ROLE OF RELIGION IN SOCIETY &
HUMANITARIAN ACTION

Does Religion Matter At All?
• the greater part of the world's population is religious
• the proportion of the religious population is growing
• despite a mainly secular Western world, religion still informs many of
a society's underlying values
• no complete separation between state and religion in any nation
• religion influences the private sphere, civil society and the political
stage
• in times of existential crises religion plays an even more important
role
For communities
• the number of faith-based organizations (FBOs) – ranging from
moderate
• To fundamentalist – is increasing

A Word of Caution
• The role of religion in socienty varies greatly with many factors
such as
• form of government
• dominance of one single religion
• authority of religious leaders
The role of religion in humanitarian action also depends on
• emerency relief vs. religious conflict
• the role religion plays in the affected community/society
• the presence of other FBOs or secular organizations
• → Context does matter!

Religion in Society (Present)
• Politics:
• Political parties formed on the bases of
religion
• Vote for a specific party to go to haven
clerics influence rates of illiteracy (Egypt)
• parties claiming the ownership of religions

Religion in Society (Present)
• Education
• Teaching religion in schools as a subject (state
approved curriculum)
• religious based schools (Christian or Islamic)
West & East
• depending on the school; one sided
interpretation of religion no free though

Religion in Society (Present)
• Business:
• Holy dirt: Israeli company exporting dirt from
Jerusalem to the US
• Halal food restaurants in the west
• Head-scarves, crosses, Icons, praying carpets
• Religious tourism; tourism companies
organizing only pilgrimage trips to Mecca

Religion in Society (Present)
• Media:
• preaching
• contempt other religions
• censorship? (politicized – hate speech-
citizens or acknowledged clerics)

State & Religion
Political
unit
Institution Practices and
beliefs
Distinction Form of
Government
Example
Military Army Order &
security
Right &
wrong
Dictatorship North Korea
Minority Ethnicity,
Group
Superiority &
discrimination
Us vs. others Hegemony
Autocracy
South Africa,
Colonies
Science Experts Efficiency &
objectivity
Expertise vs.
corruption
Technocracy Italy, Greece
Economy Market Liberalise &
profit
Private vs.
public
Plutocracy
Oligarchy
Southern
Europe (crisis)
Religion Deity Supernatural
being
Sacred vs.
profane
Theocracy Vatican, Saudi
Arabia, Iran?

Religion in Society (Future)
• A role in the public sphere.
• But not take control of the State.
• Neither imposing a way of living.
• Religion cannot substitute State’s institutions.

Religion in Humanitarian Action
(Present)
Religion has its own dynamic logic. However
Through FBO in humanitarian action, religion
may have political effects (McGinnis)
• FBO are inspired by 2 motivations
• Humanitarian Action, religion and conflict resolution
• Humanitarian action and religion and access to population

FBO are inspired by 2 motivations (McGinnis)
• Spread influence / conversion;
Ex 1- Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse and other U.S.-based aid
groups admitted that they hoped to contribute to the
reconstruction process by converting locals to Christianity,
which they felt would make Iraqis more amenable to
democratic governance)
Ex 2- , Goal of IIRO is the re-Islamization of Muslim countries in
former Soviet Union. (Benthall 2006:4)
• Assist those whom are suffering or disadvantaged
core values of any religion, to provide spiritual, material, etc
• Christian, including political activism (ex, Advocacy for human
right and democratic values, social participation and
empowerment, (caritas)

Within Conflict resolution, religion is a partner
with multilateral organizations collaborating
within the framework of peace building. In
which one cornerstone is rebuild relationship
and improve governance.
•Track 2 conflict resolution: integrative and exchange power
dominance, interconnection between top don and bottom up
diplomacy. Such synergies may contribute to peace process and
creates institutions for sustainable peace ( ej. inter/intra
religious dialogue, organization of committees (as mentioned by
Caritas)
•Reconciliation: taking place in post conflict process, and as
component of transitional justice (true telling), le inter/intra
religious dialogue/activities

Access to population in need.
• Based on religious values/states, beneficiaries and
organization s can facilitate access to beneficiaries
(Taiwanese-based Tzu Chi Ogr. Was allowed to access
earthquake victims in China)
• Geographical presence: religion can facilitate access to
humanitarian action ( grassroots structure within the society
(proximity) ex, Colombia san José de Apartado)

Religion in Humanitarian Action
(Future)
A greater role in peace talks
(Mediation, negotiation etc.)
- A paradigm shift from present track II to track I
- Or
- Fill the present Gaps ?

Role in Conflict Prevention
Peace Education
Tolerance
Coexistence
Respect for diversity

Better Impact !
Diversification of faith based
organization
Or
Islamic Relief in Islamic states?
Christian Aid in Christian countries?

Conclusion
• Religion plays a very important role in the life of the community
in general in normal times and is accorded higher status during
an emergency.
• The presence of faith based organizations in society and in
humanitarian regime in particular has increased considerably.
Estrangement to Engagement (Clark & Jennings, 2008)
• There is a diversity in faith based organizations and from
secular to militant FBO: It is a continuum: No, low and high
religious pervasiveness (Carlo, 2006) or secular, passive, active,
pervasive, exclusive (Clark and Jennings, 2008).
• FBOs sometimes have their own mission “Proselytizing ”,
“Dawa” and “Umma”.
• Do no harm?

Conclusion
• Coordination key (secular-FBOs and among FBOs)
• Religious institutions have been a great source for
mobilizing resources (Church, Zakat, Seva, Bhikshu).
• More funds to FBOs {10 (2001) to 25 % (2008) USA}
• Most of the FBOs put higher priority of aiding
community of their own faith (Carlo, 2006)
• The challenge is also to differentiate between faith
based humanitarian agencies and religious bodies
with political objectives (Kirmani and Khan, 2008)
• There might be a contradiction between FBO and
Government policies (Kirmani and Khan, 2008)

Food for Thought
• Whether faith based organizations should
promote diversity of faith/pluralism and have
the basis of their interventions focusing on the
faith of the community?
• Can secular organizations care take of the
religious and spiritual needs of the
community? Is poverty reduction or relief
distribution all about material needs?

Thank You
• Rahat Chowdhary
• Nada Yehia
• Maximiliano Verdinelli
• Alfonso Basanta
• Karolin Etterer
• Shakeb Nabi