Inter-Religious Action

Inter-Religious Action

GHR Foundation's Inter-Religious Action funding works to improve development outcomes, build lasting community connections and advance peace by mobilizing religious leaders and communities to address common challenges.

When religious leaders and communities collaborate on issues of common concern they can solve difficult problems, build trusting relationships, strengthen social cohesion and advance peace. GHR funding of inter-religious collaboration promotes:

Researching and testing inter-religious approaches and institutions to improve development outcomes
Building the field by promoting inter-religious collaboration and sharing best practices
Developing the evidence and tools that can strengthen inter-religious efforts and demonstrate impact
Making the case for investment in inter-religious action, inspiring others to support promising models of inter-religious action worldwide and removing barriers to constructive engagement

Inter-Religious Action Challenge: Reducing Malaria Rates in Nigeria

The Problem:

Malaria kills an estimated 300,000 people in Nigeria every year.

Between 2004 and 2010, nearly $600 million in donor funding went to scale up Nigeria’s malaria control program.

Nigeria’s government and partners distributed 50 million insecticide-treated nets across the country from 2007-2010. But bed net usage remained low.

The Plan:
Train trusted religious leaders from different faith communities to advocate for net usage and malaria prevention.

The Progress:
In Kaduna state, independent survey research found net use increased from 18 to 85 percent among followers of trained religious leaders.

The Potential:
By engaging inter-religious leaders, communities and strategies, we can improve development results.

Source: Center for Communication Programs-Nigeria and http://www.rollbackmalaria.org/microsites/ProgressImpactSeries/new-epub/index.html#book/1406

Video: Faith in Action

See our story on building inter-religious cooperation to stop child marriage.