Role of Women, Religious Actors and Faith-Based Communities to Mainstream Gender into Humanitarian Response
The overall aim of this chapter is to explore how religious actors and faith-based community can contribute to mainstreaming gender. The second objective of the chapter is to draw attention to how religious beliefs and the faith community affects forced migrants. The comparison between faith-based approach and humanitarian, secular approach will also be explored. Finally, the last sections of this chapter try and explain the emerging role of religious actors and faith-based organisations. It also seeks to explore how religious actors are beginning to get more involved in humanitarian relief and the fact that their work are becoming more formalised and recognized by international agencies such as the United Nations.
This chapter will also argues that by expanding gender mainstreaming framework by working with religious actors and faith-based organization can potentially offer new approach and a new model for change in institution advocating for a humanitarian response. To conclude, this chapter will offer and introduce a way of transformation framework where it will discuss ways through which religious actors and faith based communities possibly contribute to mainstream gender into humanitarian response.
Religion to humanitarian assistance is arguably substantial, having both a positive and negative impact. For instance, faith-based organisations are often relied on to provide basic services in situation where the private sector and the Utate have failed. They can provide a source of social capital formation through linking people together in a common belief as well aU supporting initiatives that may generate provide higher levels of literacy, education, employment health in addition to other public services that promote social opportunity (Candland, 2000, p357). But religion can alUo have a negative influence on humanitarian relief where religious interpretations play a role in shaping and maintaining social hierarchy and exclusion (Chitando 192). The extent to which religion can limit womenU empowerment has been well documented (Tomalin, para. 3). Some forms of religion are for example very reluctant to allow women to take positions of leaderships and responsibility within religious as well as Uocial institutions. It also includes ways in which some religious values, beliefs and practices define women and girls in termU of their domestic responsibilities (Tomalin, para. 3). However there are those who argue that the difference that exists between genders is not a problem.
Faith-based Approach vs. Humanitarian or Secular Approach
In the world of humanitarian organisations, there are many characteristics that the faith-based humanitarian organisations share with their counterparts who are secular. However, the faith based organisations have a great motivation from the teachings of their respective religions. Various religions have different approaches to the plight of the poor, the weak, the widowed, orphans and other vulnerable groups in the society. The religious doctrines of these groups guide the day to day operations in the quest to serve humanity. For instance the Muslim will base most of their work according to the teachings of the holy Koran, while the Christians will base their programmes according to the holy Bible. The Hindus and other religions will also have their unique way of approaching the humanitarian activities. According to Hope (182), most religions use faith affirmation when dealing with issues that affect women, Children and other minorities in the society. In their efforts to ensure justice for women, Asian churches use the affirmation that everyone, old, young, male or female is created in Gods image. Both Christianity and Judaism believe in a God of liberation and justice and who has the power to bring about fullness of life for everyone (Hope, 182). This faith is argued to be one of the resources for peace-building in the Asian region. According to Hope (182), this faith affirmation is a strong motivation for faith-based organisations that practice Judaism or Christianity to work towards ensuring that there is justice for women as well as children in Asia. Gender equality is also not just limited to Christianity. This truth is affirmed by other faith communities including Islam and Buddhism. Islam regards women as being of the same essence as men and created from one same soul. In Buddhism, it is believed that Buddha advised how women should be treated, that is as ones mother, own sister or daughter depending on the age of the women. It is clear that most religious doctrines teach that women should be treated with respect and in a just manner. Faith-based organisations are therefore motivated by their faith and have a constituency that goes beyond humanitarian concerns (Ferris 317). For those who are believers, being a Muslim, Christian or Jew means a duty to respond to the needs of those who are poor and marginalised. Though affirmation of this faith takes different forms in the various religions, it is a very powerful motivation factor for humanitarian response particularly to those who are marginalised such as women (Ferris 317).
As much as faith-based organizations offer support for basic needs like food, shelter, clothing, health care and education, their approach differ from that of humanitarian and secular organizations through inclusion of a spiritual aspects (Graddy, 310). Unlike secular and humanitarian organizations which will take care of the peoples physical needs and fight for the rights of forced migrants by applying political and humanitarian reasons, faith based approaches look at the inner being of the person (William, 49). Faith based approaches can be appreciated for instilling values and morals which contribute to more harmony and balanced relationships among forced migrants and community. Therefore faith-based approach into humanitarian response is could be possibly use to mainstream gender.
Nevertheless, faith-based organization can also be problematic. Wuthnow, Hackett and Hsu states that, the major motive behind faith based organisations in assisting the refugees is to fulfil a goal of winning converts for the religion in which the organisation is based, and hence expand the religions ideologies (Wuthnow, Hackett and Hsu 8-11). Clarke (11) argues that with modernization and secularization theory, the spiritual values are fading within the faith based organizations. On the other hand, faith based approaches seem to carry a lot of biasness especially where the assistance approaches are conditional (Twombly 951-952). Hope (181) explains that difference in faith groups affects the humanitarian assistance displaced people receive. Asia is a diverse region that is characterised by both the three main religions (Islam, Christianity and Buddhism). According to Ferris (317), Islamic and Jewish humanitarian organisations tend to serve their own religious communities unlike Christian based organisations which have a global outreach in that they tend to assist everyone in need in spite of the religion they are affiliated to. In Asia, Islamic groups primarily serve their followers and are not keen on those communities that are affiliated to other religions. In the case of the conflict between the Jews and the Palestinians in the Middle East for example, Jewish organisations tend to help Jewish communities that have been displaced without considering the Palestinian Islamic families that equally require the same assistance. The same goes for Islamic non-governmental organisations (Ferris 317). In some cases, regular relief programs will only be guaranteed to the people who accept to be converted to the faith, and also influence others to do so. This poses a challenge where the forced migrant was from another religion in the home country, for instance, a person who was Islam being asked to join the Christianity faith base for the sake of gaining survival needs. Nevertheless, faith based approaches are perpetual (Kenneth Nagel, 86) compared to secular and humanitarian. Humanitarian groups will step in to take care of the refugees needs on sensing that their rights are being violated (Stephenson, 338).
Women, religious actors and faith-based organization
Forced migrants are often exposed marginalization, racism and ethnic discrimination (Khamphakdy-Brown, et al. 39). Gendered migration also poses a challenging nightmare to women who face violence and discrimination, for they are perceived to be the weak gender. This situation therefore forms a perfect opportunity for faith communities and faith based organizations to uplift the broken hearts and offer hope for the oppressed considering that there are barriers to accessing help from other institutions in the host country (Dwyer, 623) except religious groups which have ideologies beyond the political expectations. Faith-based communities support forced migrants by first giving them an identity in that they make them feel that they belong to a large part of the society and that they are not alone and isolated because of their situation. Faith communities and faith based organizations have been at the forefront in preaching peace and advocating for the rights of the forced migrants (UNICEF, 1). In situations where women experience domestic violence for instance, faith based organizations can step in to first remove the children and from the shelter, so as to lessen their suffering from the exposed violence. The woman involved may also be protected though being given another shelter. In Darfur (Southern Sudan), religion-based non-governmental organisations, particularly Christian play a big role in rescuing children from experiencing or witnessing violence. According to Ferris (319), faith-based organisations have partnered with the UNICEF and other NGOs such as the Red Cross to protect vulnerable groups such as children and women from violence they are exposed to during the conflict. Forced migrants and especially women, will tend to cling towards faith communities and faith based organizations because of their faith and belief that religion offers solace.
Faith-based groups have also been at the fore front in donating foodstuffs and clothes to those forced migrants. These organisations play an important role in providing basic needs to forced migrants. In regions such as Africa, church buildings, temples, mosques and other places of worship have been severally used to provide shelter to those forcefully displaced. Forced migrants, particularly women and children believe that such places are safe. There is this belief that even though people are being killed outside, the perpetrators can not do the same in a place of worship. In war torn countries such as Rwanda and Burundi, women and children took to churches as the safest place from violence. Religious leaders help by offering protection to those who come to hide in these buildings. Some priests are known to have been killed for hiding displaced people in churches.
Religion, Women and Peace Women as active agent
In cases, where there are large numbers of forced migrants, from different nationalities, the migrants cultural identity diminishes as they adopt a new culture borne from the similar experiences and situations that they share. Cruz (9) indicates that the context of migration is radically offering not only new dimensions to the human geography, but also further insights to theological reflections, and specifically the emergence of international migration feminization.
Faith is significantly imparted in the woman refugee life, and to this Cruz (19) stated that women are stereotyped to be the keepers of religion traditionally. Faith based support is usually for development and ultimate conversion of those supported (Bradley, 104). Faith is used as a tool to give the forced migrants an identity and acts as a source of association (Winter, 154).
Ajrouch (49) highlights the situation in Muslim faith communities in the United States whereby in the older migration generation, conversion to Islam was rewarded with health care benefits. Muslim faith communities focused on the physical and mental well being of the forced migrants who were willing to be part of the Islam religion. Women imparted in all religions whether Islam, Judaism, Hinduism or Christianity are both empowered and constrained with the religious requirements. Counselling for psychological and mental healing are granted especially for women in these faith groups because women are mostly traumatized with the gendered migration (Khamphakdy-Brown, et al. 44). Sakhi is a faith based group for South Asian women forced migrants (Knut, 515). Diversity in the Asian culture prompts this group to train the desired the culture and language to the women. This is important as it assists in the courts procedures where cases of gender violence have been reported. Women face more issues as a result of forced displacement. In most cases there is split and separation of the family bond. This includes men being taken away from them by force either to join the war or to look for means for which they can fend for the family.
According to (Charlesworth 2008, 358), most organisations that provide humanitarian assistance, both religious and secular including the United Nations have ignored this fact and usually exclude women and youth from decision making processes seeking for change. Women and the youth often constitute the largest part of any displaced population, and are too significant to be ignored. Those who understand social justice and the impact of gender inequality on human development have the ability to make gender mainstreaming efforts more inclusive, constructive, successful and sustainable (Donovan, 10). Charlesworth (2005, 603), advices that issues of gender should be considered in humanitarian assistance foe success to be achieved.
Women also happen to form the largest portion of any religious congregation and are the most active (Hope 181). Women have used churches, temples, shrines, mosques and places of worship as their meeting places to seek ways of achieving peace within the society. Those affected by involuntary displacement also turn to their faith as a source of consolation. (MacRaild, 172).
Religious actors and faith-based organizations are likely to be more easily accepted by forced migrants and particularly women than other non-governmental organisations due to their deeper connection with religious activities in day to day life. Since moral authority is always high in some contexts, it could be much easier for religious actors to facilitate, mobilise and support these women in situations where secular organisations might not be able to do so.
According to Saovana-Spriggs (2-3), religion played a very important role in bringing women to contribute change for the life of forced migrants from the grassroots community level to national, regional and international levels in the Bougainville conflict. Even when violence was most intense in the early 1990s, women actively launched activities seeking peace at grassroots level including talking to young fighters in bushes and persuading them to stop fighting and return to their homes (Saovana-Spriggs 69-70). Women later organised peace demonstrations, meetings and conferences. Women church groups were used as the vehicles for meetings between women from different parts of the island and with different loyalty in the conflict. A conference dabbed The Bougainville Inter-Church Womens Forum that was held over one week in August 1996 turned to be the turning point of the conflict. The forum appealed for peace talks between the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA), Bougainville Resistance Force (BRF) and the Papua New Guinea (PNG) government. It also called for the closure of care centres that were refugee camps created to force people from their villages in an attempt to isolate the BRA by the PNG forces. This led to the formal peace process in 1997. Though this had been resisted by men who thought that it was not womens role based on the Islands culture and religious tradition with support by religious groups, the women achieved success to by engaging in the conflict (Charlesworth 2008, 353). The church and the womens faith also played a great role in this. It is clear from this case that religious organisations can achieve and support more success in programme if they take a gender-based approach. The faith the women had in God also drove them to continue advocating for peace. This faith united and strengthened them enabling them to fight for peace as one group. In addition, Religious actors and faith-based organizations are strongly linked in many displaced society. Therefore these groups can facilitate, support and empower women which may bring positive change in the displaced community.
The way forward
As already observed, many forced migrants are based in communities where faith is a major determinant of the peoples lives. Forced migrants depend on the messages of hope from faith based organizations. Traditionally, the society is patriarchal, and this is not only felt at family and society level, but across major world religions (Penny Docka, 27).
However, although these incidents do show the position of gender when it comes to these different religions, it cannot be easily assumed that these religious practices do not promote gender equality. Mostly, it can be observed that the emergence of these ideas has been due to misconceptions and lack of inquiry as to how gender equality can actually work in these contexts. In addition, the rise of these oppressions is not normally based on faith but the politics in which religion has immersed itself in.
The Thai bhikkuni movement is a Buddhist organization that emerged with the support values of Theravada Buddhist whose purpose is to critique the societal patriarchal values and call for transformations (Tomalin, 392).
Since religious leaders are a potentially promote peace, claim to be moral authority, this role should not only be confined at the national and international levels but right amongst the congregation. If love, respect, and appreciation of the other person are what all these religions teaching, then the religious leaders have the podium to urge the transfer of these values between the genders. Conformity can be achieved through dialogue, and by relaying the benefits that the whole society will gain if women are allowed top assume more leadership roles in the society, and get involved in decision making. Religious leaders, not only have the role of bridging the gender gap of members in their congregation, but pin a position to hold inter-religious meetings in for the sake of reconciling gender across all the religions. Achieving this can be a challenge, especially where conservative religions are involved, but there should be persistence and exemplary manifestations of the benefits of gender reconciliation, and equity.
Religious leaders can be powerful advocates for those who are disadvantaged in the displaced community. They have the ability to raise awareness on the effects of violence or harmful practices against women and children and work on preventing it by preaching and implementing shared values such as compassion, non-violence, justice and love (Moffett 11).
When the law fails to protect the individuals, religious organisations can pester the government and work with non-governmental organisations to support women and also mobilize campaigns seeking reforms (Wuthnow and Lewis 195-198).
Religion plays a major role in reinstating the quality of life for forced migrants Women are the most affected in forced migration situations and happen to look for solace in religion. However, it is seen that as much as religion protects and defend rights of women refugees, it has done less to ensure gender mainstream and left women to suffer the same notions of traditional female gender roles in a patriarchal society. The answer to gender transformation lies in reinterpreting faith based religious groups that exclude the dogmatic perception of female gender roles. There is new organization called Global Peace Initiative of Women (GPIW) established to address and mobilizing the women with religious leaders so that they can stand for their rights and be important members of the society. The faith movement advocates for reinterpreting the religious teaching for the purpose of encouraging transformation of a unified community and gender balance (GPIW).
This diUcuUUion illustrates the complexity of the interactions between religion, gender and the environment and some of the ways in which this nexus is relevant to policy and practice. Consideration of this topic is timely since, despite the typical avoidance of religious iUUueU in humanitarian response there are signs that interest in promoting a research agenda on religion and humanitarian response is beginning to emerge.
The subject of this chapter itself reflects this incipient turn to religion within forced migrants studies. Moreover, it is important to emphasize that a research agenda that aims to mainstream considerations of religion and gender into humanitarian relief is not one that promotes religion or endorses any particular religious position. It recognizes the impact of religion in shaping social norms and values and uses those insights, where relevant, to inform policy and practice.
Role of Faith-Based Organization with people affected by Forced Migration
According to Wuthnow Lewis (2008), religion plays a very significant role in initiating humanitarian efforts worldwide. Beckmann (2001) identifies Christian NGOs such as World Vision as well as Catholic Relief Services as examples of religious organisations that are major providers of humanitarian relief as well as development assistance worldwide. There are also increased numbers of Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist NGOs working on humanitarian relief. At the time of Jubilee 2000 campaign, protestant and Catholic networks strongly advocated for international debt relief. Jewish, evangelical and various human rights organisations joined and pushed for enaction of legislation that favours international religious freedom. Faith-based organisations and networks have also participated in similar roles in anti-trafficking policy initiatives (Ebaugh et al., 415-419). Most religious groups feel that the role of religion is to serve everyone equally and foster peace within the society, this is according to most of the doctrines. Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and Christianity all affirm to the truth that everyone is equal and made in Gods own image. Islamic teachings emphasise that men and women are both made from the same essence hence are equal. All these religions have a common belief that God cares for everyone the same way and that everyone should be treated in justly manner. As such, they tend to concentrate less on gender issues and instead seek to assist those affected as a whole.
Though religions and the male founders have a positive attitude towards women, most religious communities have a record of engaging in gross distortion as well as violation of this divine image in women. Religion restricts gender mainstreaming into humanitarian response in several ways. It has been established that opportunities that seek to reduce gender gaps and support equitable participation of women in decision making are indeed very limited in most religious organisations. There exists a very large gap between men and women in terms of leadership and overall decision making. In most religions, men make the overall decisions as they are the leaders. These differences affect the programmes initiated to offer humanitarian assistance. Such programmes are often not gender-based and ultimately affect the extent to which women and girls can benefit from humanitarian assistance initiatives. This is because their special needs are not included in the assistance programmes which are designed by men who are not aware of that women as a group of forced migrants have special needs that require attention.
As much as religious actors and faith-based organisations focus on resolving conflicts and restoring peace, such as the role Desmond Tutu played in South Africa, they also concern themselves with protection of human rights and adhering to international principles hence take a gender-based approach in their humanitarian response (Ferris 318-322). This is because they have come to understand that women can be used to achieve success. As first chapter demonstrated, informal sphere-bottom of pyramid plays significant role. The faith-based organizations and religious actors have strong linked influence to informal sphere and by incorporating religious values which may contribute to fundamental shift of gender relations.
Religious groups and organisations are key to the culture as well as sustenance of societies and are in a very unique position to champion efforts seeking to end discrimination in the society (Webber and Johnson, 85-88). Religious actors and faith-based communities have the capability of forging strong positive relationships with forced migrants communities depending on the role they play in assisting forced migrants deal with their situation. Faith-based groups have the capability to reach more people who are often underserved by other organisations with information and on safety as well as support for victims. Importantly, religious groups also have the capability to reconstruct gender identity as well as gender roles. They can do so by providing and environment where sexuality and gender are discussed in a manner that is open and educative. Modern evangelical churches are making attempts to do this by making sessions more inclusive by addressing other issues in addition to preaching the word of God. Religious organisations could provide accurate information on sexuality as well as its spiritual dimension from the traditions of that particular faith. Religious bodies should also acknowledge diversity among people, that there are heterosexuals, sexual minorities, those who have been abused and several others. Most religions condemn sexual minorities such as lesbians and homosexuals and ignore the fact that these individual shave special needs that must also be addressed in the humanitarian initiatives. Religious groups also have the tenancy to shy away from matters that involve rape and other forms of abuse. Christian faith-based organisations which tend to take a more global approach than other faiths have the capability to provide education, enlighten as well as assistance to affected people, particularly since this vice is prevalent among those displaces involuntarily particularly as a result of war. These be can constructed through interpretation of religious teaching as I demonstrated in previous section and can contribute significantly to reconstruction of gender relations. Religious actors might however not be able to achieve this because of condemnation of LGBTs and shying away from real issues on sexuality.
It is worth to note that most leaders in the different religions often are men. This is can hinder gender mainstreaming efforts as men can not understand the plight of women and girls as well women do. Lack of this understanding often results to the special needs of women to be ignored when programmes that seek to provide humanitarian assistance are being developed. Allowing women to participate in decision making results to decisions that are gender-responsive as women tend to be more gender-aware than men are. A good example would be the Catholic Church which is headed by men at all levels. As such, this organisation might not clearly understand the importance of taking a gender-based approach when giving humanitarian assistance to forced migrants. Catholicism does not allow women to be elders of the church (priests, bishop or pope) (Hope 183).
Gender-based approach is a strategy that seeks to ensure that the needs, concerns as well as experiences of all men and women together with the differences that exist among them are met so that there is equality empowerment of the minority and disadvantaged groups. Gender mainstreaming seeks to empower women and ensure gender equality in all spheres. To achieve this, all gender related and diversity issues that affect the society must be recognized. These include age, socio-economic status and ethnicity. Neither of the two groups (men nor women) is homogenous, as there are differences among men as well as among women. In todays world, there even exist greater differences among the two sexes. There are cases of LGBT (lesbians, gay, bisexual, transgender persons). The needs of these people must be considered too if equality is to be achieved. Most religious groups do not however tolerate LGBT. In their programmes to provide humanitarian assistance to displaced persons, these organisations will not consider the needs and protection of LGBTs. This is in spite of the fact that the safety of these individuals is at risk during such times as involuntary displacement. The belief that LGBT is satanic stops most religious organisations from including mainstream gender into their humanitarian activities. Some religious practices and beliefs also hinder disadvantaged groups from benefiting from humanitarian assistance. For example, some of Islamic teaching are interpreted as women are submissive to their husbands and have to obey orders. They might not even be allowed to leave the shelter in search of food or any assistance they may need.
It is perceived that religious leaders are better placed to communicate to the society and hold it accountable to protection of everyones rights and wellbeing (Berger 16-38). The broad spectrums and moral standing that religious communities have given them the power to reach and help those disadvantaged within the society by communicating to the society that violence against women and children is a violation of human rights. Religious communities and leaders have the capacity to organise religious gatherings towards giving so that those in need can be helped. Through evangelism, religious bodies are also better placed to promote peace and bring about reconciliation that will end forced migration. They also support and develop local advocacy programs that give services to survivors and victims by encouraging members to give money, time as well as other material things such as clothing or food.
Religious organisations and faith-based groups have also to some extent played a positive role to mainstream gender into humanitarian response. Religious organisations and faith-based groups also provide humanitarian assistance to forced immigrants by developing strategies to deal with the needs of women as well as girls exposed to violence that resulted to the displacement (Lockhart 47-51). These organisations do so by involving members of the specific cultural, ethnic and age groups to assist in identifying needs and developing ways of addressing them. Informing victims of their vulnerability, training them and providing legal advice particularly on matters concerning citizenship or sexual violence are other ways religious groups respond to humanitarian needs of forced migrants (Vujcich 75-77). Most important, these organisations use their resources to give basic needs to the victims including food, shelter, clothing and health care (Chitando 182). Religious organisations play a great part in ensuring that those in refugee internally displaced camps have something, though little to eat, have shelter and get medical attention in the event they fall seek particularly since communicable diseases that are prevalent in such situations.
These organisations participate in preventing violence against children and women by promoting education and raising awareness so that children as well as adults can become more familiar with concepts of the rights of children and children and translate the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and that one in rights of women into religious and spiritual contexts (Wuthnow and Lewis 195-198). By so doing, religious leaders and communities offer their own resources to the overall work of protection of those most vulnerable in the society. By increasing the knowledge and awareness of child rights as well as protection issues, religious organisations further the principles of dignity and human worth which are intrinsic in religious traditions.
On several occasions, religious actors and faith-based communities have effectively engaged in formal sponsorship of reform for the protection of the girl-child in regions where this is crucial such as Africa (Chitando 192). However, their most powerful role of religious leaders in protection of the rights of children or any other disadvantaged group such as women is facilitating of dialogue, action and reflection concerning violence and violation of rights within their religious and cultural contexts. This is particularly true for forms of violence that are natural in local customs as well as social norms. By organising communities and engaging them in examination of the violence perpetrated, nurturing a collective vision of morals and alternatives, it brings about social change which in turn results in commitments and behaviour that is in line with the standards of human rights.
According to Bercovitch and Kadayifci-Orellana (178), religious leaders are in a very unique position to end violence in the society that results to violation of human rights. They have the ability to make violence against human rights a crucial concern and to be at the forefront in actions that seek to prevent eliminate any forms of violence within the society. Religious affiliations are an essential and integral part of any society. Considering the fact that two out every three people in any society is a member of some religious or faith-based group. Religious denominations are therefore able to reach larger numbers of people than other groups can. These denominations also possess structures that provide support and practical help in addition to offering spiritual guidance. Religious leaders have the ability to ensure that woman, children and any other vulnerable groups in their communities and organisations are protected from all kinds of violence (Yousef 83). By modelling appropriate behaviours that are respectful towards women and children, religious leaders are able to guide members of the community. Religious leaders also nurture self-awareness by facilitating dialogue as well as reflection within the communities the serve and operate in (Yousef 83). This helps to question the some of the practices that discriminate women and girls and envision alternative customs and practices that express higher principles and morals of the communitys belief system.
It is essential for religious actors and faith-based communities to consider the following in their efforts eliminate violence against children and women as disadvantaged members of the society. These include the women, youth and childrens status in the community and religious organisation, whether the religious tradition has beliefs and practices that are converse to the standards of the rights of women, youth and children, the beliefs and practices within the community and religious practices that protect women, youth and children against violent practices, the measures that can be taken to protect women, youth and children from violence within the religious community and the role of the religious leadership in championing these efforts and influencing public policy makers and debates including enaction of laws concerning women, children and violence as well as their rights.
The role of religious actors and faith-based groups in humanitarian response to forced migrants is to ensure that all initiatives seek to achieve equality among all those affected. As such, a gender-based approach should be taken. Focus should be driven towards ensuring that there are equal rights for men and women. Since most religious faiths affirm to the truth that women are equal partners with men in all aspects of life, then women should be involved in making decisions that seek to offer humanitarian assistance to displaced people (Ferris 321). This will ensure that all those in need have their concerns and interests taken care of. Religions for Peace are one of the organisations that have identified the value of mainstreaming gender into humanitarian initiatives particularly as far as displaced persons are concerned. This organisation has recognized that women have the capability for effective leadership and action in all human development areas. It includes women leadership in peace-making and conflict resolution as well as post-conflict reconstruction to ensure that the concerns of displaced women and their perspectives are mainstreamed in all religious programmes seeking to offer humanitarian assistance. Religious actors and faith-based organisations should therefore allow women to participate in decision making of such programmes at all levels.
The issues brought to the table by women are different from those of men among displaced communities. Displaced people do not just require food, shelter and clothing, they have other needs and interests that are critical to their well being which ought to be addressed if assistance is to be effective. Religious actors and faith-based groups should go beyond offering the basics and evangelising, and take a broader approach in their humanitarian assistance initiatives to ensure that gender-based issues are addressed and that justice, as far as gender equality which most of their teachings preach is achieved (Ferris 322). The specific initiatives taken by faith-based organisations in their humanitarian response should deal with structural gender inequalities. Ferris explains that one of the ways through which religious actors and faith-based organisations can effectively mainstream gender into their humanitarian response to forced migrants is by teaming up with secular organisations that offer the same without considering the forced migrants religious affiliation. In her study, she explains the way the Red Cross movement has been effective by linking up with faith-based organisations top provide assistance that is all inclusive to people displaced as a result of conflicts.
Role of religious leaders and Faith-Based Organization in mainstreaming Gender into humanitarian response
As previously mentioned in the preceding sections, religion plays a crucial role in the gender identity of the forced immigrants. For gender equality to be realised, it is important for a society to embrace change right from the bottom, at individuals level, through the middle level which is the societal level to the highest level which mainly comprises of leaders. Individuals develop the culture of embracing people from opposite sex as well as treating them as equals. When individuals adopt this culture, there is a likelihood of influencing each other and finally the whole society will end up adopting this culture. The highest level of the society should also take the responsibility of guiding the masses when it comes to gender equity issues. They should preach and practice gender equality in all their undertakings.
In the following figure it is clearly illustrated that religious leaders play a very critical role in gender mainstreaming. This is because of their ability to influence the masses right from individuals level to the highest level of the society. They are able to do this through both formal and informal encounters. This has been made possible by the fact that they are recognized and appreciated when it comes to peace making and resolutions of conflicts.
Religious leaders have influence on individuals as well as groups and governments. It is very critical for them to preach a word of change of attitude as far as gender is concerned. They should take advantage of the access to a sizeable population to convey the message of gender equality.
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