Anglicans input at global development conference that names faith partnerships as the 'new normal'
Posted on: July 20, 2015 1:23 PM
Based on contributions by Susan Kim and Anglican Alliance
Representatives from the Anglican Communion were among
the presenters at a recent landmark Global Conference on Religion and
Sustainable Development held in Washington, DC that recognised the
important contribution of faith partnerships.
The conference on 7-9 July aimed to connect senior
policymakers to research on how to work effectively in partnership with
faith communities and faith-based organisations towards ending extreme
poverty and promoting sustainable development.
Presenters underlined the central role faith-based
actors play in provision of health care, working to end sexual and
gender-based violence, addressing Ebola and HIV, and responding to
humanitarian crises.
In his opening remarks, World Bank President Dr Jim Kim
cited the Catholic social teaching for “a preferential option for the
poor". He said that every religion shares this fundamental commitment
to the poorest and most vulnerable and that this provided a common
platform with the international development community’s aim to end
extreme poverty.
“We are the first generation in history that can say we
can end extreme poverty in our lifetime,” Dr Kim said. “We can’t get
there without all of you,” he added, addressing the faith communities.
“We need prophetic voices to inspire us and evidence to lead the way.”
The Revd Rachel Carnegie, co-executive director of the Anglican Alliance, spoke at the opening panel and in a session on ending gender-based violence.
"It was a privilege to attend this conference and
experience the range of speakers from faith-based, academic, UN and
bilateral backgrounds,” Carnegie said.
“We not only gained insights on the significant and
distinctive contribution of faith-based actors in relief and
development, but also examined the most effective mechanisms for
building partnerships.”
“This long standing development debate about the value
of faith partnerships appears to have made a gear change. Such
partnerships have become, as one UN participant said, the 'new normal',”
she said.
Carnegie was citing Dr Azza Karam, senior advisor on culture for the
United Nations Population Fund, who stated that the meeting at the World
Bank had given legitimacy to this “new normal” of engagement with faith
actors.
Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi of the Anglican Church of
Burundi presented a case study in a conference session entitled “Sexual
& Gender-Based Violence”. He shared a compelling portrayal of the
role of the Church in working to end sexual violence. He talked of the
importance of listening to the voices of survivors, creating the local
church as a safe space to connect survivors with other services,
transforming understandings of masculinities and ending the culture of
impunity.
In Burundi, the Anglican Church, together with other
faith-based organisations, has made a remarkable difference in the lives
of people affected by this violence, Archbishop Bernard said. “We are
called to have a concerted effort in areas of prevention, breaking the
silence by denunciation, support for the victims, speaking out for the
weak, the lonely, and the oppressed, without forgetting the power of
prayer.”
Abagail Nelson, senior vice president of programmes at
Episcopal Relief & Development, gave a presentation on the malaria
initiative, Nets for Life. This included statistics on the remarkable
and sustained impact of local church and community mobilisation on
malaria prevention and treatment
Nelson said, “We were really honoured to be part of this
historic event, and also to be able to showcase the extraordinary work
of all our partners in addressing the challenges of extreme poverty and
marginalisation.”
The conference also saw the launch of the Lancet medical
journal series on faith and health, with contributions from academics
and practitioners focusing on the contributions and challenges of the
faith sector on health promotion and service delivery.
The Global Conference on Religion and Sustainable
Development was convened and co-hosted by the World Bank Group, German
Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, U.S. Agency
for International Development, UK Department For International
Development, GHR Foundation, World Vision and the Joint Learning
Initiative on Faith and Local Communities, a coalition of faith-based
organisations and academic institutions.
The conference attracted a unique combination of policy
makers, multilateral and bilateral agencies, religious leaders,
development professionals from faith-based organisations and academics.
The conference process focused on reviewing the evidence
base and developing specific recommendations for action to strengthen
effective partnerships between religious and faith-based groups and the
public sector. It sought to obtain leadership commitments to follow-on
activities and to establish specific next steps.
Susan Kim is a writer for the World Council of Churches.
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http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2015/07/anglicans-input-at-global-development-conference-that-names-faith-partnerships-as-the-new-normal.aspx
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