Multi-Religious Humanitarian Advocacy Forum

Among the non-state actors engaged in advocating to the UN system are business (the Global Compact); NGOs and NGO coalitions accredited to the UN /ECOSOC; representatives of religious communities and media and other interest groups.

The religious actors are comprised of single religion umbrellas; individual religious communities; interfaith organizations; and religious coordinating mechanisms.

What is missing is a multi-religious mechanism focused on humanitarian advocacy efforts. There is great potential for faith-based organizations to engage in effective multi-religious advocacy action at the United Nations in New York. At the 2009 FBO Forum in Toronto convened by Religions for Peace, participants asked Religions for Peace to explore interest in the formation of working group for Multi-religious Humanitarian Advocacy at the United Nations. Throughout 2010, Religions for Peace facilitated a consultative process to explore the feasibility of initiating a multi-religious humanitarian advocacy mechanism around the UN in New York.

The purpose of the suggested mechanism called Multi-Religious Humanitarian Advocacy Forum is to organize international multi-religious advocacy at the UN in New York to prevent and respond to humanitarian crises and situations of human suffering, address root causes of suffering, defend and promote International Humanitarian Principles, and multiply our impact by combining our efforts and speaking with a common voice.

Throughout 2010, Religions for Peace convened a Steering Committee twice to discuss a process for conducting multi-religious advocacy, and developed a Terms of Reference. Advocacy actions on behalf of the people of Haiti and violence against women were piloted as test of the Terms of Reference. The Committee conducted joint advocacy missions to UN member states serving on the interim Haiti Recovery Commission (Canada, Norway, the United States and Brazil) and held meetings with OCHA and DPKO and convened a public meeting on Haiti.

For further information, download Multi-Religious Humanitarian Advocacy Forum terms of reference:  files/147301_147400/147386/multireligious-advocacy-forum.doc or contact Deepika Singh at Religions for Peace.