PHAP Online Learning Series on Trends and Challenges in Humanitarian Action: Faith and religion in humanitarian action

Session description

Humanitarian agencies across the globe are seeking to come to terms with the religiosity that so clearly continues as a major influence in today's world.. But how are they to engage with religion, when humanitarianism holds neutrality, impartiality and modernity so centrally to its credentials? Is it not a violation of the very identity of the humanitarian to wade into such partisan territory?

This learning session will provide a brief overview of the history of the relationship between religion and humanitarian action. It will also look at recent and current initiatives in the humanitarian sector, highlighting challenges, recommendations, and examples of good practice that have been identified.

The session will be immediately followed by a World Humanitarian Summit live consultation event on this topic. Participants are encouraged to participate in both the learning session and the consultation event.

Learning objectives

• Awareness of the roles that religion has played throughout the history of humanitarian action.
• Familiarity with recent and current initiatives relating to humanitarian engagement with religion.
• Understanding of challenges and recommendations, as identified through recent global initiatives.

Session recording

Note that the recording below is followed by the Live Online Consultation event on Faith and Religion in Humanitarian Action, organized by PHAP in support of the World Humanitarian Summit.

Prerequisite knowledge

None

Recommended readings

For participants wishing to prepare in advance for the event, we recommend the following resources:

• Joint Learning Initiative on Local Faith Communities, Local Faith Communities and Resilience in Humanitarian Situations, December 2012
• UNHCR, Partnership Note - On Faith-Based Organizations, Local Faith Communities and Faith Leaders, 2014
• Alastair Ager and Joey Ager, Why humanitarianism doesn’t get religion…and why it needs to, 1 June 2015

Assessment

PHAP members will have the possibility to undergo a two-part assessment after the session as part of the PHAP Continuous Learning Credits framework.

Part 1: Comprehension check

Part 2: Written reflection

To encourage peer learning among members, selected essay responses will also be published on the website, if approved by the writer. As a member, you can comment on the responses and read other members' comments.

Read the written reflections

Target audience

Humanitarian practitioners as well as others with a professional or general interest in humanitarian action.

Event time

Thursday, 4 June 2015

To see when the live session and consultation event will take place in your time zone, click here

Speaker

Event host