Faith to Action Network  in collaboration with its founding members, Al-Azhar University’s International Islamic Centre for Population Studies and Research and Cordaid, the Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid, developed a facilitator’s guide on Interfaith caravan on family planning and reproductive health. 

This guide draws on a history of fruitful global and interfaith action for family planning and reproductive health. It builds on Al Azhar University, Cordaid, Faith to Action Network, FP2020’s collective expertise, and combines it with the pragmatic perspectives and experiences of Sud Kivu’s faith actors.

Who is the guide for?

• Faith organisations who seek to promote family planning and reproductive health in a constructive way.  Faith organisations who understand that social norms are central to family planning and reproductive health will find this guide most helpful. Religious beliefs often affect individuals’ behaviors which impact health, including age at marriage, family structure and roles and preventive health practices like strategies couples use to achieve their preferred family size. Sometimes, misinterpretation of religious teachings fosters harmful practices including child marriage and female genital mutilation. Such organisations know that faith is central to people’s identities in most parts of the world. They know that it takes a long-term, pro-active dialogue to appreciate other views and act collectively for better family planning and reproductive health.
• Facilitators who will train and facilitate dialogues with faith actors on family planning and reproductive health. Most successful facilitators will combine up to date knowledge on sexual and reproductive health and rights, both from medical, demographic and faith perspectives. They are seasoned Christian and Muslim trainers. Their know-how in creating safe spaces for mutual respect and understanding is key to working with faith actors without the taint of instrumentalizing or using faith actors.

Please access the guide here: Faith to Action Network – Interfaith caravan – Facilitators’ guide – EN – 2020-11-02

And, also access the French Version: Faith to Action Network – Interfaith caravan – Facilitators’ guide – FR – 2020-11-02-min