CAFOD policy and research papers on faith and development.
Faith and religious practice are central to most people’s lives in the Global South. Religious institutions are at the heart of society - the cornerstones of the community - with a long reach into even the most remote communities. Religious leaders hold people’s trust and often have authority and influence where state and local officials do not.
Therefore, understanding the role of faith and faith-based organisations is central to effective development and humanitarian response, and to building mutually beneficial partnership across a wide range of issues and actors.
Through our work on church and development, CAFOD is seeking to influence how the UK government understands and works with faith actors throughout international diplomacy, development and humanitarian work by:
developing long-term partnerships with faith actors
consulting and developing programmes with local faith actors
resourcing and supporting faith actors where they can play a distinctive role, such as in peacebuilding, changing social norms, humanitarian response, deepening democracy and accompanying the poorest and marginalised communities as they tackle unjust systems and structures.
This document affirms and draws from the best of the 2030 Agenda, recognising this as a new international consensus that is guiding and inspiring many governments. By analysing the 2030 Agenda through the lens of Laudato Si’, the document also poses fundamental questions about assumptions of continued growth, technological advances, the role of business, and lifestyles based on increasing consumption.
With its focus on faith leaders, this study uses the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone and Liberia to explore the relationship between humanitarianism and religion and seeks to provide evidence, in real time, of the role of faith leaders in the Ebola response.
This report features case examples from five countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Zimbabwe. From these studies emerge three main themes why the Church makes a difference in elections in Africa.
Drawing from dozens of inspiring examples, this report outlines seven clear ways the Catholic Church makes a lasting difference to people’s lives.
CAFOD's policy team provides briefings, reports and research on our advocacy and lobbying work, plus materials to support our campaigns.
Find out more about campaigning on social justice issues with CAFOD.
