The goal of the SVRI Faith & GBV Community of Practice (CoP) is to help build an international development community that understands the role of faith and faith actors in gender based violence (GBV) prevention and response, and to help strengthen the capacity of faith actors to commit to GBV prevention and response.
Researchers, academics, practitioners, faith actors, activists, policymakers and private sector actors are encouraged to join the CoP.
The CoP has three main Working Groups, any of which CoP members may choose to join. Each Working Group has a different focus:
Working Group 1 focuses on evidence building
Working Group 2 focuses on faith and violence against children
Working Group 3 focuses on faith & GBV communication and advocacy with policy makers
Register to join the Faith & GBV CoP
Faith, faith actors, and faith communities play a crucial role in strengthening the prevention of and response to gender-based violence (GBV), given their widespread presence, modes of interaction, and capacity for significant outreach at the grassroots level across the globe. Despite the deep historical intertwining of gender and religion, the development sector has only recently started recognising the importance of engaging faith-based entities in GBV prevention and response. However, many faith leaders and communities, including in Africa, harbour misunderstandings or distrust towards development efforts aimed at making life safer for women, adolescent girls and children. Additionally, in various settings, religious beliefs and practices can both promote gender equality and perpetuate violence.
SVRI has received funding to develop a Faith & GBV Community of Practice (CoP), with a focus on Africa. The objectives of the CoP are to contribute to:
- building an international development community (including researchers, practitioners, policy-makers, funders) that understands the role of faith, faith actors and faith communities in GBV prevention and response, and are able and willing to engage with faith and faith actors in addressing GBV.
- strengthening the capacity of faith leaders from different faiths to understand the drivers of GBV and enable their commitment to GBV prevention and response in collaboration with other multisectoral stakeholders
Currently the plan is that the CoP will run for 12 months. During this period, it will have five virtual and/or hybrid learning events, aside from Working Group events.
Crucial to the CoP’s outputs and activities are three Working Groups, each led by a Chair and Co-Chair. The three Working Groups have different foci:
Working Group 1 is focused on advancing research and policy at the intersection of gender, religion, and spirituality, with a particular emphasis on decolonial approaches and the experiences of young people in faith communities. The group will bring together members from Africa and Latin America to develop evidence-based practices, facilitate South-South knowledge exchange, and support policy-oriented research aimed at addressing gender-based violence (GBV) within religious contexts. Key activities will include organizing webinars on topics such as masculinities, SOGIESC, and traditional practices, as well as conducting focus groups with faith leaders, activists, and researchers.
Working Group 2 (WG2) is focused on exploring the important practical roles of religious actors in ending violence against children (VAC). It will bring together members from, or working within, the African continent to develop tangible, accessible resources for local faith leaders/actors, drawing on emerging research findings. As a key task, the Working Group will collaboratively design and pilot a ten-week blended learning online course that draws on existing expertise and knowledge to create experiential, peer-based learning on ending VAC for spiritual and social capital roles.
Working Group 3 will focus on identifying barriers and opportunities in effectively communicating about GBV, specifically between faith actors and policymakers, creating practical tools and resources to promote meaningful conversations on the intersection of faith and GBV. These resources aim to foster a greater understanding of the “other side”, identify sources of legitimacy, and uncover common ground when speaking about these complex issues. The goal of this working group is to provide the tools needed by all stakeholders to continue the conversation constructively.
Each Working Group has its own objectives and strategies and will host separate virtual events and produce its own outputs. CoP members are invited to join one or more Working Groups. On the registration form linked above, you will be able to indicate whether you want to join a Working Group, and which one you would like to join.
Researchers, academics, practitioners, faith actors, activists, policymakers and private sector actors are encouraged to join the CoP.
We would be delighted if you would join the SVRI Faith & GBV CoP! If you have any questions, please email Elisabet le Roux, CoP Lead, at lisa@svri.org
