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Global health leader argues humanitarianism needs religion

A global health leader is calling for governments and agencies to more fully embrace the work of local religious groups in helping support refugees.

Professor Alastair Ager, the new Director of the Institute for International Health and Development at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh argues that, despite religious differences, local religious groups have a positive role to play in supporting refugees and others who receive humanitarian aid.

Working with religious groups has often been a ‘no go’ area for humanitarian agencies because of fears that religion is an issue that divides populations and ferments conflict. However, Professor Ager believes that local religious groups can work together to provide vital services to vulnerable groups, and that governments and agencies should engage with religion rather than shying away from it.

Professor Ager and his team have recently completed a study in the town of Irbid, Jordan which documents the many ways in which local Muslim and Christian religious groups –- often working together – provide vital services to vulnerable Syrian refugee households.

Professor Ager explained: “The world is currently facing an unprecedented number of major humanitarian emergencies. The recent Nepal earthquake has added further strain to a system still trying to cope with major conflicts in Iraq, Syria and South Sudan. We need to rethink the system of humanitarian support and realise that major benefits can be derived from harnessing local knowledge and good will. Religious groups – often viewed sceptically by large humanitarian organisations – are emerging as key players given the renewed emphasis on local insight and capability.

Professor Ager continued: “We found evidence of religious groups providing significant material support including food, clothing, and buildings for storage and distribution, as well as cash, volunteers, pastoral help and education - all of which supplemented international efforts. Importantly, those in need really appreciated the social connections and the ‘spiritual capital’ that local religious groups were able to offer them during times of crisis.”

Habib Malik is Community Interests Director of the consulting group Napiershall Formula, the former head of Islamic Relief in Scotland and recipient of the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award. He also sees a key role for religious groups in times of humanitarian crisis: “They can not only mobilize significant resources to address key needs in times of crisis, but also link across a broad faith community to help restore hope and dignity and build recovery.”

Professor Alastair Ager, who has just taken up his new role as Director of the Institute for International Health & Development this week, will chair a session on religious engagement at the World Bank in Washington, DC on the 9 th July. As part of the World Bank’s Religion and Sustainable Development meeting, Professor Ager’s discussion will focus on how we can learn from emerging best practices to more effectively engage local religious groups in supporting refugees and other in humanitarian aid.

Kenneth Ross, Chair of the Scotland Malawi Partnership and previously General Secretary of the Church of Scotland international division and Professor of Theology at the University of Malawi, remarked: “With the world demonstrably becoming more religious in the early 21st century, the time is ripe to revisit the role of religious communities as a source of humanitarian assistance in situations of crisis and acute vulnerability. This initiative is timely and can have far-reaching effects for good.”