Resources

Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) is a problem that cuts across borders and communities. There is an urgency for domestic violence service providers in multicultural societies like the United Kingdom (UK) to adapt to the diverse backgrounds of victims, survivors…

The research project that informed this brief deployed intersectional and socioecological analysis of violence against women (VAW) in forced migration and identified two aspects of religious influences on survivors’ experiences as: 1) a vulnerability intersecting with other factors, and 2)…

Protection practitioners (VAWG, GBV, MHPSS) can strengthen their work by demonstrating cultural competency which includes religious literacy. Religious literacy involves being open to the role that religious beliefs, practices, organisation and experiences may play in survivors’ and perpetrators’ understanding of…

The current policy brief highlights the significant potential that religious teachings and religious teachers and clerics can have in combating intimate partner violence (IPV) and how this could be leveraged by means of a case study and select published literature.…

The first two years of the project culminated in the Project dldl/ድልድል Annual Conference on 11-12 November 2022, which was delivered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with the option for UK speakers and audiences to join online The Annual Conference was…

Episcopal Relief & Development and ECLRD commissioned an independent endline evaluation of phase 2 of the project in Liberia. The purpose of the evaluation was to measure project achievements and capture key project learnings for further interventions. The key objectives…

Humanitarian responses to violence against women (VAW) in forced displacement rarely account for religion as an influential intersecting category shaping women’s experiences. Yet, Dr Sandra Iman Pertek writes that religion remains an important matter for many displaced women, which should…

The research project that informed this brief deployed intersectional and socioecological analysis of violence against women (VAW) in forced migration and identified two aspects of religious influences on survivors’ experiences as: 1) a vulnerability intersecting with other factors, and 2)…

Faith and spiritual leaders are often deeply trusted and hugely influential people in the heart of their communities. Co-hosts, Elizabeth Dartnall, Executive Director, SVRI, and Angelica Pino, Grants Manager and Capacity Strengthening Specialist, SVRI speak to guests Dr Rafael Cazarin,…

The current report summarises the panel presentations and the roundtable discussion held during the two days of the conference focused on the nexus ‘Domestic Violence – Gender – Faith’ held in November 2022 in Addis Ababa. Emphasis is placed on…

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…

Social and economic shocks from the COVID-19 crisis have taken a heavy toll on the mental health and the wellbeing of women and girls in Nepal. Like many countries, Nepal imposed lockdowns, including school closures, to curb the spread of…

Women Leading Change emerged out of the 2021 17 Rooms flagship process- a partnership between The Rockefeller Foundation and The Brookings Institution. In Room 5, led by Blessing Omakwu and Jean Duff, we explored the opportunities to accelerate the positive…

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…

This book illuminates the intersection of religion and gender within the development sector, exposing challenges in both policy and practice and suggesting implementable solutions. This book argues that a better understanding of the religion–gender nexus is needed by development sector…

In recent decades, more studies have emerged that examine the relationship between religion /spirituality, marital functioning and mental health. The scholarship on domestic violence (DV) / intimate partner violence (IPV) and religion does not appear to have integrated this evidence…

In many contexts, faith leaders are a key reference group within programs who have specific, recognized, and institutionalized power in a community. As power holders they are seen to hold considerable influence over the emergence of social norms, have a stake in maintaining or reinforcing existing…

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…

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…

The Muslim training manual for Gender Champions in the Masculinities, Faith and Peace (MFP) project This Masculinites, Faith and Peace (MFP) manual introduces the training for Muslim Gender Champions and faith leaders. It provides a detailed activity guide for use…

The Transforming Masculinities manual is designed to be interactive and self-reflective to enable participants to explore, discuss and reflect on their own attitudes, beliefs and behaviours regarding gender equality and sexual and gender-based violence. They can then lead others through…

This guide enables trained Gender Champions to facilitate community dialogues. These small group discussions are first held in separate men’s and women’s groups and then in a combined session. They cover topics of gender norms and roles, as well as…

Chapter in the Book: Adapting Gender and Development to Local Religious Contexts – A Decolonial Approach to Domestic Violence in Ethiopia by Romina Istratii Social norms theories have been increasingly employed in the areas of gender and development and public…

A step by step guide for implementing Transforming Masculinities projects This implementation guide has been developed to support the scale-up of Transforming Masculinities (TM), an evidence-based intervention developed by Tearfund to end sexual and gender-based violence and to work toward…

Efforts to address domestic violence in religious communities are not new. Numerous initiatives by academics, practitioners and religious believers have emerged that recognise the need for a close engagement with religious beliefs and religious personnel, historically neglected in the secular…

The need to teach students in seminaries about marriage, family relations, gender issues and domestic violence has become recognised in recent decades and us increasingly prioritised by theological colleges, seminaries and other religious training centres. However, how religious training institutions…

The scholarship that examines clergy engagement in domestic violence interventions is extensive. Despite nuanced evidence, the scholarship generally agrees that clergy are generally influential and well-positioned to respond to domestic violence in religious communities, but often lack understanding of how…

Within the sector of domestic violence, the question of evaluation and effectiveness is central. Despite the existence of a wide array of interventions and programmes, how effectiveness is to be measured given difference designs, methodologies and approaches in the sector…

Workshops organised by project dldl/ድልድል with the support of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church – Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission (EOC-DICAC) The workshops held with EOTC clergy in North Shoa Zone of Ethiopia have aimed to help the clergy develop a…

The current working paper is informed by previous ethnographic investigations of conjugal abuse in the Ethiopian Orthodox community in Tigray region in northern Ethiopia. The research evidenced the importance of religious beliefs and experience in understanding the life of the…

The current working paper is part of project dldl/ድልድል working paper series that aims to disseminate key project findings to a wider audience, in an effort to improve understanding among Ethiopian Orthodox Church clergy and theologians, state agents, and non-governmental…

Second chapter of the Book: Adapting Gender and Development to Local Religious Contexts - A Decolonial Approach to Domestic Violence in Ethiopia by Romina Istratii Since the 1970s, development practitioners have steadily embraced participatory and community-centred methods of analysis, influenced…

A Decolonial Approach to Domestic Violence in Ethiopia This book provides a critical and decolonial analysis of gender and development theory and practice in religious societies through the presentation of a detailed ethnographic study of conjugal violence in Ethiopia. Responding…

First chapter of the Book: Adapting Gender and Development to Local Religious Contexts - A Decolonial Approach to Domestic Violence in Ethiopia by Romina Istratii Since its mainstreaming in the 1990s, the effectiveness of the gender and development paradigm has…

A reflection on government ministry and intergovernmental agency engagement with religious actors in pursuit of SDG 5 In December 2020, DanChurchAid, Side by Side Faith Movement for Gender Justice, Act Church of Sweden and Christian Aid approached the Joint Learning…

Lessons from civil society organizations funded by the UN Trust Fund to end violence against women Learning from practice brief series: Issue No. 2 This brief aims to explore why and how to engage faith-based and traditional actors in VAWG…

Lessons from civil society organisations funded by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women on prevention Synthesis Review Series: Paper #2 Engaging with faith-based and traditional actors can help or hinder the prevention of violence against women and/or…

Building Bridges of Faith Against Domestic Violence Working Paper 2 This working paper series is published as part of project dldl/ድልድል, which is dedicated to the development and strengthening of religio-culturally sensitive domestic violence alleviation systems in Ethiopia, Eritrea and…

The JLI GBV Hub has moved! This month saw the launch of JLI and SVRI’s new joint Faith & GBV Learning Hub. JLI/SVRI Faith & GBV Hub previously hosted by Tearfund, has moved home to the Sexual Violence Research Initiative…

This book invites you to consider Gender-Based Violence from a biblical perspective as it relates to your life and context. It has been prepared under the guidance of the Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and…

New book published!   What can we learn from Islamic teachings that will take us closer to addressing today’s most pressing development challenges, including forced migration and refugees, safeguarding and child welfare, gender-based violence, climate change, and peacebuilding and conflict…

Becoming One is a religious couples’ counselling programme designed to prevent intimate partner violence (IPV). It is delivered by Faith Leaders who teach communication skills, emotional regulation, shared control over finances, sexual consent and pleasure. Couples attend 12 in-person group…

A joint resource from the Anglican Consultative Council and the Anglican Alliance COVID-19 has had, and is having, a significant impact on communities around the world. As a result, governments are putting different measures in place to control the outbreak.…

The aim of this cross-sectional study is two-fold. First, it investigates the barriers experienced by sexually exploited Cambodian women when integrating into Christian churches. Second, it explores pastors’ perspectives towards sexually exploited women integrating into churches. A mixed-method approach to…

This briefing paper provides key messages on the main issues for ACT Alliance as we address the gendered dimensions of COVID-19 and our response. It spells out recommendations for ACT Alliance members and other stakeholders beyond the Alliance, such as…

Forced migrant survivors of SGBV constitute some of the most marginalised groups within countries of refuge. This report explores the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on forced migrant survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and the organisations which support…

As COVID-19 continues to require physical distancing (also known as social distancing), it is important to understand the effects these conditions are placing on vulnerable people caught in abusive relationships or human trafficking situations, as well as survivors of both.…

CAFOD sees violence against women and girls as a violation of human rights. "Over the next few pages we will be sharing the voices of women and men who are working to end sexual and gender-based violence, and the voices…

“We can no longer be silent as we are called to uphold human dignity for all creation” Faith Communities Respond to Gender-Based Violence Our Southern Africa region is struggling with the epidemic of gender-based violence. It is perpetrated in our…

The G20 Interfaith Forum offers an annual platform where a network of religiously linked institutions and initiatives engage on global agendas (primarily and including the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs). The annual G20 Summits are a critical time and place…

This manual is designed to help trainers in conducting workshops for religious leaders and women leaders of faith on gender-based violence and HIV. Training is organized into four sessions and includes instruction for various activities to be included as part…

Tremendous progress against AIDS over the past 15 years has inspired a global commitment to end the epidemic by 2030. Of the 37.6 million people living with HIV, 20.9 million are accessing HIV treatment as of July 2017. Through support…

Things have changed dramatically for the world’s women since Christian Aid was founded 75 years ago. On the whole, this change has been for the better, with significant progress on women’s rights and working towards gender parity. We have seen…

Lo’u Si’omaga ma le Tusi P a’ia Contextual Bible Studies Tatala le Ta’ui a le Atua1 presents a series of Bible studies rooted in the importance of being relational in the Samoan culture. It embraces the belief that the self…

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…

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…

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…

JLI Gender-Based Violence Learning Hub June 13, 2019 Welcome: Dr Elisabet le Roux, Stellenbosch University Speakers 1. Professor David Tombs, Director of the Centre for Theology and Public Issues / Centre for Theology and Public Issues at University of Otago 2.…

Islamic Relief is calling for an end to early and forced marriages by raising awareness of gender justice from an Islamic human rights perspective.

Islamic Relief is working to end the harmful practice of female genital mutilation/cutting by raising awareness of gender justice from an Islamic human rights perspective.

The sexual abuse crisis within the Catholic Church compels a reassessment of topics within both pastoral theology and Christology. The possible connection between the Passion narratives and the reality of sexual abuse is an obvious, but so far neglected, resource…

This report presents findings from the case study submission process - one part of three of the JLI Ending Violence Against Children (EVAC) Hub scoping study. They offer evidence to support the claim that religions offer an important contribution to…

Everyone has a role to play in the movement to end child marriage. In this brief, we explore the role of religious leaders and highlight key approaches to support civil society organisations who are considering engaging with them in their…

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…

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…

Rethinking relationships: from violence to equality in the DRC, evidence brief. Key findings of endline survey undertaken across 15 communities in Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo about faith, gender norms and SGBV in conflict affected communities.' UK government…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1K16DY1wzM Webinar with Dr Elisabet le Roux for JLI GBV Hub Research conducted for the PaRD SDG 3 Gender Equality and Empowerment Workstream   This was also presented at the UN CSW63 Session Unlocking the Power of Faith-based Partnerships- Enabling…

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…

This report results from a year-long study researching and analyzing gender based violence within Muslim Canadian Communities. Specifically, it looks at how the concept of honour and shame can have both negative and positive consequences with regard to either encouraging…

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…

In 2016 the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) funded World Vision to work with communities in DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan for two years to change attitudes, promote community acceptance of survivors and children born of rape, and improve…

Policy brief based on the experiences of young members of the Anglican Student Federation in South Africa. Focuses on what role, if any faith has played in the construction of gender norms. It looks at the importance of context, rural…

Child marriage results from the interplay of a variety of factors and happens across countries, cultures, ethnicities and religions. There is no single religion that is solely associated with child marriage. But as religious leaders often hold considerable power and…

From violence to equality Findings from DRC project on Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls Tearfund and HEAL Africa See here for the webinar recording

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…

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a global issue that affects women and girls from different backgrounds, faiths, and races. In recent, years, there has been an increased focus on Muslims and the Muslim faith. Reyhana Patel's research has…

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a form of gender injustice which affects millions of girls and women in the world and is deep rooted in social gender norms and practices. GBV is a leading cause of death, illnesses and disabilities of…

This is the third and final part of Footsteps series based on the biblical idea of jubilee. In the Old Testament, the jubilee year was intended for the restoration of the Israelites’ relationships with God, one another and the land.…

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…

Although sexual violence has fallen by half in the last two decades, the wide-ranging nature of the problem remains significant: around every two minutes in any given day, an American endures some sort of sexual assault.1 While the World Health…

2015-2017: A Program Model Case Study Partners: Episcopal Relief & Development and the humanitarian arm of the Episcopal Church of Liberia Two-year evaluation of program in Liberia   Program Website on Episcopal Relief & Development

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…

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

People destabilized by armed conflict, including refugees, internally displaced persons, in particular, women and children are at increased risk of exposure to HIV infection (United Nation General Assembly 2001). The above quotation suggests that internally displaced persons in general and…

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  

21st-23rd March 2018 United Nations Strategic Learning Exchange on Religion, Development and Humanitarian Work under the patronage of HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal, in Amman, Jordan The Strategic Learning Exchange (SLE) is a partnership effort stewarded by the UN…

Education for Refugees and the forcibly displaced Jesuit Relief Service USA

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

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…

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