Resources

This article examines education policy for Syrian refugees in Lebanon, drawing on 44 stakeholder interviews conducted in March 2016. Findings indicate that the idea of children’s rights, enshrined in international conventions, combined with foreign aid, encouraged the creation of a…

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…

Contemporary discussions on strengthening national child protection systems agree that community-based child protection mechanisms (CBCPMs) are fundamental elements of child protection systems.1 Because they are relatively easy to access, or perhaps are the only alternative that is available in responding…

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,…

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) jointly lead the largest global programme to accelerate the abandonment of female genital mutilation (FGM). The UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme harnesses the complementary expertise of the two agencies, with governments and often in close…

This report was commissioned by Sacred Heart College, and funded by the Breadsticks Foundation to better understand the conditions affecting access to education for migrant children in Johannesburg. The Three2Six Education Project for Refugee Children at Sacred Heart College has…

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  

Accounts of humanitarianism regularly address the historical influence of religious traditions and commitments in shaping our understanding of this field. Whether focused on ancient writings regarding obligations to others, the religious views and backgrounds of key humanitarian figures of the…

Many of our readers already know that Lebanon, a country of fewer than 6 million people, has reached a breaking point in its capacity to host the almost 1.2 million Syrian refugees that have streamed into Lebanon as a result…

Unskilled migrant workers and their families represent a crucial human resource in Sabah (Malaysia) as cheap labour, but also as religious believers. Christian organizations belonging to various denominations have started to cater to this community in recent years by providing…

Little is known about the early educational performance of children in migrant farmworker families. The authors examined the school readiness and early school success of 289 four-year-old preschool children of migrant families attending Redlands Christian Migrant Association centers. Children's school…

Mobilisation of Local Faith Communities Learning Hub Webinar: Sustainable Development Goals and role of religion and local faith communities  

Local and Buddhist Perspectives Maurice Eisenbruch Published in Cultural Medical Psychiatry Almost one in four women in Cambodia is a victim of physical, emotional or sexual violence. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the ways in which…

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…

Chapter exceprt from Jörg Haustein & Emma Tomalin, 'Religion and Development in Africa and Asia' in Routledge Handbook of Africa–Asia Relations ed. by Pedro Carvalho et al. London: Routledge, 2017, pp. 76-93 See also - Religions and Sustainable Development Network

A Thematic Paper for the Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security Prepared by the Soka Gakkai International September 2017 As a global movement of Buddhists dedicated to peace, the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) has worked on the activities for…

Guidance on mental health and psychosocial programming This guidance has been developed in phases. A desk review looking at the literature relevant to faith-sensitive psychosocial programming, followed by fieldwork in LWF and IRW country offices (Kenya, Jordan and Nepal), led…

Education for Refugees and the forcibly displaced Jesuit Relief Service USA

2013-2017 Brief  

Over the past several decades, an increasing number of refugee children and families have involuntarily migrated to countries around the world to seek safety and refuge. As the refugee population increases, it is becoming more important to understand factors that…

The education sector in Dadaab includes pre-school, primary, secondary, adult literacy, special education, vocational training and scholarships for tertiary education. The schools follow the Kenyan curriculum. In the three camps, there are 22 primary schools, six secondary schools, four YEP…

War, conflict, political uprisings and other hardships displace countless families each year. More than half of the world’s estimated 19 million refugees are children (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR], 2007). Some children grow up in refugee camps and…

The Syrian crisis has brought to the forefront the enormous challenges that families face in the context of war and displacement. To date, over 7 million people are internally displaced; at least half of those internally and externally displaced are…

In 2005 Dybicz concluded his review with: “This is how far best practice research has reached: interventions based upon theory” (p. 768). The interventions which Dybicz wrote about were aimed at serving children and adolescents living and working in the…

A two page summary of the JLIF&LC Vision, Approach, Leadership, Learning Hubs, and contact information

Street children are a marginalized group with limited access to education, health care and other services (Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children, 2004). They are also frequently subjected to different forms of abuse, neglect, deprivation, hazards of living on…

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…

Adaption and innovation: meeting humanitarian needs in fragile and conflict contexts There is no simple roadmap for operating in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. The nature of these contexts requires constant learning, adaption and revision. And although contexts vary considerably, World…

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…

World Vision's series of Church Engagement Fact Sheets to provide a learning resource that helps World Vision staff understand how we partner with churches to accelerate change in communities to transform children’s lives. The  document includes a total of 66…

Voice for Change Stories of Learning From 2013 to 2017, UK Aid supported the implementation of a programme called Voice for Change (V4C), which sought to address social norms and improve gender equality in four states in Nigeria: Enugu, Kaduna,…

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…

Program overview of Equipping Churches to Serve Refugees Locations: Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Syria FY 2017  

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…

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Italy, known as Centro Astalli, has offices in Rome, Trento, Vicenza, Palermo and Catania, offering a range of services including legal aid, healthcare, language classes, material and psychosocial support, and help to find employment.…

Deepening the Mission of Reconciliation in the Work of JRS In June 2013, as part of an ongoing collaboration between JRS (Jesuit Refugee Service) and the Centre for Human Rights and International Justice at Boston College, JRS workers from across…

A review of two pilot projects for children and young people Since 2014, World Vision has operated a humanitarian response programme supporting internally displaced Iraqi families in the Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI). Within this, WV KRI has been implementing…

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

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…

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…

James Choi and Lincoln Lau for Mobilisation of Local Faith Communities Hub Webinar in May 2018  

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…

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…

Refugees and Hosts in Jordan and Lebanon This research project was conducted between April 2017 and February 2018 with the following research questions: What modalities of reception drive what kind of gendered wellbeing outcomes for refugee and host communities in…

This process is based on Tearfund’s experience in the Philippines, in response to Typhoon Haiyan (2013). Typhoon Haiyan (locally named Yolanda) hit the Philippines on 8 November, 2013. Humanitarian assistance focused on some of the hardest hit areas in the…

The Code of Best Practices for Christian Refugee Ministry is designed as a benchmark document to guide the policies and practice of organisations regarding Christian humanitarian service and witness to refugees, internally displaced people and asylum seekers. It is not…

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 of the Roundtable discussion held on the 26 September 2016 in Geneva and convened by Arigatou International. The roundtable aimed at: • Discussing major challenges that civil society organizations, religious communities, academia, international organizations face in seeking to prevent…

This study is among the first to shed light on the relationship between religiosity, spirituality, and youth violence in the Latin American context. Elevated levels of religious coping and spirituality are associated with less antisocial bonding, which, in turn, is…

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…

This handbook describes some innovative examples of how many faith- based organisations and local community groups around the world are responding compassionately and effectively to the urgent needs of orphan children. It also provides basic information on family-based alternatives to…

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.

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…

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…

Since 2011, World Vision El Salvador has significantly increased its efforts to reduce violence against children and strengthen child protection systems. This report documents findings from a qualitative assessment conducted in El Salvador. The assessment examines children and adolescents’ experiences…

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,…

Exploring the Impact of Social Acceptance on Refugee Integration into Host Communities: Policy Research To better understand how local integration plays out within communities, particularly the process of social integration, CRS has undertaken a three-country qualitative study in Ecuador, India…

In 2017 CRS worked with a South Africa-based non-profit organization to update several guides within its "Journey of Life" curriculum of workshops. The series is designed for communities wishing to support children in need and their caregivers. CRS collaborated with REPSSI on the facilitator training…

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

The impact of the Interfaith Peace Platform on the peace process in the Central African Republic Geneva Liaison Office of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Together with Imam Oumar Kobine Layama, president of the Central African Islamic Council, and Archbishop…

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…

To a large extent, governance capacity and community resilience explains the nature and structure of the response. In this report, three case studies – from Angola, Mali, and Honduras – of actual responses to climate change and conflict are presented.…

Developing Effective Partnerships Between Faith and Secular Actors to Challenge Discriminatory Gender Norms and Secure Rural Women’s Rights Co-hosted by: Permanent Mission of Denmark to the UN in New York, the ACT Alliance, DanChuchAid and UNFPA in partnership with Christian Aid,…

Brief from Musawah: a global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family, which advances human rights for women in Muslim contexts, in both their public and private lives. Also see more information on Musawah's course on Islam & Gender Equality…

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 toolkit for faith leaders This toolkit was designed as a guide for religious leaders of both Christian and Islamic faiths in Nigeria as they address the challenges faced by adolescent girls on the issues of early marriage, education, reproductive…

In this paper, the authors examine the textual sources that form the foundation of Islam’s egalitarian spirit, consider the challenges posed by historical interpretations of these sources, and think about ways to move forward in promoting gender equity, especially with…

Frequently, community based strategies include engagement with local faith leaders. However, there have been few systematic attempts to document how faith leaders themselves define their roles in these initiatives. This study examined local faith leaders and their spouses, in flood…

UNAIDS Community Support Department Update for Faith-Based Organizations responding to HIV- FBO Update Anyone wishing to be included in the mailing list, or wanting to include an item for circulation should send an e-mail to Julienne Munyaneza jmunyaneza@gmail.com with a…

Experiencias Adversas de la Niñez y Fortalezas Familiares durante la Niñez y su relación con Factores de Riesgo para la Salud La Universidad Nacional de Avellaneda y World Visión, a través de su Iniciativa Argentina se unieron para desarrollar el…

Policy brief from Tearfund- Queen Margaret University Research Social connections and levels of trust among displaced and settled communities in Kurdistan Region of Iraq Full article on the study

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…

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…

HIV services provided in the country of Kenya and the percentage of those services provided by the faith-based sector.  This work was carried out as part of a Joint Initiative between the U.S President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the…

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Palais des Nations CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland Email: faith4rights@ohchr.org  Internet: www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomReligion/Pages/FaithForRights.aspx In March 2017, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) launched its initiative on “Faith…

On the 20th of October 2008 over 160 religious leaders, faith-based organizations and United Nations representatives spanning the globe gathered in Istanbul, Turkey, to establish an Interfaith Network for Population and Development. The Forum featured 60 representatives of UNFPA and…

The first Inter-agency Consultation on FBO Engagement took place at UNFPA headquarters on Wednesday, 9 July 2008. The meeting comprised representatives from various United Nations agencies that have some experience and insight regarding programmatic engagement with faith-based organizations (FBOs). For…

This report provides an overview of the engagement with faith-based actors and faith-related activities by the members of the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Engaging Faith-Based Actors for Sustainable Development (short: UN Task Force on Religion and Development or…

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency & U.S. Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign Speakers:  Nicole C Wood, MPH, MA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Acting Deputy Director, DHS Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships (A Center for the White…

One in three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual violence from their partner; this includes at least 90 million Catholic women. The mutual love and honor promised in marriage is not understood; hearts are broken; bodies and spirits are…

Church of Uganda Training Handbook CHURCH OF UGANDA A TRAINING HANDBOOK FOR RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND CHURCH INSTITUTIONS CHRISTIAN-BASED APPROACH TO: Maternal and Child Health Sexual Reproductive Health HIV and AIDS Gender Gender Based Violence Family Planning This hand book offers…

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

JLI Mobilisation of Local Faith Communities- March 2018 webinar slides Webinar Agenda: Hub Introduction and 2018 Work (Andrea Kaufmann) Role of Local Faith Actors in the context of the localisation agenda (Catriona Dejean) Lauren Kejeh, Tearfund and Lydia Tanner, The…

Guidelines for church leaders in areas where disasters (earthquakes, fires, flood etc.) are common. Chapters include:  Introduction Chapter 1 – The local church and disasters Chapter 2 – Organising ourselves Chapter 3 – Risks, needs and capacity assessments Chapter 4 – Displaced people…

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…