The first World Humanitarian Summit, convening in Istanbul, May 2016, aims to set a new agenda for global humanitarian action. In support of the Summit, the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities has produced five Evidence Briefs, structured according to the five Core Responsibilities outlined in the UN Secretary General’s Report One Humanity, Shared Responsibility. The aim of which are to answer the following questions:
“What is the evidence for the contributions of religious engagement and local faith communities in humanitarian assistance? What needs to be done next?”
The Evidence Briefs & Key Messages, as well as supporting resources, are located on JLIF&LC’s World Humanitarian Summit Online Information Platform.
The Gender-based Violence Hub, of which the SVRI is a member, is a sub-committee of the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities. The Gender-based Violence Hub worked together with the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities to prepare the Evidence Brief 3: Local faith communities are key actors in empowering and protecting girls and addressing GBV.
Core Commitments and Key Actions
The evidence reviewed regarding local faith communities and faith-based organisations suggests Five Key Actions in support of World Humanitarian Summit commitments.
- Improve the quality of cooperation between faith-based organizations and secular agencies and actors, making concerted efforts to find commonalities in language, aspirations and ways of working.
- Develop strategic partnerships to support female and male faith leaders and their communities in addressing harmful cultures, beliefs, attitudes and practices and support the development of non-violent masculinities based on faith traditions.
- Partner with and equip religious leaders to raise awareness and respond practically in the implementation of the ‘International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict’ and the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-based Violence in Emergencies
- Involve faith groups in community-based referral pathways, document and disseminate examples of good practice and promote linkages between service providers and faith groups including those concerned with HIV and AIDS
- Build evidence for faith-based responses and prevention of GBV through rigorous evaluation of programme interventions and commissioning of research studies on programme impact.
All five Evidence Briefs are featured in the World Humanitarian Summit Side Event “One Humanity, Shared Responsibilities: Evidence for Religious Groups’ Contributions to Humanitarian Response”. The Peace & Conflict Learning Hub Scoping Paper will also launched at the Side Event. View information about Side Event.
Learn more about the World Humanitarian Summit at: www.worldhumanitariansummit.org
Follow JLIF&LC on Twitter for the latest on religious engagement at World Humanitarian Summit: www.twitter.com/jliflc
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Written by Elizabeth Dartnall, Sexual Violence Research Initiative
