Resources

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…

As a joint learning network focused on evidence in religions and development, we (i.e., JLI) are often asked to summarize the “evidence” on religions and development. While that may seem like a simple request, it is, in fact, a complicated…

The First South Asia Regional Strategic Faith Engagement Forum for Positive Change for Children (FPCC), Families and Communities was held from the 8th to 10th May 2022 in Kathmandu, Nepal. For a detailed experience of the meeting, please see Annex…

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…

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…

Chapter in the book: Childhood Vulnerabilities in South Africa - Some Ethical Perspectives In South Africa today, many children face high levels of physical, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse, as well as sustained neglect and exploitation. Families and homes, despite…

Working paper 591 The world is facing multiple challenges with huge impacts on humanity, requiring action from citizens, policy-makers and activists. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets demonstrate the scale and ambition of the current global agenda.…

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…

La participación infantil es un pilar fundamental para prevenir y poner fin a la violencia contra los niños y las niñas. El Centro de aprendizaje Para poner Fin a la Violencia contra la Niñez (EVAC) de JLI invitó a niños…

Intergenerational Dialogue on Child Participation: Event Summary Child participation is a central pillar in preventing and ending violence against children. The JLI’s Ending Violence Against Children (EVAC) Learning Hub invited children from around the world to share their reflections of…

Ejemplos Prácticos de Participación Infantil: Resumen del Evento La participación infantil es un pilar fundamental para prevenir y poner fin a la violencia contra los niños y las niñas. Muchas tradiciones de fe ofrecen perspectivas críticas sobre la importancia de…

Practical Examples of Child Participation: Event Summary 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. Yet the practical application of child participation…

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…

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,…

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…

This Toolkit brings together material developed from Viva’s work partnering with 35 networks worldwide, including Understanding Gods Heart for Children (UGHFC), the Celebrating Children Course (Viva Equip People) and the Quality Improvement System (QIS-Viva Equip Projects). It also includes material…

Globally, an estimated one out of two children aged 2–17 years old suffer some form of violence each year. Over their lifetime, children exposed to violence are at increased risk of mental and physical health problems, and negative educational outcomes.…

This report draws on 10 case studies to examine child participation experiences related to different forms of violence, spanning initiatives driven by governments, international organizations and civil society. It zooms in on children’s roles, the methods used, the balance between…

TALKING POINTS UNICEF Representative Rudolf Schwenk Workrock: Faith and Positive Change for Children in Malawi Monday, 11 November 2019 Linde Motel, Dowa Malawi WorkRock page

On June 1st, JLI’s Ending Violence Against Children Hub hosted the second event of their ongoing series.  The hub discussed the role of religious leaders and faith communities as first responders to violence against children. Agenda: Introduction to the role of…

See the resource below for FIVE WAYS faith leaders and communities can protect children from violence. Related readings: Arigatou International Faith in Action for Children  in response to COVID-19 , videos of children's and religious leaders' perspectives, includes 12 Messages and…

On 21st May 2020 the Alliance for the Protection of Children launched a Guide for the Prevention of Violence Against Children, developed under the leadership of Arigatou International, to support and inspire the work of faith-based organizations and communities in the area of…

This groundbreaking new research investigates current knowledge and raises awareness of child abuse linked to faith or belief. Internationally, cases of child abuse linked to faith or belief (CALFB) continue to cause concern (Bartholomew, 2015; Hansen & Ruggiero, 2013). In…

This action plan is intended to help raise awareness of the issue of child abuse linked to faith or belief and to encourage practical steps to be taken to prevent such abuse. It has been developed through partnership on the…

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…

All children should be cared for in a family environment by their parents, relatives or other loving adults. But there are growing numbers of children who do not enjoy this most basic right and suffer from neglect and extreme vulnerability.…

The WCC and UNICEF formed a partnership, and they have agreed to work very hard to create ideas to help make churches welcoming, safe, and fun places for children all over the world to be. These ideas needed to explain…

On February 26th 2020, JLI's Ending Violence Against Children Hub began their webinar series with a discussion on spiritual capital. Dr. Selina Palm from Stellenbosch University led the discussion and presented her findings to the webinar attendees. Dr. Palm presented…

‘The Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities held its first global forum on child dignity in the digital world in Abu Dhabi in November 2018. The forum was attended by 450+ attendees including senior faith leaders and senior representatives from governments,…

The Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities conducted a survey with faith leaders across the world to gauge their levels of awareness and understand the challenges that they face, in order to develop the right tools and knowledge resources to better…

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…

A companion to From Faith to Action, Journeys of Faith features: 12 strategies for supporting the needs of orphans & vulnerable children Inspiring examples of how churches in the United States are getting involved Stories of partnership between U.S. churches & African orphan…

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child advocates for the provision of programs and services that will promote early health, development and well-being of children and their caregivers. This is particularly important given that current statistics indicate…

This six-part series of manuals is intended to strengthen the technical capacity of women religious and congregations in Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia that are involved in Early Childhood Development (ECD). The curriculum was created within the CRS-led project called “Strengthening the Capacity of Women Religious…

This report has been prepared to inform discussions at the second meeting of the South Asia Religious Leaders Platform for Children on 28–29 January 2020 in Bhutan. The meeting will bring together delegations of religious leaders and scholars from Afghanistan,…

Published in Child Abuse & Neglect Dec 2019 When religious institutions are discussed in the context of child maltreatment, the topic is typically sources of danger for children. Although some religious institutions are counted among the formal organizations in which child abuse has occurred…

Ceci est un mémoire d’une série de deux concernant l’action religieuse dans l’éradication de la violence contre les enfants dans le monde. Ces mémoires sont destinés aux acteurs religieux, aux professionnels du développement, aux décideurs politiques et aux donateurs. Les…

Ceci est un briefing d’une série de deux1 concernant l’action religieuse dans l’éradication de la violence contre les enfants dans le monde. Ils sont destinés aux acteurs religieux, aux professionnels du développement, aux décideurs politiques et aux donateurs. Les deux…

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…

Este es el primer 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 a nivel mundial. Estos resúmenes están dirigidos a actores religiosos, a…

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 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…

Ending Violence Against Children Scoping Study Brief 2. This is one brief in a series of two concerning faith-based action to end violence against children. Its purpose is to inform faith actors, development practitioners, policymakers, and donors about the global…

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 report presents findings of the Survey on Traditional Practices in Malawi that was carried out by the National Statistics Office (NSO), the Centre for Social Research (CSR) at the University of Malawi, and the Center for Child Well-being and…

Contributions of Faith Communities to Ending Violence Against Children Presented by Jean Duff, JLI President

This literature review is one part of three of the JLI Ending Violence Against Children (EVAC) Hub scoping study. It presents an overview of published and grey literature in regard to the unique contributions of faith actors to eliminating violence…

This report presents findings from the consultation component - one part of three of the JLI Ending Violence Against Children (EVAC) Hub scoping study. The study examines existing evidence, analyses trends, identifies key gaps and highlights examples of faith actors…

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…

There is a strong complementarity between the guiding principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the core values of religious teachings. The global study, Faith and Children’s Rights: A Multi-religious Study on the Convention on…

Compassion International, World Vision, Buckner International, CBN and IJM have joined forces to form the "Christian Movement Against Violence Against Children" (MOCVIN). Together they are committed to promoting the protection of the most vulnerable children, seeking the fulfillment of their…

Five key questions were posed to the panelists of the multi-faith discussion at Hartford Seminary on November 13, 2016. These eminent thinkers, representing different faiths, reflected on the questions together and contributed insights from their respective traditions. Following the discussion,…

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

Girls are hit particularly hard and face many forms of violence during times of conflict, disasters and displacement. Child marriage is on the rise at alarming rates in humanitarian settings. This brief summarizes what's known and needs to be done.

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…

This is a comprehensive report of the GNRC 5th Forum. It is a summary of all aspects of the Forum, including the speeches, papers presented, contributions and transcripts of messages delivered at the Forum. Includes remarks from distinguished guests during…

Review of the implementation of Arigatou International's Ethics Education Programme "Learning to Live Together" in six schools in Apopa, Mejicanos, and Soyapando (San Salvador, El Salvador). It analyzes the impact of the programme on children in contexts highly affected by…

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…

Worldwide, the field of child protection in humanitarian settings is undergoing an historic shift toward strengthening child protection systems on a national scale (African Child Policy Forum et al., 2013; Davis, McCaffrey, & Conticini, 2012; UNICEF, UNHCR, & World Vision,…

In Cambodia, more than half of all children experience physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. This article examines how Cambodians view the causes and effects of child abuse and analyzes its underlying cultural forces. A conceptual framework developed in earlier research…

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…

This is a report of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism on the 2017 expert workshop on witchcraft and human rights.

End of Project Management Report September 2016 to February 2018 Children as Peace Builders in Damara Sous prefecture Locations: Gbago, Dombe, Bossele, Damara, Binima, Oumba, Tangue, Vangue, Gbozo, Guerengou Project Goal: To increase access to livelihood assistance to conflict-affected children, especially…

Case study of ESADER (Ensemble pour la Santé et le Développement holistique en milieu Rural et périurbain) programs in the Eastern Region of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Scholastic support to war related orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Beni region…

The role of faith communities (Meeting Report in Spanish) Conveners: WVI, Arigatou, Lutheran World Federation,  The Human Rights office of the Archbishop of Guatemala and Bartolomé de las Casas Center - Central America. Also see here for the roundtable report summary (Sistematización-Mesa-Redonda_San-Salvador-22-Marzo-2018) Proteger…

2.5 million girls in eastern Africa in urgent need of protection More than 2.5 million girls have been forced to flee their homes across eastern Africa and are in urgent need of protection, a new report from World Vision has…

Report of the side event at the margins of the 37th Human Rights Council 05 March 2018 Palais des Nations, Geneva Co-organized by Arigatou International Geneva, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence Against Children, World…

Preliminary report by Child Rights International Network (CRIN) that maps the scale of child sexual abuse committed by clerics of the Catholic Church and evidence of cover up attempts by the Vatican and Church authorities. It provides an overview of…

The report ""Invisible: Until When?: A first approach to the life and rights of children and adolescents with parents or guardians deprived of liberty, in Latin America and the Caribbean", analyses the situation of violence to which children and adolescents…

The Ministry of Cults and Religion of Cambodia developed this book in cooperation with the Buddhist Cabinet of Cambodia to enhance the capacities of Cambodian monks to contribute to the prevention of violence against children.

Report developed by the International NGO Council on Violence against Children on harmful practices. Includes information on harmful practices based on religion and concrete recommendations to religious leaders, faith based institutions, etc.

Report developed by the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children on armed violence in the community. See section 5.6.1 for the role of community and religious leaders and actors.

As part World Vision's external launch of 'It takes Nepal to end child marriage' campaign, and given the causes and consequences of child marriage, discussion on various aspects were conducted in three parallel thematic sessions. The discourse book captures the…

The objective of the Khutbah Guide is to increase knowledge on MNCH and to assign them on providing Khutbah on MNCH issues for Friday worship. The guide encourages Religious Leaders to also use this knowledge for premarital and duple counselling,…

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…

Overview of Ethiopian Faith-Based Organizations’ response for the abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Child Early Forced Marriage (CEFM) from 2010-2016. This report provides a baseline to engaging FBOs for future programming and provides evidence on how FBOs have…

A policy brief on Early and Forced Marriage This policy briefing presents Islamic Relief’s position on issues of early and forced marriage (EFM), the key definitions, causes and impact of these practices. It presents briefly our strategy to end EFM…

Combating Gender-based Violence against Women and Girls in Dekasuftu Woreda Faith inspired action to end GBV This learning report shares key lessons learnt from Islamic Relief’s pilot GBV project in the Somali region of Ethiopia. It shows evidence of how…

Protecting the sanctity of marriage This background paper explores the issues of early and forced marriage from an Islamic faith perspective and dismantles some potential misconceptions. It provides a case that early and forced marriage is not Islamic and promotes…

The Ending Violence Against Children Learning Hub Concept Note as of 2017

Engaging with Faith Groups to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls in Conflict-affected Communities Globally, one in three women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is particularly prevalent and hard to…

The American Jewish World Service (AJWS) and its partners in 2014 launched the Early and Child Marriage Initiative in India to support and strengthen a national effort to end child marriage and enable girls to realize the full spectrum of…

Arigatou International’s Interfaith Initiative to End Child Poverty (End Child Poverty),in collaboration with the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) and ICAN Malaysia (Malaysia), organized a 3 days meeting from 15th to 17th November 2017. Based on a common…

July 11, 2017 A one-day workshop to begin formulating a comprehensive action-framework to prevent human trafficking Organized by Catholic Relief Services and The Center for Civil and Human Rights, University of Notre Dame   On July 11, 2017, Catholic Relief…

All children have the right to be protected from violence inflicted on them by anyone in their lives – whether parents, teachers, friends, romantic partners or strangers. And all forms of violence experienced by children, regardless of the nature or…

In the Valley of Cochabamba, Bolivia, A Breeze of Hope Foundation (ABH) is giving a voice and support to victims of childhood sexual violence. Grounded in the experiences of those who have lived through sexual violence and using an innovative model…

A multidisciplinary panel of experts gathered together in Colombo, Sri Lanka to participate in a roundtable discussion on the topic of Ethics Education to Strengthen Families and Nurturing Spirituality in Early Childhood, particularly addressing the role of religious communities. The…

Do you remember the first time you went online? Chances are you knew life before the internet. But for children growing up online, life is unimaginable without it. Digital technology has transformed the world we live in – disrupting entire…

This field study report produced by Islamic Relief Worldwide’s advocacy team explores how extensive Female Genital Cutting (FGC) is within Indonesia. The study attempts to understand the drivers behind FGC with particular focus upon faith as a motivating factor, conducting…

Policy brief produced by Islamic Relief provides the vision and rationale to campaign for an end to FGM/C and guides intervention efforts to eradicate it.  

Just and Resilient Communities Project Gender-based Violence and Child Protection: Diocese of Mt Kenya West Partners: Anglican Overseas Aid and Anglican Church of Kenya This project is implemented in Nyeri County in the Diocese of Mount Kenya West from 2014-2017.…

Authors: Kirsten Laursen Muth, Chou Nuon, Vanessa Pizer, Abiy Seifu Link to other SVRI Faith-related Presentations

Know Violence in Childhood Initiative Every day millions of boys and girls around the world experience fear and violence – physical, emotional or sexual. This need not happen. Violence in childhood is preventable – through concerted and collective action that…

Suggestions, Background Materials, and Templates for Consultations Introduction The views and ideas of children and adolescents are of utmost importance for the success of the  “Churches’ Commitments to Children” currently being implemented. The World Council of  Churches (WCC), UNICEF, and…

9-11 May 2017 GNRC Fifth Forum Challenged by the global epidemic of violence against children, we, leaders and members of the world’s religious and spiritual traditions, girls and boys, women and men, from 70 countries, together with representatives of governments,…

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…

Updated as of August 2017. For review and comment by members of the hub

The Collective Action for Adolescent Girls Initiative (CAAGI) is a two-year pilot funded by Christian Aid, and jointly implemented by Development and Peace Initiative (DPI) and Gender Awareness Trust (GAT). The project aims to improve significantly the choices and opportunities…