply…

For millions of refugee girls, education is out of reach. Despite substantial increases in access to girls’ education around the world over the last two decades, refugee girls remain left behind. In countries affected by conflict, girls are 2.5 times…

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…

من اجل تحقيق الحد الاقصى من الفرص المهمة التي تقدمها الاتفاقية الدولية بشأن اللاجئين يجب على المجتمع الدولي ، ان يعترف بتجربة وقدرات الجهات الفاعلة العقائدية وكسر الحواجز القائمة امام الشراكات لتمكين استجابه دائمة وفعالة وأكثر شمولية . وبينما تقر…

This targeted resource brief provides a selection of works published by academics, NGOs, and faith actors (FAs) on the role that faith plays in contexts of forced displacement. The resources are grouped into the three main areas in need of…

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…

The predicament of refugees is a common concern of humankind. Refugee situations have increased in scope, scale and complexity and refugees require protection, assistance and solutions. Millions of refugees live in protracted situations, often in low- and middle income countries…

In 2011, World Vision began a new five-year anti-trafficking programme, ‘End Trafficking in Persons’ (ETIP), across the six countries of the GMS region. The overall goal of the programme was to contribute to the mitigation of the human trafficking problem…

Sept 2018 As faith-based organizations working with refugee communities across the globe, ACT Alliance, Catholic Relief Services, Jesuit Refugee Service/USA and Islamic Relief recognize the important role that the GCR can play in building the political will to address the…

The factor "faith" receives too little attention in global development cooperation despite the fact that human development is inseparably interwoven with worldview. The societies and cultures in which development projects are implemented are deeply influenced by religion. At the same…

Partnering through Faith South Sudan Context and overview

July 2018  

This booklet from Jesuit Refugee Service presents teaching, reflections and guidance of Pope Francis regarding migrants and refugees. It contains a Message from Pope Francis and twenty action priorities in two versions. One is meant for active pastoral engagement with migrants…

Children in Syria live under the constant threat of violence. The blatant flouting of international humanitarian and human rights law has earned this crisis the dubious honour of being recognised as the most significant humanitarian protection crisis in living memory.1…

No parent, no adult relative or guardian was with them on the way: in 2014, not a few, not a thousand, but more than 50,0003 boys and girls like Karla and Freddy journeyed unaccompanied through deserts and forests, through mountains…

Speakers: • Daniel Endres, Director of the Division of Resilience and Solutions UNHCR • Ojot Ojulu, Assistant General Secretary, Lutheran World Federation (LWF) • Alastair Ager, Director, Institute for Global Health and Development, Queen Margaret University • Ann Reggie Jaj,…

There is a growing interest within academic and policy circles surrounding the roles played by local faith communities (LFCs) and faith based organisations (FBOs) in responding to displacement.i This trend contrasts with some of the significant negative and secular assumptions…

The declaration, known as an Affirmation of Welcome, is the first to involve UNHCR and a spectrum of faith-based groups. It sets out principles to guide faith leaders in providing welcoming environments for refugees and displaced people, and those without citizenship, including through promoting community understanding and tolerance, and combatting xenophobia.

The idea for a joint declaration emerged from a meeting hosted by UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres in Geneva in December 2012 with religious leaders and faith-based NGOs.

Taking place between February and April of this year, drafting of the Affirmation involved a coalition of leading faith-based organizations and academic institutions. The text draws upon principles and values of welcome shared by religions including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.

May 2018 Share responsibility, shared humanity: a communique from the International Refugee Congress

At the core of social protection is a concern for addressing vulnerability and risk. It is increasingly understood that social protection policy frameworks and programmes must be informed by a recognition of the diversity of vulnerability and risks, and the…

Rights without borders Locations: Grenada, Lebanon, Mexico, USA, Brazil, Uruguay, Rwanda, South Africa, Italy, Thailand, Australia Program overview: Primary care (but not exclusive) to children, young people and their families. Promoting education through extra schooling support, non-formal education and ongoing formation…

Statement by members of the U.S. Catholic Working Group on the Global Compacts on Refugees and Migration   Click download button for statement

Released June 26, 2018  

Education for Refugees and the forcibly displaced Jesuit Relief Service USA

In diverse contexts, community-based child protection mechanisms (CBCPMs) are front line efforts to protect children from exploitation, abuse, violence, and neglect and to promote children’s well-being.2 Defined broadly, CBCPMs include all groups or networks at grassroots level that respond to…

Several US and international migration and refugee focused organizations have recently issued a statement on the global compacts to present a framework for ongoing dialogue with policymakers and other government officials.

The Vatican's Section on Migrants and Refugees (Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development) has prepared this 20-point plan in response to the global compacts.   For more from the Vatican Migrants & Refugees Section see www.migrants-refugees.va

This Guide for Action and Advocacy was written by Arigatou International to support religious communities that wish to work with other sectors of society in promoting Universal Birth Registration. It outlines and explains the need for universal birth registration and…

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…

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…

Aiming to actively engage the faith based organizations as key actors to end up the violence against the children, the Mozambican Religious Council established the Religious Platform for Child Wellbeing in Mozambique with World Vision support. The Platform will focus…

Making the Global Compact on Refugees work for children Recommendations following Draft 1 of the Global Compact on Refugees

For more than 15 years “Fundacion Una Brisa de Esperanza” (Breeze of Hope Foundation) has been using an innovative approach for comprehensive management for children victims of sexual violence. This document of the case study does not use religious language…

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…

Interaction Between the Two Compacts is a Protection Solution Statement by the International Catholic Migration Commission Global Compact on Refugees High Commissioner’s Dialogue on Protection Challenges 12-13 December 2017 by Mantalin Kyrou, Policy Officer' Other faith-based contributions

As submitted for Formal Consultation 1

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…

Lutheran World Federation- UNHCR Thematic Discussion on the Global Compact, Nov 2017 Insights from the inter-agency project to provide 'faith-sensitive' guidance to the humanitarian sector through the tool ‘A Faith-sensitive Approach in Humanitarian Response: Guidance on Mental Health and Psychosocial…

General Remarks by H.E. Archbishop Bernardito Auza Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See
First round of the intergovernmental negotiations on the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration: Preamble, Vision and Guiding Principles

Ending Corporal Punishment of Children- a handbook for  multi-religious gatherings This resource, which has been written in collaboration with religious leaders and faith-based communities, is based on the premises that the major religions profess respect for the inherent dignity of…

ZERO DRAFT 5 February 2018

The World Evangelical Alliance, Global Task Force on Refugees - "Proposals for a Global Compact on Refugees" submitted to UNHCR, December 2017.

Faith holds a central part in the lives of many women and men, shaping notions of gender and relationships. In the context of Brazil, faith groups hold a variety of views on matters of gender justice and women’s rights, from…

Thematic discussion 4
Panel One: How can we support voluntary and sustainable return?

Statement by Croatia
14th November 2017Thematic discussion 4
Panel One: How can we support voluntary and sustainable return?

Statement by Croatia
14th November 2017

Panel Two: How can we ensure a whole-of-society response to large movements of refugees and protracted situations? Statement from SOVEREIGN MILITARY HOSPITALLER ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM OF RHODES AND OF MALTA

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…

A tenth anniversary guide for reflection and discussion The Kyoto Declaration has served as an invaluable resource for those engaged in multi-religious cooperation and advocacy for children. It explicitly recommends prohibition of corporal punishment and has provided a guide for…

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…

In South Kivu in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), various church actors have chosen to involve in advocacy and mobilization through a formalized civil society structure known as La Société Civile (LSC). In this article,…

The Government, Global Poverty and God’s Mission in the World declaration  emerged as one result of a two-day consultation sponsored by Bread for the World Institute, Micah Challenge, and the Center for Applied Christian Ethics, and held at Wheaton College,…

102 UNICEF offices provided information about their extensive work with faith communities over recent years. Partnerships included sensitization activities, capacity development, and support for advocacy and social mobilization. The mapping report concludes: “With evidence of UNICEF’s extensive engagement with religious communities in plain view, UNICEF must now turn its attention to maximizing the benefits of its partnerships with these critical actors”

Interfaith initiatives respond to the violence and uneasy tensions of our times and interfaith efforts aim to confront the root causes, especially those that touch on religious beliefs and practices. Interfaith work looks to identify solutions in common values and…

Tearfund's Bridging the Gap: The Role of Local Churches in Fostering Local-Level Social Accountability and Governance forms part of a suite of resources that Tearfund produced to help demonstrate the impact of their Church and Community Mobilisation (CCM) advocacy work. Additional information on this…

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…

“Sustained Relational Collaborations”. Rev Bob Mitchell's words on behalf of the Church Agencies Network.

Matthew Frost delivers opening remarks of the Religious & Faith-based Communities Perspectives Panel. To watch the video, please click the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRaCrT3dnJY

More than 65 million people are displaced globally, outpacing the international community’s ability to respond. Not only are more people displaced today, but they are displaced for longer, with the average duration of protracted refugee situations at the end of…

Gender, Religion and Humanitarian Responses to Refugees Policy brief summarises key points and recommendations for policy, practise and research emerging from debate and discussion that took place at the workshop- 13th May 2016 It is a time for open and…

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…

Describes research into Gender Based Violence against the Transgender community in Cambodia including sexual exploitation. Faith based theological perspective also given on why we should work with transgender people.

Baseline research conducted in Manila, Philippines on sexual exploitation of young men advocating for NGOs including faith based organizations to work with this community in spite of prejudices against the LGBT community. Interesting faith perspectives of male sex workers included in the research.

Interviews with different people and organizations about their distinctive roles in the human trafficking sector

This UNAIDS document describes the principle and rationale behind the Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV (GIPA) in national policies and programmes. It also discusses the challenges to implementing GIPA initiatives and describes a variety of effective ways to address these challenges.

A review of efforts of faith based providers working to improve maternal health.