Resources

While African Initiated Churches are increasingly recognized as actors of social development, little research has thus far elucidated their role regarding ecological sustainability. Responding to this gap, we explore African Initiated Churches’ views on ecological sustainability and their reaction to…

Faith and religion are central to the lives of billions of people around the world. In many communities, faith leaders are among the most trusted voices, holding significant influence in shaping beliefs, attitudes and behaviours. This makes them powerful allies…

This paper discusses the role of faith-based organizations (FBOs) in transforming food systems in Rwanda, highlighting their potential to advance regenerative agriculture, reduce food loss, and support vulnerable communities. It summarizes insights from a 2025 summit co-hosted by WRI and…

Domestic violence interventions that engage religious leaders and clergy have increased significantly in recent years, spanning social work, psychology, public health, and international development. The international evidence indicates the need for culturally appropriate and theologically informed interventions that may combine…

The current study explores the mediating effect of positive and negative religious coping on the relationship between negative life events and wellbeing, via its link with compassion and resilience among women who are involved in women’s empowerment programs run by…

Violent extremism in Sub-Saharan Africa has escalated in recent years. As these groups have weaponised religion to achieve their aims, so also can it be a source of resilience. Credible religious scholars and institutions can dismantle extremist ideologies and build…

This document aims to encourage the participation of religious actors to support immunization programs in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of the Faith and Positive Change for Children, Families and Communities initiative. It is divided into 6 chapters…

Este documento tiene como objetivo impulsar la participación de actores religiosos para que apoyen programas de inmunización en América Latina y el Caribe como parte de la iniciativa Fe y Cambio Positivo para Niños, Familias y Comunidades. Está dividido en…

In 2024, to mark the 30th anniversary of the ICPD Programme of Action, the ACT Alliance Global Gender Justice Programme initiated a research process to evidence how faith actors are advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). In collaboration…

في حزيران/يونيو 2020، قام الفريق الأساسي لمبادرة التعلّم المشترك حول الإيمان والمجتمعات المحلية بصياغة وثيقة بعنوان التزامنا في التحرّك الناشط لتحقيق العدالة العرقية والتضامن. تمّت صياغة هذه الوثيقة استجابةً للمحادثات العالمية المستمرة حول العدالة العرقية والإرث الاستعماري، بالإضافة إلى التوجهات…

In 2021, JLI launched the Fair & Equitable Approach, as part of efforts to support more fair and equitable practices in its research and evidence partnerships. Since then, JLI has taken practical steps to challenge unequal power dynamics and colonial…

En 2021, JLI lanzó el Enfoque Justo y Equitativo como parte de sus esfuerzos para fomentar prácticas más justas y equitativas en sus alianzas de investigación y evidencia. Desde entonces, JLI ha tomado medidas prácticas para desafiar las desigualdades en…

In June 2020, the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities (JLI) core team wrote a Commitment to Action for Racial Justice and Solidarity. The statement was created in response to ongoing global conversations about racial justice and colonial…

En junio de 2020, el equipo de la Iniciativa de Aprendizaje Conjunto sobre Fe y Comunidades Locales (JLI, por sus siglas en inglés) redactó su Compromiso de Acción por la Justicia Racial y la Solidaridad. Esta declaración fue creada en…

أطلقت مبادرة التعلّم المشترك في عام 2021 نهج العدل والإنصاف في إطار جهودها لدعم ممارسات أكثر عدلاً وإنصافًا في شراكاتها البحثية وإنتاج الأدلة. ومنذ ذلك الحين، اتخذت مبادرة التعلّم المشترك خطوات عملية لمواجهة ديناميكيات القوة غير المتكافئة والإرث الاستعماري في…

Report on JLI’s 2024 activities and progress.

This training manual aims to enhance the capacity of religious scholars and FBOs in understanding children’s rights within the framework of Islamic Sharia, Afghan laws, and international laws.

While the general topic of gender and faith has received significant attention in development studies, the nexus of LGBT inclusion, faith, and development remains under-researched. Existing publications generally focus on the negative impact of religion on LGBT communities, question binaries…

This guide was developed to aid the effective use of the co-creation approach in development research. It introduces co-creation methodologies that aim to decolonize research practices, shifting power dynamics and centring community knowledge in development work. Drawing insights from co-creation…

Listen on Spotify Listen on Soundcloud

Religious teachings and grassroots religious teachers and clerics are important in the everyday life of faith communities, yet they largely remain an untapped resource in efforts to address intimate partner violence (IPV) in international development contexts and among migrant and…

This report aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the status of religious minorities in Lebanon, focusing on their legal, social, economic, and political situations. It seeks to uncover the challenges these groups face in accessing their rights and representation…

Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth is a charter demonstrating how Islam can be a driving force for sustainable development and environmental care. Al-Mizan also highlights the importance of culture and religion in driving behavioural change, along with scientific, technical,…

Report on the Training of Facilitators on Mind-Heart Dialogue for Bangladesh as part of the Faith and Positive Change for Children, Families and Communities (FPCC) Initiative.

The toolkit, created by MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership, is designed to equip diverse faith actors with the information and tools needed to raise awareness, deconstruct myths, and address barriers that inhibit positive maternal mental health so that women, families,…

The idea to conduct a regional training on the Mind-Heart-Dialogue (MHD) in the South Asian Region had been in discussion at least since early 2021. In May 2022, at the regional faith engagement forum (Kathmandu, Nepal), the regional faith engagement…

This report presents key regional issues and opportunities in the intersection of FoRB and gender equality in the WANA region. The examples and issues presented are based on insights by experts, activists, and religious/belief representatives from across the region, who…

Africa faces unique demographic developments today. The continent's population is growing rapidly: from currently 1.5 billion people to almost 2.5 billion by 2050. Sixty percent of the population is under 25 years old. This dynamic holds enormous opportunities for the…

With continuing support from the Nike Foundation, CIFA has designed and managed two phases of formative research and program work on faith and traditional leaders (FTLs) and their influence on women and girls’ issues. In the first phase (2010-11), CIFA…

Research Culture at the Heart of N8 Collaboration: Selected Case Studies Brochure with an article about "Creating community around decolonising research methods" (pages 13-17)

Religious leaders are highly influential actors in many societies across the globe. In the singular global crisis brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic, their perspective on the pandemic itself but also the post-pandemic future is of high relevance. Against this…

This booklet shares faith-sensitive good practices that help break down barriers at the intersection of religion and gender equality. It highlights contributions of members of the International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) to gender empowerment. PaRD convenes governments,…

This roundtable discussion focused on critically exploring evidence-building within the context of faith and religion engagement in gender-based violence (GBV) prevention. Within this framework, experts were brought together to delve into what decolonial approaches to evidence mean and examine their…

This report is a result of a long process of collaborative and cooperative engagement with members of the East Africa Learning Hub, a regional learning platform focused on peacebuilding, governance and role of local faith actors co-founded by TAABCO and…

In this episode of the "The Power Shift: Decolonising Development" Podcast, Dr Romina Istratii talks about Project dldl/ድልድል, , which takes an interdisciplinary approach to looking at domestic violence and religious communities. They speak about co-created and community-grounded research which then…

This booklet is an outcome of the training program on Religion and Development conducted for a group of clergy and laity by the (CIEF) in partnership with JLIFLC. The focus of the training was to gain knowledge about the importance…

Bienvenue dans le Plan de suivi, d’évaluation, de redevabilité et d’apprentissage (SERA) de l’Initiative Foi et changement positif pour les enfants, les familles et les communautés (FPCC, d’après son acronyme anglais). Ce plan s’appuie sur une série de documents de…

Welcome to the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Plan for the Faith and Positive Change for Children, Families and Communities (FPCC) initiative. It is based on a number of key reference documents such as: The FPCC Programme Guidance, the…

Tidar is based on stories and testimonies of real people in Ethiopia collected through years' community-based research with women and men, clergy, monks and church teachers on the ground. The film does not seek to represent the teachings of the Ethiopian Orthodox…

The current paper presents findings from qualitative research on domestic violence and abuse (DVA) with Christians and Muslims from Ethiopian, Eritrean and Bangladeshi communities in the United Kingdom (UK). The study explored understandings of and attitudes towards DVA and responses…

Through a mixed-methods approach, this working paper examines current food loss and waste (FLW) efforts led by faith-based organizations (FBOs) in Rwanda. The paper also looks at the barriers and opportunities to make progress and how FBO action might contribute…

Our 2022 State of the Evidence in Religions and Development is now available in Sinhala! Disclaimer: We would like to extend our gratitude to the Cathedral Institute of Education and Formation in Sri Lanka for providing the Sinhala translation of…

Our 2022 State of the Evidence in Religions and Development is now available in Tamil! Disclaimer: We would like to extend our gratitude to the Cathedral Institute of Education and Formation in Sri Lanka for providing the Tamil translation of…

Aims  This scoping study provides an overview of the available literature on cultural and faith-based factors in the provision of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in Syria and Syrian refugee communities. It is based on a collaborative review of…

The Multi-Faith High-Level Forum, convened by Religions for Peace, took place from 26-27 March 2024 at the Church Centre for the United Nations in New York City. Seventy-two participants attended in person, six virtually, and an additional 36 children sent…

En tant que réseau d'apprentissage conjoint axé sur les données probantes dans le secteur des religions et du développement, on nous demande souvent de résumer les « données probantes » en matière de religions et de développement. Si cette demande peut sembler…

This report is a Terminal Evaluation of the UNEP Faith for Earth Initiative project implemented between 2019 and 2023.The project's overall development goal was to Encourage, Empower and Engage with Faith-Based Organizations as partners, at all levels, towards achieving the…

The Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI) is an international network of researchers and practitioners interested in the roles of religions in humanitarian and development work. Over the years, the JLI has developed expertise in the research…

Many religious actors implement programmes related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Yet many religious actors would benefit from building their understanding of: how to use research evidence to increase their influence in the international humanitarian and development sectors, how…

In recent decades, gender mainstreaming has become a prevalent practice in international organizations to promote social justice. However, little is known about gender integration efforts in Muslim humanitarian faith-based organizations (FBOs). Drawing on the intersection of gender and faith humanitarianism,…