This report presents findings from a mapping initiative that aimed to
capture how faith-based organizations respond to violence against women and
girls in the Asia-Pacific region. As a collaborative initiative between UNFPA
and the Asia-Pacific Women Faith and Development Alliance (AP-WFDA), it sought
to identify examples of strategies used by faith-based organizations. The
report brings together the experiences of 58 organizations collected through an
online survey, supplemented by in-depth interviews conducted with selected
agencies. Importantly, the survey results represent only a small proportion of
the faith-based organizations addressing violence against women and girls
across the region.
Distinguishing between faith and secular responses to violence against women
and girls might imply an incompatibility of approaches. The findings suggest
however that the responses are often very similar. More than half of the
participating organizations explicitly cited rights-based international
frameworks as key sources of guidance. Many of the participating faith-based
organizations expressed their interest in partnering with UN agencies, other
secular organizations, and organizations of the same and other faiths.
Increasing dialogue and collaboration, they believe, would increase their
effectiveness to respond to violence against women and girls.
Through an on-line survey targeting faith-based organizations known to UNFPA
and AP-WFDA members, information was gathered on the broad range of approaches
faith-based organizations have adopted to address violence against women and
girls, and the challenges they face in doing this. The mapping was not intended
to assess the quality or scope of the faith-based responses to addressing
violence, but rather to obtain a ‘snapshot’ of the range of approaches adopted.
Respondents were also invited to suggest solutions that they thought might help
to improve the scope and quality of their work.
