Working With Religious Leaders To Support Public-Health Measures

Covid-19: Guide for GovernmentsWorking with Religious Leaders to SupportPublic-Health Measures

Data current as of 16 April 2020Governments can leverage the trust, reach and practical supportof religious leaders to deliver effective public-health responsesLeadership and coordination: National, regional and local religious leaders have high levels ofinfluence and community-organising capabilities. They can help frame approaches that will makethem more likely to succeed. Governments should build trust with faith-based organisations (FBOs)and integrate them into planning, decision making and implementation at every level of theirCovid-19 response.Public-health measures: Religious leaders can lend their reputation and communications reachto governments to support behaviour change and compliance with social distancing and othermitigating measures. Governments should enable this through the provision of factually accuratecommunications.Counter-messaging: A minority of religious leaders may promulgate religiously groundedmisinformation that promotes practices that put their communities at risk. Governments shouldeducate and encourage influential religious leaders to actively counter these narratives.Welfare provision: Religious communities are the dominant provider of non-state welfareprovision, including nutrition and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). Governments, FBOs andhumanitarian organisations should coordinate with religious leaders to provide practical, spiritualand psychosocial support to communities in crisis, and especially to the vulnerable.1

Data current as of 16 April 2020Where confidence in and reach of government is fragile, trustedinterlocutors are vital to the success of public-health responsesExamples from Tony Blair Institute responsesEbola in LiberiaMalaria in Sierra LeoneProblem: In 2014, Liberians didn’t trusttheir government, causing the Ebolamedia campaign to fail.Problem: In 2010, Sierra Leone lacked thereach to disseminate essential equipmentand messaging.Establish trustMobilise religiousleadersSolution: Community and religiousleaders were mobilised to recruitcommunity volunteers to disseminateinformation, answer questions and engagecitizens.Solution: Seven hundred religiousleaders and 20,000 volunteers weremobilised to distribute nets andmalaria-prevention messaging to3 million beneficiaries.Public Health and Religious Leaders“Religious leaders and faith organisationshave the potential to influence healtheducation, health promotion and positivehealth outcomes amongst members of theirfaith community. They also provide potentialaccess to at-risk populations encouraginghealth service utilization.”US National Center for BiotechnologyInformation“As custodians of the day-to-day culturalvalues, traditional and religious leaderscommand more respect and authority intheir communities than unfamiliar trainedhealth personnel, who can easily beviewed as having suspicious agendas.”US National Library of MedicineNational Institutes of HealthSources: US National Center for Biotechnology Information, US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, It Took Spirit and Resilience to Defeat Ebola in Liberia,Lessons Learned from Faiths Act in Sierra Leone2

Data current as of 16 April 2020Build trust to effectively engage religious leaders throughthese six approachesSensitise government, healthCollaborate for mutual benefit withand security actors to implementgovernment policy in a way thatreflects an understanding of, andsensitivity to, religious practices andteaching with respect to all religiousand minority groups.religious leaders able to represent theinterests of all religious and minoritygroups by integrating them into crisismanagement structures and planningprocesses from national to localcommunity level.Empower FBOs and religiousleaders to be autonomous butconstructive in helping governmentpolicy to suppress the spread ofCovid-19. Avoid criminalisingdissident religious leaders; instead,integrate them into the national effort.Amplify key health messagesthat are appropriate to localreligious teaching and practices,drawing on the expertise and reachof religious leaders.Counter misinformation andResource FBOs and religiousconspiracy theories about thepandemic, particularly those that arereligiously motivated, that wouldrisk the spread of Covid-19 byworking closely with religiousleaders.leaders with the health knowledge toeducate their congregations on thereasons behind government policy witha focus on social distancing and, whenavailable, the importance of accessingtreatment. Support with technologicalsolutions where possible.3

Data current as of 16 April 2020Religious leaders can support behavioural change and publichealth messaging and provide facilities and community servicesCoordination Support implementation of health policies through the existing organised structures of faithcommunities to mobilise community action. Provide points of contact with each layer of government (national, regional, local).Behaviour Change Disseminate scripturally contextualised communications in support of public-health efforts. De-stigmatise contraction of the disease and reduce social pressure to engage in socio-religiouspractices that undermine suppression efforts (e.g. to not attend services).Social Distancing Adapt and pause services and religious gatherings in line with government suppression policy. Ensure faith-based welfare services are provided in compliance with social-distancing requirements.Counter-narratives Leverage influence and communications networks to proactively counter religiously grounded andharmful misinformation that is in the public domain.Welfare Provision FBOs pivot their welfare service, nutrition and WASH provision to help support Covid-19 responseswhere practicable to do so and to mitigate vulnerabilities arising from social distancing, such as foodpoverty.Facilities Make places of worship and other owned facilities available for public-health responses includingtraining and storage and distribution of essential supplies and consumables.4

Data current as of 16 April 2020Faith Based Organisations can coordinate from national tocommunity levels to help deliver effective public-health outcomesFaith Based Organisations (FBOs) operate as registered or unregistered non-profit institutions whose structures are oftencomplementary to national governance structuresReligious Authorities:Examples include: The Pope, The Grand Imam, The Chief RabbiAssociations and Federations:Examples include: the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Supreme Council of KenyanMuslims, the South African Jewish Board of DeputiesHumanitarian Organisations:Examples include: Catholic Relief Services, Islamic Relief, World JewishReliefCongregations:Examples include: members of churches, mosques and synagogues led by pastors, imamsand rabbis mples of FBO Support to Public istry of IslamicAffairs & Endowments,Senior ReligiousCouncil, Associationsand FederationsBeit Din, ChiefRabbinate Advise national governmentEndorse government health policiesRule on adaptation to religious practiceCounty, State,GovernorateDioceses,Cathedrals, ChaptersMosques, Associationsand FederationsBeit Din,Synagogues Promulgate religious-practice adaptation; implement and monitorProvide welfareDistrict, LocalGovernment AreaParishes, ChurchesMosquesBeit Din,Synagogues Implement adapted religious practiceProvide welfare and facilitiesWard,CommunityParishes, ChurchesMosquesSynagogues Implement adapted religious practiceReinforce public-health messagingProvide practical and psychosocial supportAdvocate for families in needProvide advice to policymakers on local contextThe term “Religious Leader” includes men, women and youth who hold formal or informal positions of spiritual andorganisational authority. They may also be Traditional Leaders in their own right (such as Sultans, Emirs, Kings and Princes).5

Data current as of 16 April 2020Religious leaders can conduct a wide range of supportingactivities appropriate to national guidelines and local conditionsCoordination Advise on policyand publicmessaging Make contingencyplans for:(1) social distancing(2) humanitariancoordination(3) community welfaresupport(4) fundraising(5) easing ofrestrictions Implementcontingency plansBehaviourChange Communicate andmodel governmentguidelines andscripturalimperativesand precedents Empower womenand youth Sensitise localservice providers Resolve disputes Model responsiblebehaviour byreceiving treatmentpublicly and withpublicitySocialDistancing Communicate andmodel socialdistancing Change religiouspractices Close selectedplaces of worship Providealternative formsof worship (online) Mobilise mutualcommunity support Manage saferesumption ofgroup religiouspractices whenrestrictions areeasedCounternarratives Counter narrativesthat:(1) stigmatiseinfection(2) riskmarginalisationexclusion,domestic orcommunityviolence(3) risk spreadingcontagionWelfareProvision Provide supportto the mostvulnerable in thelocal community Mobilise thecommunity Raise funds for thelocal community Coordinatewith humanitarianorganisations Supportreintegrationof post-treatmentindividuals intothe communityFacilities Provide facilities fortreatmentor storage purposessuch as:(1) church, mosqueor synagoguehalls and kitchens(2) car parks(3) unusedresidential orother accommodation Raise funds forprovision ofessential equipmentand supplies forlocal health service6

Data current as of 16 April 2020Large-scale religious festivals carry high risk of transmissionand may need targeted government actionDate(s)* approximateEvent/OccasionFaith Group23 April – 23 May*RamadanMuslimFasting, attend mosque, families and friends breakfast together throughout24 May*Eid-ul-FitrMuslimAttend mosque, celebratory meal with friends and family, distribution of food to others31 MayPentecostChristian28 July – 2 August*HajjMuslimInternational pilgrimage to Mecca30 July – 3 August*Eid al-AdhaMuslimAttend mosque, celebratory meal with friends and family, distribution of food to others19 Sept – 20 SeptRosh HashanahJewishFamily gathering, attend synagogue28 SeptYom KippurJewishAttend synagogue29 Sept*AshuraMuslimSermons, public performances, processions (country/regions specific)3 Oct – 4 OctSukkotJewishCelebratory meals and synagogue services29 Oct*Milad-un-NabiMuslimPublic gatherings and mosque attendance14 NovDiwaliHindu/Sikh25 DecChristmasChristianAttend church, celebratory family /Mitigation Typical ActivitiesAttend churchFamily meals, temple and community gatheringsFully close places of worshipImplement contingency plans foronline worship and support Encourage celebration of religiousfestivals within household groupsMobilise mutual community supportIntercity travel forreligious festivals Prohibit travelCancel large-scale festivals thatattract visitors locally and globally7

Data current as of 16 April 2020Examples of government-FBO coordination mechanismsPolicy AdviceThe Delta State Minister ofInformation: Following ameeting of the State TaskForce, Christian Associationof Nigeria and Muslim groups,State Government andreligious leaders agreed toenforce social distancing inplaces of worship.ConsultationSouth African PresidentCyril Ramaphosa met withfaith leaders to reinforcethe national response tothe coronavirus outbreak.IntegrationSomaliland established aNational Task Force tocoordinate efforts to suppressCovid-19. The president andminister of religious affairsworked together onemergency response toinclude religious authoritiesusing Friday sermons.Sources: COVID-19: Why we are locking down in Delta – Aniagwu, President Cyril Ramaphosa meets religious leaders on Coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak, Coronavirus: Somaliland strivesalone8