Resources

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…

COVID-19 heightened interest in faith partnerships as governments and international agencies sought rapid behavior change to reduce the spread of the pandemic. It illuminated the unique capacity of local faith groups to reach people quickly, effectively, and relevantly. To increase…

The Regional Forum was a hybrid event held in August 2022, with participants at the physical location at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and other participants joining virtually. The organisation of the event was itself a cooperative effort. Thirty-nine…

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 review article looks at trends from academic articles published on religions and the COVID-19 pandemic between March 2020 and October 2021 in relation to their relevance for international development and global health researchers, policy makers, and practitioners. It focuses…

The European Union funded project, Awareness with Human Action (AHA!), supported the efforts of activist Mohan Rabidas, founder of the nonprofit Jagoron Youth Forum. Rabidas’ involvement with the tea estate communities is well documented in Bangladeshi news media.1 The AHA!…

The AHA! Project (supported by the European Union) has directed 50 small grants in South Asia to groups that aim to address these facets of the COVID-19 crisis. The case review series draws primarily on this experience, with the goal…

The distinctive roles of women and youth, as well as the various entities which support them, deserve particular attention. Religious actors play especially significant yet often poorly understood roles in responding to the pandemic emergencies. The European Union funded AHA!…

AHA! small grant recipients work to address specific impacts of COVID-19 in South Asia, with a focus on threats to social cohesion, the spread of hate speech and misinformation, and the pandemic’s distinctive religious and gender dimensions. This case review…

While state-led efforts to address Sri Lanka’s fraught history have fallen short, civil society actors have found innovative ways to promote peace at the grassroots. Kiyawana Muddara, one such grass roots organization, uses the study of postage stamps as a…

Civil society groups are working to equip Pakistani youth to counter online hate and build peace through dialogue and education. One youth-led organization, Parindey, partnered with the Organization for Educational Change (OEC) and the Indus School of Knowledge to launch…

“Discovering Humanity,” led by Aravinda Indrajith, is an AHA! small grant funded project led by one such civil society organization. It has worked to spread the message of social cohesion through positive social media narratives. The goal is to address…

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…

This paper is one of a series of research elements produced by the European Union funded AHA! Awareness with Human Action project that seeks to contribute to the response efforts of the COVID-19 pandemic by preventing conflict and building social…

This paper is one of a series of research elements produced by the European Union funded AHA! Awareness with Human Action project that seeks to contribute to the response efforts of the COVID-19 pandemic by preventing conflict and building social…

This paper is one of a series of research elements produced by the European Union funded AHA! Awareness with Human Action project that seeks to contribute to the response efforts of the COVID-19 pandemic by preventing conflict and building social…

This paper is one of a series of research elements produced by the European Union funded AHA! Awareness with Human Action project that seeks to contribute to the response efforts of the COVID-19 pandemic by preventing conflict and building social…

This paper is one of a series of research elements produced by the European Union funded AHA! Awareness with Human Action project that seeks to contribute to the response efforts of the COVID-19 pandemic by preventing conflict and building social…

This paper is one of a series of research elements produced by the European Union funded AHA! Awareness with Human Action project that seeks to contribute to the response efforts of the COVID-19 pandemic by preventing conflict and building social…

The disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have challenged social cohesion across the world but with particular force across the South Asia Region. Heightened intergroup tensions are linked in historical factors and to inequalities but in the current crisis a…

Promising Practices for Engaging Local Faith Actors (LFAs) to Promote Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccination - Lessons Learned from Four Countries: Ghana, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, and Uganda Engaged local faith actors (LFAs)1 have long contributed to promoting and achieving increased immunization…

Promising Practices For Engaging Local Faith Actors To Promote Uptake Of Covid-19 Vaccination - Lessons Learned from Four Countries: Ghana, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, Uganda. Engaged local faith actors (LFAs)1 have long contributed to promoting and achieving increased immunization uptake, coverage,…

Engaging Faith Actors To Boost Immunization Uptake And Combat Vaccine Hesitancy - Evidence and Promising Practices Local faith actors are generally recognized for their role in influencing health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including immunization uptake, coverage, and equity.…

Effects of faith actor engagement in the uptake and coverage of immunization in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) - Phase 1 Global Landscape : Evidence Summary This report summarizes evidence about vaccine hesitancy trends for both COVID and non-COVID immunizations.…

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…

The COVID-19 experience offers fresh perspectives about religious roles in public health and in broader efforts to promote human well-being. Public health officials have understood and engaged with religious factors during the COVID-19 emergencies with greater awareness of their actual…

How do adaptations to COVID-19 inform strategies for enhancing local faith leadership in health and development? The changes COVID-19 imposed on faith actors' ways of working, while challenging, also released creativity and innovation. It opened new avenues for partnership with…

The study explores the role of religion and local faith actors in peace building and reconciliation from Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christian groups and denominations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka. A mixed method approach was employed in this…

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all countries irrespective of their state of development. In countries with traditional societies, religious leaders have been acknowledged as key stakeholders in community engagement activities, including disease prevention. A community-level prevention model was established in…

The G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20), which has convened annually since 2014, brings important dimensions to the G20 process. It shares some features with other engagement groups but has distinctive aspects that relate, above all, to the widely diverse landscape of…

What constitutes a polylogue? What, in our pandemic times, makes for a meaningful gathering? Of the many and varied things affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, religiosity is one that has certainly garnered attention. How are individuals and communities adapting spiritual…

COVID-19 is a tragic and overwhelming story of a global health crisis that shook the world leaving a trail of suffering and death. According to the WorldOMeter the global rates of infection and deaths continue to rise and as of…

The aim of this report is to share the findings from a project that was  carried out by the International Anti-Human Trafficking Network  (IAHTN), the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities  (JLI) and the University of Leeds (UoL)…

The subject of religion and the behaviour of religious actors in the COVID-19 crisis appear at first glance to constitute either just marginal issues or factors which tend to be negative. Without doubt, many people remember that religious services, especially…

Large-scale health emergencies like COVID-19 oftentimes result in widespread humanitarian impacts. Due to their long-standing relationships and involvement within local communities, along with extensive networks and support from faith-affiliated institutions, faith-based NGOs carry a unique advantage in reaching the most…

Religious leaders support communities in multiple ways during challenges such as disasters, emergencies, conflicts, and outbreaks. The COVID-19 Pandemic, too, has demonstrated the contribution of religious leaders in assisting communities across the world. On the other hand,  a minority of…

The following resources are designed to support parish priests and staff in diocesan offices and health and social service agencies. You will find information about the COVID-19 vaccine for varied audiences, resources to support the preparation of homilies, relevant quotes…

Interim Guidance 7 April 2021 This document is an update of the same title published by WHO on 15 April 2020. Updates reflect the latest guidance on COVID-19 published by WHO since then, with focus on areas of transmission of…

This resource answers the following questions: Why are there different types of Covid-19 vaccines? How do different types of vaccines work? How does testing and approval ensure Covid-19 vaccines are safe? Are side effects likely after having a Covid-19 vaccine?…

The Covid-19 pandemic is having a huge global impact on the well-being of communities. While the impact varies from country to country, millions of people have lost family members, friends or neighbours as a result of the virus. Restrictions have…

13th - 17th October 2020 Programme Overview (Available in Arabic) Biographies Recommendations from the Regional Consultations Recommendations of Africa Recommendations of Asia Recommendations of Europe Recommendations of Arab Region Recommendations of Latin America Recommendations of North America Thematic Recommendations from…

A G20 Interfaith Forum Policy Brief Draft, October 13, 2020 Trust and Accountability: towards action Trust and accountability are vital to address the COVID-19 emergencies, for governments, religious actors, civil society leaders, and business. Imperative steps include preemptive action to…

A G20 Interfaith Forum Policy Brief Draft, October 6, 2020 Challenges and a Call to Action Religious communities are integrally linked to the many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic and broader economic/social crises, and their active engagement is crucial to…

February 2, 2021 International Anti-Human Trafficking Network and JLI Anti-Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery webinar presenting research on responses and adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic. A conversation with researchers, practitioners and participants. Speakers: Lucy McCray, The Freedom Story,  Thailand Anne Makumi,…

A quick analysis guide Part 1: For health and development actors - Engaging Faith actors in COVID-19 vaccine rollout COVID-19 vaccine rollout poses challenges. Systematic approaches to engaging faith actors proactively, fairly, equitably, and appropriately are critical. Immediate issues where…

When the world thinks of the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines, the faces that come to mind are those of doctors, nurses, health ministers, and politicians. But also essential in the battle to end the pandemic are an invisible population of…

COVID-19 has lowered global carbon emissions; but it hasn’t slowed climate change. Our response to COVID-19 has precipitated the discovery of a vaccine; but it has left the world with a staggering number of deaths. The pandemic of Covid-19 has…

[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…

The current pandemic has brought many changes in our economic structures, clinical interactions, fellowship engagements, travel behaviors, social relationships, and communication platforms. It has been a time of fear, but also of hope amidst those challenges. As a response to…

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)…

Accord Network organizations are facing many new challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has required rapid adaptation in many areas, including in monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL). In this paper, four case studies of Christ-centered NGOs are presented…

Praxis Series Paper No. 11 is written by Rick James. It focuses on the Mothers’ Union (MU), an international Christian organisation. Founded in 1876, MU aims to support families around the world. Between 2017 and 2019, MU undertook a major,…

Policy Brief 03/2020 This policy brief reports on preliminary findings of the online survey Religious Leaders’ Perspectives on Corona. It is the first survey comprehensively exploring the development and relief efforts of religious leaders worldwide as well as their social…

Series on Preventing Violence against Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic Guidance Note 5 provides programmatic suggestions for adjusting your SASA! program to better align with, and address, emerging realities during the pandemic. Note: we use “SASA!” to represent all SASA!…

In the absence of any effective medicine or vaccine, COVID-19 remains a global threat. Social and political sciences inform us about patterns of behaviour among individuals, communities, societies and states in times of crisis and conflict. In such situations, policymakers…

Conducted by Soka Gakkai Youth Division COVID-19 pandemic has continued to have a major impact on many aspects of life, including work, private life, human relationships and thus, it has made us reflect on how we have lived our life…

The COVID-19 lockdown has revealed –across the entire world –the challenges of parenting and shown how many parents are eager to learn simple strategies that can make a big difference to their daily family life, wherever they live. As a…

Interim guidance 25 July 2020 On the occasion of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha, WHO has issued interim guidance entitled "Eid al-Adha safe practices in the context of COVID-19 pandemic". The document highlights public health advice for social and…

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.…

A joint JLI - WFDD - Berkley Center Initiative on COVID-19 March 11, 2020 Webinar The COVID-19 pandemic represents one of the greatest challenges in both global health and religious practice today. How are religious institutions, beliefs, leaders, and practices…

A joint JLI - WFDD - Berkley Center Initiative on COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic intersects with long-standing food security and nutrition issues, especially in East Africa. Has the agenda on food security shifted with the coronavirus crisis, and if so,…

A joint JLI - WFDD - Berkley Center Initiative on COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic intersects with the long-standing humanitarian crisis around the borderlands between the United States, Mexico, and the northern triangle countries of Central America. How is the pandemic…

This article draws on anthropological field work conducted during the West African Ebola outbreak (2014-2016) and reports of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis to discuss the role played by religion in infectious disease control.While much separates Ebola and Covid-19, the religious…

In early March, three individuals, with the support of our organizations launched an effort to track how the world’s different religious communities and institutions were responding to the COVID-19 emergency. Katherine and Olivia (the two authors) and Dave Robinson had…

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.…

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…

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 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…

This is book is about a church where members are physically separated from one another due to specific heath concerns and safety regulations. Yet the church is still called to be a social institution, where people engage, support, and care…

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…

This new report –published during Christian Aid Week –warns that without immediate and decisive action, Covid-19 could trigger a grave disaster for people in the poorest countries and communities, who are ill-equipped to cope with the ruinous effects of the…

As religious actors and networks of faith-based organizations, we are called to work together for gender equality and justice, amid global changes, rising nationalism, and conflict. We are living in changing global, regional, and national environments. As COVID-19 spreads around…

For use by all Seventh-day Adventist Churches Pastors and Elders may use these guidelines as they lead their churches in various countries as well as in radio and television interviews and social media. They can also serve as sermon guidelines…

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…

Published in Consultation with Senior Scholars The current coronavirus pandemic has spread rapidly across the globe, completely changing people’s lives. This also includes the Muslim community, who have been affected in a variety of ways. In writing this booklet, we…

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…

This resource was published in May 2020 as part of Tearfund’s ​Guidance for churches on how to support older people during the Covid-19 pandemic​. Click here to read the full manual with references Click here to view the poster Contexts…

The aim of this guide is to share key information relating to older people during the Covid-19 pandemic and to prompt meaningful thinking about and engagement with older people in churches and communities . Churches are in a good position…

Local, national, and international faith-based organizations and health care COVID-19 response Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH) and the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI) wanted to learn how faith-based organizations and health care providers in international…

This research was conducted in March and April 2020 to explore children's and young people’s reflections and perceptions on the COVID-19 outbreak. Children and young people have already started mobilising themselves, using online platforms to share their experiences and 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.…

This is a living document. It is up-to-date as of April 2020. We expect that new resources will be issued and can be used in addition to this document in the future. This document was produced in a short time…

The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change published on-line advisory materials on government engagement with religious leaders to help address Covid-19. Guidelines for Governments Working with Religious Leaders to Support Public-Health Measures. Read it in French or Portuguese An associated…

The Interfaith Health Program, in collaboration with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and the World Council of Churches, has created a set of guidance documents designed to offer practical information and suggestions for infection control for individuals and…

April 23rd 2020 Discussion This discussion focused on changes to MEAL practices during COVID-19 response and opportunities for MEAL to be leveraged. MEAL Hub members focused on their organizations experience with Revising: How are you revising your MEAL practices in…

This document offers guidance on determining whether to carry out monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning activities in the context of COVID‑19 and, if so, how to safely conduct them. It provides additional recommendations based on CRS’ experience, to be used…

This presentation was given as a part of the MEAL hub's webinar on COVID-19 response.

The highly infectious nature of the novel coronavirus has led religious authorities around the Muslim world to issue guidance and fatwas on the obligation for Muslims to adapt and change their religious practice in order to preserve life. Islamic Relief…