Building Bridges among Faith-Based Organizations and Secular Development Practitioners

Faith and religion play a vital role in the lives and cultures of most people throughout the world.  Indeed, about 70 per cent of people identify themselves as members of a religious or spiritual community. Religious values and practices are often deeply entwined in the fabric of daily lives, and the leaders of churches, mosques, temples and other religious communities play a powerful role in shaping attitudes, opinions and behaviour.

Faith-based organizations, sometimes referred to as FBOs, also have a long history of making a difference in people’s lives by delivering crucial social services. Faith-based service delivery networks continue to identify and reach out to those in need, often during the most difficult times and in the most remote areas. FBOs were among the earliest responders to mobilize around – and continue to be major contributors – to the worldwide response to AIDS. 

A WHO study found that about 40 per cent of the healthcare infrastructure across sub-Saharan Africa is operated by faith-based groups. In addition to providing care, support and medicines, faith-based organizations often also provide less tangible assistance, such as  information, encouragement, compassion and hope. Too often the  strengths (efficacy, commitment, knowledge, networks and influence) and experiences  of FBOs are overlooked by development planners.

UNFPA at Work

Since 2002, UNFPA has emphasized the integration of culturally sensitive approaches into programming efforts. Toward this end, it has worked closely within communities and with  local agents of change, including religious leaders.

In 2007, the Fund began a more intensive effort to consolidate networks of faith-based partnerships to address pressing, shared concerns, such as the AIDS epidemic, gender-based violence, the empowerment of women, reduction in maternal mortality, and assistance in humanitarian crises.  Through a series of forums (four regional meetings leading up to a global consultation), UNFPA is bringing faith-based organizations together to discuss  and showcase partnerships to address reproductive health and population issues. These forums also provide an opportunity to bring the voices of the faith-based community into dialogue with the secular development world. The forums aim to build bridges between critical partners and galvanize support for the MDGs and the ICPD agenda across a wide range of stakeholders.

UNFPA has also collaborated with UNAIDS, WHO, ILO and UNDP to outline a strategy for coordinating future work with faith-based organizations on AIDS issues.  

Related Links:

• Mobilizing Religious and Traditional Leaders in the Fight Against AIDS

• Giving Reproductive Health a Place in the Dharma

• Opening Minds to Reproductive Health

• Engaging Faith-Based Organizations in HIV Prevention: A Training Manual for Programme Managers

• Culture in the Context of UNFPA Programming

• Culture Matters