Side by Side profiled at the USAID Evidence Summit on Strategic Religious Engagement

On 5^th – 8^th October 2020, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted an Evidence Summit on Strategic Religious Engagement. The aim of the Summit was to bring together USAID staff, members of the research community, and development practitioners to examine the findings of high-quality, evidence-based research that address the role of religious community engagement and faith-based organizations in global development, and implications for USAID policy and practice.

Side by Side member, Jørgen Thomsen (DanChurchAid / ACT Alliance) was awarded the opportunity to present in this prestigious and influential space. We were delighted that he chose to focus on Side by Side and share learnings on growing a faith movement for gender justice. The following are the key points shared in this space:

• Faith shapes people’s values and convictions and ultimately behaviour and actions. They are key in strengthening a value base to promote gender equality and empowerment.
• Faith actors working with normative narratives in scriptures is effective.
• Religious leaders exploring liberating hermeneutics, combined with better understanding of the realities of gender injustice in their communities, can be key to transformative change.
• Religious leaders reflecting on scripture to promote gender justice can powerfully counteract opposition.

Jørgen also shared in this space, the transformative work that our members and national chapters are achieving. For example:

• Faith leaders using their trusted positions to speak out in public on gender-based violence and gender inequalities.
• Faith actors advocating to governments to adopt inclusive laws and practices. Super important! But changes in law only works if also owned by the people, rooted in convictions and supported by the value base.
• National chapters mobilising faith actors to work strategically in local and national spaces. While also joining forces in regional and global policy forums.

Side by Side are honoured to work with our members and movement to further evidence the power of strategic religious engagement for gender justice. We are currently developing with our members a new agile Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning framework to promote shared learnings, adapt and strengthen our theory of change. While also continuing to collaborate with strategic research partners, for example the Joint learning Initiative and the International Partnership on Religion and Development (PaRD) and look forward to publishing a new report later this month.