#63
Gauging Levels and Directions in How Institutions Inspired by Faith Are Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis
Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH) and the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI) have conducted a survey to identify how faith-linked organizations are using their distinctive skills, assets, partnerships, and links to communities as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to uncover unmet needs they face in their response. The survey was conducted in April. There were 52 respondents, including direct care providers and associations; NGOs at community, national and global levels; and networks of religious leaders, with 58 percent from local and national organizations and 42 percent from international organizations.
Ninety percent of those that responded work in Africa, 39 percent in Asia, 31 percent in Latin America/Caribbean, 21 percent in Europe, 14 percent in North America, and 8 percent in Australia. Half work only in African countries.
The survey results indicate that the majority of respondents are responding, coordinating, and modifying programs to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, although they face challenges in doing so. They are also starting to help people cope with the crisis through trauma healing and spiritual support. Key findings include:
- Community-based education, prevention, and public health promotion are the foremost ways in which faith-linked organizations are currently responding to the COVID-19 crisis.
- These organizations need increased access to personal protective equipment (PPE) but are also interested in more support around preparedness for outbreaks and surge capacity, as well as their ability to help counter stigma and discrimination.
- Funding is a clear challenge, both for routine programs and covering emergency COVID-19 response.
- Local religious leaders and faith communities are intensively involved in faith NGO programs, including spreading public health messages through radio, televised prayer, PA systems, phone calls, SMS, and WhatsApp.
(Based on: Global Faith-Based Responses to COVID-19 survey results)
|
|
Upcoming Event
May 21, 9:00 a.m. EDT
The COVID-19 Crisis: Faith Engagement Between Peace and Conflict in Asia
Each country faces different challenges as they confront the double crisis of COVID-19 infection and related economic and social shocks. In several East Asian countries this comes on top of tensions linked to rising nationalism and interreligious and interethnic divides. Religious beliefs and institutions are deeply engaged in supporting those directly affected by the pandemic, and in looking ahead towards recovery and promoting reforms as lessons from the crisis are learned. This webinar will explore the responses of religious communities in different countries, including how various communities have engaged with government authorities, the role of interreligious approaches, whether communities are responding with violence or peace, and how the politics and ethics of environmental challenges are affected by the crisis.
Please RSVP at least 24 hours in advance of the event start time to receive the webinar link.
|
|
Help Spread the Word
Share the sign-up form for the daily emails: http://eepurl.com/gWBK5n
Share the online platform: http://bit.ly/faith-and-COVID-19
If you have news articles, guides, or other relevant resources you wish to share with us for review please email covid19.faithresponse@gmail.com. We are particularly interested in learning more about groups facing acute vulnerabilities (refugees, elderly, those impacted by the digital divide, in fragile states, etc.). Please send us any information you see.
|
|
|
|
