Faith Organizations
Our goal to end poverty on a livable planet aligns closely with the moral imperatives found in many faiths and religious traditions, such as caring for the poor and vulnerable. Over 80% of the global population identifies with a religious group, and faith actors provide essential services - such as health care, education, and social protection - especially in areas where state capacity is limited or in fragile settings. Importantly, faith leaders’ moral authority can lend weight to advocacy around critical issues of international development. Their impact is clear in several areas, including:
- Enhancing governance and accountability: They prioritize marginalized populations and hold governments accountable for development commitments.
- Influencing social norms: Religious leaders play a critical role at global, national, and community levels, particularly in areas such as health, education, early marriage, and climate.
- Creating political will to support the development agenda: faith organizations help build awareness, alliances, and action.
Photo Credit: “Edited-5328” by Berkley Center, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The WBG has engaged with faith actors for decades, through advocacy efforts, operations, particularly in fragile and conflict countries, and through knowledge exchange. Religious leaders and organizations have been strong advocates, for example, of the WBG’s Human Capital Project which galvanizes action to invest more in nutrition, health care, quality education, jobs, and skills.
We engage with faith actors through channels including:
- Advocacy: Help generate public awareness and build momentum towards goals around shared priorities.
- Consultation: Provide input through .
- Knowledge Exchange: we proactively share information via monthly newsletters, and seek faith actors’ expertise via regular and roundtables with our senior leadership.
- Policy: Our policy dialogue takes place frequently at both the country and global levels. In addition, twice a year, CSOs, including faith actors, convene at the Spring and Annual Meetings to take part in the Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF).
- Operations: When there is operational collaboration, organizations receive financial support to implement development projects or provide key services monitoring project outcomes, in line with our operating model.
