This scoping study explores the programmes and initiatives of local faith actors (which can include formal and informal religious leaders, worship communities, faith networks, and local and national faith-based organisations) in their response to modern slavery and human trafficking in the Global South. It brings together evidence from a review of over 200 pieces of grey and academic literature and 14 interviews with practitioners. It is the most wide-ranging presentation, to date, of on-the-ground work of local faith actors (LFAs) responding to modern slavery and human trafficking in the Global South.
This report highlights many initiatives of LFAs, including those related to preventing modern slavery and human trafficking (often through education and awareness), as well as the wide array of services they provide related to protecting and caring for survivors. The report also explores the ways in which LFAs support prosecution processes, and how some engage in policy-related work with governmental agencies and policy stakeholders.
Click here to read the full report.
See here for more on the Anti-Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Learning Hub
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 against children as well as how faith actors have been involved in perpetuation thereof.
This scoping study offers an initial contribution to exploring existing evidence in two specific areas:
- Firstly, the unique contributions of faith communities both in relation to ending, as well as contributing to, violence against children, to understand their involvement in this sphere.
- Secondly, the role of faith actors in influencing wider child protection systems to prevent and respond to EVAC to understand the potential for their engagement
Suggested citation: Rutledge, K. and Eyber, C. (2019) ‘Scoping Study on Faith actors’ involvement in the prevention, elimination and perpetuation of violence against children.’ Washington DC: Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities Ending Violence Against Children Hub.
View the other JLI EVAC Scoping Reports
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 working to end violence against children. This data is crucial to help policymakers, religious leaders and practitioners inform policies and advocate for programmes and prevention efforts with faith communities to end violence against children. It will help set a future research agenda for the EVAC Hub and support evidence-based work with faith communities to end violence against children.
This scoping study offers an initial contribution to exploring existing evidence in two specific areas:
- Firstly, the unique contributions of faith communities both in relation to ending, as well as contributing to, violence against children, to understand their involvement in this sphere.
- Secondly, the role of faith actors in influencing wider child protection systems to prevent and respond to EVAC to understand the potential for their engagement
Three cross-cutting issues were identified by Hub leaders and were built into the study: child participation, gender and interfaith engagement. This report is based on evidence that all religions contain protective aspects, which offer important contributions to the EVAC task. Religious actors such as leaders, scholars, educators and faith-based organisations can play critical roles in behaviour change, service delivery, referrals and advocacy, by offering a unique entry point.
Suggested Citation: Palm, S. (2019) ‘Scoping Study on Faith actors’ involvement in the prevention, elimination and perpetuation of violence against children.’ Expert Consultation Report. Washington DC: Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities Ending Violence Against Children Hub.
View the other JLI EVAC Scoping Reports
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 EVAC. The six case studies are from diverse regions and faiths includes a short concluding summary.
Case study 1 – Peace, Love, and Tolerance: Basic Messages from Islam and Christianity to Protect Children from Violence and Harmful Practices, Egypt
Case Study 2 – Learning to Live Together, El Salvador
Case Study 3 – Empowering Children as Peacebuilders, Central African Republic
Case Study 4 – Integrated Approach to Gender-Based Violence and Child Protection, Mali, Niger and Pakistan
Case Study 5 – The Butterfly Project: Listening to victims, Cambodia
Case Study 6 – Claves Christian Organisation, Uruguay
Suggested citation: Palm, S. and Colombo, F. (eds.) (2019). ‘Scoping Study on Faith actors’ involvement in the prevention, elimination and perpetuation of violence against children. Case Studies.’ Washington DC: Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities: JLI Ending Violence Against Children Hub
View the other JLI EVAC Scoping Reports
“Faith-based Interventions in Peace, Conflict and Violence: A Scoping Study” was launched at the World Humanitarian Summit on May 23, 2016 at the JLIF&LC & Soka Gakkai International Side Event “Evidence on Religious Groups’ Contributions to Humanitarian Response”. For more information about the launch, please visit: www.jliflc.com/whs
An Evidence Brief for the WHS, based on the Scoping Study and linked to WHS Core Commitment 1 “Global leadership to prevent and end conflict”, is available here.
“Faith-based Interventions in Peace, Conflict and Violence: A Scoping Study” was authored by Chris Shannahan and Laura Payne of Coventry University, in close collaboration with the JLI Peace & Conflict Hub Members and Co-Chairs: Sarah Pickwick (World Vision), Alpaslan Ozerdem (Coventry University) and Lucy Salek (Islamic Relief).
For other resources on faith, peace and conflict see here
This scoping study was completed by Elisabet Le Roux, Stellenbosch University, on behalf of the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities Gender-based Violence Hub. DFID provided funding for the report.
The associated Policy Brief is located here
Immunization has often been viewed as the leading light of public health intervention, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) notes that the two public health interventions that have had the greatest impact on the world’s child health are clean water and vaccines. If immunization is one of the leading stars of public health, then religion is the one of the frustrating complexities. However, the literature and evidence on religion and immunization is highly limited, with little coherence and major evidence gaps.
We report on a broad scoping review here which set out to map and understand the available literature on ‘religion and immunization’ – in search of relevant information on how immunization impacts with religion (or ‘faith’), religious institutions and communities. The basic intention is to make note of where evidence and information can be found, and what key areas for further research, engagement and partnership can be drawn from the existing literature.
This review forms part of the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI) which aims to develop and communicate robust, practical evidence on the under‐documented role of local faith communities (LFCs) for community systems strengthening. JLI brings together practitioners, academics, faith leaders, local community members and other stakeholders in a joint‐learning approach organized around ‘learning hubs’, each of which has a particular exploratory focus.
This review draws together diverse materials (after assessment for quality and relevance) – and has a particular focus on LMIC settings, although given the paucity of materials, and the way issues relating to immunization cross over migrant communities, this is not a clear division (that is, information from higher income settings is included where considered highly relevant).
See here for annotated bibliography
Read about the JLI Immunization Hub
With this scoping study, JLI is seeking to understand the role of LFCs in strengthening resilience, and to address three challenges to full engagement with LFCs: a lack of evidence regarding the impact of LFCs on individual and community resilience; a lack of trust, knowledge and capacity for such engagement; and the need for clear, implementable actions to improve partnership and the effectiveness of humanitarian response.
This scoping document investigates the evidence for LFC contribution to resilience under the
guidance of the JLI Resilience Learning Hub, membership of which is made up of 20
practitioners, academics and policymakers expert in humanitarian services and faith
communities.
This report is a unique attempt, by a diverse group of development practitioners and researchers, to review the available data on the nexus between faith, maternal health and HIV/AIDS development work, with specific and critical questions in mind. Questions which may seem obvious to some of the more ‘secular’ development mainstream, but which had yet to be asked of the faith-based development organizations, working in these two critical health areas.
