The United States is two months into the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and as of late January, Black Americans were being vaccinated at half the rate of white Americans according to Kaiser Health. Kaiser’s focus groups found that a majority of Black people distrust the health care system and fear the systemic racism embedded within it, leading to low vaccination rates. Thus, many Black churches have been in the news as public health officials work to vaccinate more minority communities through Black churches serving as testing and vaccination sites. In Utah, some historically Black churches and mosques are being enlisted by the county to serve as vaccination sites. Local health officials are eager to partner with faith communities to help overcome vaccine resistance that appears in some minority communities. Pastor Oscar Moses of Calvary Baptist Church, Salt Lake City’s oldest and most prominent Black church said, “It is essential to provide a sense of trust for African Americans and other minority communities. Some are hesitant because of the history of medical mistreatment of Blacks.” Moses then pointed to the infamous Tuskegee study of syphilis in Black men, which was conducted without proper consent and without treatment for the illness. Moses then went on to add that his congregants “trust God more than the government right now and I pray this will be the right answer for all of us.”
 
A positive story emerging from rural Sudan also highlights how faith leaders can use their influence to calm fears about COVID and combat misinformation. Pastor Boutros, leader of a small rural church near the Blue Nile, has been incorporating COVID-19 risk prevention messaging in his sermons and mobile campaigns after attending a World Vision workshop focused on education and communication. “We use Sundays not just for prayers," says Boutros. "We also allocate an hour for education sessions on COVID-19 and for community members to share openly their challenges. A lot has to do with changing people’s behaviors.” Faith leaders can often play invisible roles in health crises but are critical in the overall goal to end the pandemic.
 
Linking to the above stories, a new series on the Berkley Forum explores the relationship between religion, bioethics, and COVID-19 vaccinations. The Berkley Center will host a webinar later today titled “COVID Vaccination Challenges: Ethical Imperatives and Local Realities” that will link local experience to the broader COVID-19 emergencies. Additionally, a quick analysis guide on faith and the COVID vaccine for health and development actors looking to engage with faith actors has been developed as part of the ongoing Religious Responses to COVID-19 collaboration between JLI, WFDD, and the Berkley Center. The guide will be presented at a webinar scheduled for March 16 (details forthcoming).

Globally, numbers reflecting gender-based violence have risen due to various factors accentuated by the pandemic, including economic and social unrest and instability. One country where this has been studied and covered significantly is Bangladesh. Media reports of the horrific rise in rape cases dominated the news in early fall 2020 as more women faced increasing violence both in and outside the home and many courts shut down due to public health measures. World Faiths Development Dialogue in collaboration with Georgetown’s Berkley Center and the Center for Peace and Justice recently published a policy brief that aims to inform faith-based organizations, secular organization, and government actors about the context and nature of the sexual violence crisis in Bangladesh. The brief highlights how faith actors can be powerful allies of women and girls through condemnation of the violence and working to bolster impactful policy change. It also acknowledges the challenges associated with tackling sexual violence through a faith lens and opportunities for increased engagement and support during the pandemic and after.