Faith and COVID-19 Response

COVID-19 is a global crisis that needs all communities across the world, together with governments, UN entities, and broad civil society organizations, to join forces in keeping people safe and well. As an international learning exchange, the JLI aims to facilitate evidence building and creation to support faith and COVID-19 response. We will update this page with JLI collaborations and partner initiatives (as possible)

Quick links: JLI-Berkley Initiative, Webinars, Partner Initiatives

The Multi-religious Faith in Action COVID-19 Initiative as part of the Faith and Positive Change for Children Global Initiative

We affirm the unique roles played by religious leaders and actors, in influencing values, attitudes, behaviours and actions that affect the development and wellbeing of the world’s children. The Initiative is coordinated by Religions for Peace (RFP) and UNICEF with support from Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities ( JLI) as part of the global partnership on Faith and Positive Change for Children, Families and Communities. This initiative just launched global guidance documents for religious leaders and faith communities.

To date the partners held seven regional webinars to increase awareness and strengthen coordinated efforts through the global Faith-in-Action campaign, to mobilize inter-faith commitments of Religious Leaders and Faith representatives including Women of Faith and Interfaith Youth Network Members to support the specific calls to action; to equip these Influencers with a standard set of global guidance with messages and resources that can be customized for local use and to share existing examples of best practices to motivate others

COVID-19 Initiative Reference Document for Religious Leaders and Faith Communities Guidance, Ed 1, April 2020
Launch of Global Multi-Religious Faith in Action COVID-19 Initiative: UNICEF and Religions for Peace Initiative
Faith-In-Action Guidance Documents:
- Series 1: Adapting how we gather together, pray and practise rituals – Adaptation of ceremonies, burial practices, rituals, hygiene and handwashing
- Series 2: Communicating to end misinformation, discrimination and to instill hope – Mental and spiritual health, misinformation and rumours, stigma and discrimination
- Series 3: Helping people who are at risk – Elderly, homeless, migrants, people with disabilities, pregnant women and children

JLI and Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs at Georgetown University and the World Faiths Development Dialogue

Faith and COVID-19 Response Resource Platform: The joint platform aims to organize information so that it can be quickly found and used by development policymakers and practitioners and religious actors who seek to work together in the COVID-19 response. View the resource repository here and sign up to get daily emails

Religion and COVID-19: Four lessons from Ebola experience from co-conveners of the repository Dr Olivia Wilkinson, JLI and Dr Katherine Marshall, WFDD and the Berkley Center and Dave Robinson on Oxfam’s Blog From Poverty to Power
Blog post on COVID-19 Guidance for Religious Communities and Leaders

Consultations

The Resource Platform above began with exploratory discussion with Dr Katherine Marshall, Dr Olivia Wilkinson and Dave Robinson – exploring the faith dimensions

Webinar Series

The COVID-19 Crisis: Taking Stock of Religious Responses: JLI &Berkley Center Webinar link
The COVID 19 Crisis: From Past Experiences to Present Realities: JLI & Berkley Center Webinar
The COVID-19 Crisis: Adaptations and Tensions During the Month of Ramadan: JLI & Berkley Center Webinar with guest speakers including JLI Refugees and Forced Migration Co-Chair Atallah Fitzgibbon see here for video
The COVID-19 Crisis: Faith Engagement Between Peace and Conflict in Asia: K. V. Soon Vidyananda, entrepreneur and Buddhist leader, and Somboon Chungprampree, a Thai social activist chats with Katherine Marshall about vulnerable populations and how to support them during COVID-19 see here for video
Balancing in the Face of the COVID-19 Crisis: Adapting and Reimagining Faith-Inspired Programs: JLI & Berkley Center Webinar
The COVID-19 Crisis: Civil Society Responses in Mexico and Along the Border: JLI & Berkley Center Webinar
Young Women of Faith and Transformative Leadership in COVID-19 Response: JLI & Berkley Center Webinar
Food and Faith Responses to the COVID-19 Crisis: Directions Ahead: JLI & Berkley Center Webinar
Discussions will be ongoing, see the Berkley website for more information

COVID-19 Response among Faith-based Health Organizations Survey

Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH) and the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI) are working together to identify unmet needs for support among faith-based health providers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. This will be a monthly survey to see how needs change over the course of the response.

See the Survey Results