by Brian Grim

This article is prepared for the G20 Interfaith Forum taking place 26-28 September, 2018, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in advance of the annual G20 meeting. Brian Grim will be moderating a panel on Religion and Business at the Forum on September 26. For more information, see https://www.g20interfaith.org/. 

Download pdf.

There is a strong and positive relationship between religious freedom and sustainable development as embodied in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit.

This relationship is important to understand because over the next twelve years, motivated by these new goals, countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind. All sectors of society need to see how religious freedom contributes to these efforts.

Sustainable development has been defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It calls for concerted efforts towards building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for people and planet. And eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions is an indispensable requirement for sustainable development.

This article examines how religious freedom plays a part in achieving sustainable, inclusive and equitable economic growth, creating greater opportunities for all, reducing inequalities, raising basic standards of living, fostering equitable social development and inclusion, and promoting integrated and sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems.

How does religious freedom align with the sustainable development goals?

Ending Poverty

Religious freedom helps tackle “small-p” poverty through “self reliance”

Poverty, some argue, can only be effectively tackled by governments enforcing top-down, big-P Poverty reduction policies and programs. But a host of religious groups haven’t gotten the memo. Innovative faith-based initiatives worldwide are tackling poverty using bottom-up, small-p poverty alleviation approaches that empower individuals to be resourceful, resilient and self-reliant.

Indeed, a central aspect of religious freedom is that it gives faith groups license to innovate and contribute to the wellbeing of individuals, communities and nations. But where religious freedom is curtailed, so are such innovations. For instance, reform-minded Saudi princess Basmah bint Saud argues, religion “should not be a shield behind which we hide from the world but a driving force that inspires us to innovate and contribute to our surroundings.”

This first installment of an ongoing series on the connection between religious freedom and sustainable development describes these small-p initiatives and concludes with a case study of how one faith group is directly targeting and reducing poverty in its congregations worldwide. Such faith-based activities are facilitated by religious freedom and directly contribute to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1 – Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere.

Also see the related World Economic Forum Agenda article by Brian Grim and Linda Woodhead, Can religion make economic growth more fair?

Empowering Women

Brian Grim, President, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, and Jo-Ann Lyon, General Superintendent, Wesleyan Church, explore how religious freedom contributes directly to women’s empowerment.

Religion is often seen as a barrier to gender parity. Stories abound of gender-based violence done in the name of religion. As a result, in many cases, the issues of religion and gender parity are often dismissed as too complicated to address. There appears to be no way to unwind this rather complex multi-institution.

However, a critical factor overlooked in this conversation is religious freedom. Unless there is religious freedom, minority groups, including women, will not be at the table and their vital, productive and creative voices will not be heard. Corporations and economies will suffer if they miss out on the contribution of women. The denial of religious freedom contributes to gender inequality throughout the world.

Extremist ideologies such as ISIS represent the complete loss of religious freedom, and when respect for a diversity of religious beliefs and practices disappears, gender equality suffers.

Fostering Peace

A global study challenges myth of religious violence. The research found no general causal relationship between religion and conflict when looking at all of the current conflicts in the world.

The study, conducted by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) in conjunction with the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, aims to get beyond ideology to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how religion interacts with peace.

Quantitative analysis has revealed that many of the commonly made statements surrounding the relationship between peace and religion are not supported by the analysis contained in this study.

Find a Better Job for Refugees

The Religious Freedom & Business Foundation’s Empowerment+ Initiative is reaching out to the fringes in Manchester, UK – to refugees and asylum seekers.

A ten-week training course, Find a Better Job,* was delivered to a small group of four participants at the Cornerstone Day Centre for Refugees, a project of Caritas of the Catholic diocese of Salford. The group comprised of one Catholic and three Muslim participants who successfully completed their training in July 2018.

The group was coordinated by Amir Raki (Caritas staff, pictured with participants and facilitators) and Hinna Maluch (Religious Freedom & Business Foundation’s Empowerment+ Coordinator), and facilitated by a couple from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Alan and Janeth Dudley, who delighted in the group, “Even though we come from Canada, which prides itself on being multicultural, we had never experienced such diverse cultures as in the Manchester area. It was a highlight of our week to serve in Cornerstone and to feel the love that is so prominent.”

One of the participants, Raouf Malik said, ‘It was a great experience to be part of employability course in the UK. It merged the aspect of faith and hard work to deliver better results. I got the principle of networking – how to deal with people to achieve our goal’.

The Cornerstone team along with Amir Raki, Refugee Response Coordinator from Caritas Salford, supported us to pilot Find a Better Job for refugee group at Cornerstone Centre. Having observed the ten-week journey of the group Amir said,

“Find a Better Job course is a thought-provoking training, unlike other employability courses I had previously attended as university student, where the course providers mostly emphasized on their scientific and academia based evidence. Find a Better Job links up with religious books, scriptures and prominent faith leaders who have devised similar concepts, decades before academic syllabus or technical training came into existence.”

Amir further added, “I believe Find a Better Job reintroduces us to faith as a great practical resource beyond worship and prayer even in our modern life issues which guide us through very mundane aspects of our lives in a down-to-earth fashion.”

“I realized that the benefit of our group meetings was not only to help us to Find a better job, but also to understand our weaknesses, which was so helpful for me in learning the skill. During the course, I recognized the neglected aspects of my life and learnt their importance, for instance the use of ‘Me in 30 seconds’ and understanding the formula of success, ‘Act in Faith + Work Hard + Work Smart = Success’,” says participant Cyrille (pictured).

The Empowerment+ toolkit is indeed important for the personal development of refugees and asylum seekers, especially as they embark their journey to integration and settling in the UK. 

“As an asylum seeker you are laden with endless restrictions, which damages your self-esteem and capabilities for so long,” said Hinna Maluch, Empowerment+ Coordinator.

“Working with the members of the Find a Better Job group, whose lives are mainly in the hands of others but who are eager to learn, has been enlightening and satisfying,” said Hinna. “As they learn skills that increase their ability to communicate their value to employers, it gives them hope of a better future.”

“Each one is eager to grow, progress, become more productive and, just as important, to assist each other in that process,” said Alan and Janeth (Group Facilitators).

“I would strongly recommend Find a Better Job to other Cornerstone members to really take part in it as it’s so important and will help you to get confident for your long term career plan,” exclaimed Cyrille.

Learn more about Empowerment+. 

Find a Better Job is made possible by a license granted to the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to help produce and distribute an interfaith version of a successful self-reliance and empowerment program they have successfully pioneered worldwide.

3 key takeaways from this week’s first-of-its-kind State Department religious freedom event 

By Kelsey Dallas

“At every event, there were senior U.S. government leaders and State Department officials,” said Brian Grim, president of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation.

Grim described attending a discussion led by Sam Brownback, the ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, and John Sullivan, who serves as deputy secretary of state under Pompeo. The two men offered some comments and then turned over the microphone to the audience for comments, questions and recommendations.

“We had the number two guy in the State Department listening and taking notes on what people are seeing,” said Grim, who has led and attended religious freedom conferences around the world.

Vice President Mike Pence, Ambassador Nikki Haley and Mick Mulvaney, who directs the Office of Management and Budget, also spoke at ministerial events. Read full article …

‘Religious freedom good for business’ – Brian Grim

By Devin Watkins, Vatican News

Religious freedom “creates a business climate that is good for pretty much all business except bullet and bomb makers,” Brian Grim tells participants in the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom hosted by the US Department of State.

The US State Department is hosting an international summit on the topic of religious freedom.

Dr. Brian Grim, President and founder of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, is a speaker at the event taking place on July 24-26 in Washington, D.C. He spoke to Devin Watkins about his message for the 80 foreign ministers and governmental representatives in attendance.

Dr. Grim said he told them that religious freedom has strong ties with sustainable development.

“It’s associated with other human rights, and it creates a business climate that is good for pretty much all business, except bullet and bomb makers,” he said. … Continue reading (or listening)

July 25, Washington, DC

At the first-ever Ministerial to advance religious freedom hosted by US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, Brian Grim, President of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, will make the business case for religious freedom at the July 25th gathering of delegates from some 80 nations.

Grim will be joined by Aleem Walji, CEO, Aga Khan Foundation USA. They will discuss how greater religious freedom supports open markets and economic growth and how religious freedom allows faith communities to support sustainable development and economic prosperity.

Grim will also lay out how religious freedom contributes to a strong economy, which in turn contributes to a nation’s security at a side event at the Religious Freedom Center at the Freedom Forum Institute/Newseum at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, July 27. This session is free and open to the public.

→ See RFBF Ministerial landing page for full details.

Among the 25 most populous countries, Egypt, Russia, India, Indonesia and Turkey have the most restrictions on religion, while Japan, Brazil, the Philippines, the Dem. Rep. of the Congo and the U.S. have the fewest restrictions.

Click to see how restrictions have changed in each country since 2007. Read the full report.

Even before the networks created by China’s massive economic Belt and Road, Chinese missionaries were heading abroad as part of the Back to Jerusalem Movement. Will China see them as local knowledge resources or something else? See related article by Jeremy Luedi.

Article by Jeremy Luedi (published in The Diplomat):

Aided by the networks created by the Belt and Road, Chinese missionaries are heading abroad, much to Beijing’s dismay.

At a time when their compatriots back home are dynamiting churches that have mushroomed across the country, Chinese construction companies are winning contracts to build churches across Africa. The economies of scale and other logistical advantages which Chinese firms enjoy in other sectors are being carried over to church construction. “China is now winning contracts to build churches because its corporations out-bid those from elsewhere,” notes Jesse Mugambi, professor of religious studies and philosophy at the University of Nairobi.

Not only is officially atheist China building houses of worship across Africa, its mega-corporations are also playing a vital role in spreading the good news — literally. Despite Beijing’s own misgivings about religion and proselytization, it appears to have no qualms in supplying the rest of the world with religious literature. One-quarter of all the Bibles printed worldwide are printed in China, and the world’s largest Bible printing factory opened in Nanjing in 2008.

Within Africa, China plays an even greater role, as the PRC supplies a substantial portion of the bibles used in the continent. For instance, some three-quarters of Bibles used in Kenya are printed in China. While it seems bizarre, China’s mass production of Bibles is merely a logical extension of its export-centric economic paradigm. Ironically, these mass-produced Chinese Bibles are finding their way into the hands of overseas Chinese, increasing numbers of whom are embracing religion.

Continue reading full article on The Diplomat …

Business for Peace DECLARATION on North Korea North Korea

If the geo-political situation allows, can business play a role for peace?

Prepared by H.E. Philip McDonagh, former Irish Ambassador to India, Holy See, Finland, Russia, OSCE, and represented Ireland in the Northern Ireland Peace Process; also, senior fellow, Princeton University

Business initiatives in support of rapprochement on the Korean peninsula (Kaesong Industrial Zone, Kumgangsan tourism) are suspended as a result of North Korea’s weapons programme and international sanctions including those imposed by the UN Security Council.

The current ‘Olympic Truce’ appears to have been accompanied by an indirect indication from Pyongyang that it is willing to halt for now the further development of its missile and nuclear programme: this can be inferred from announcements that the deterrent is now in place.

International precedent suggests that the peaceful resolution of any situation of crisis requires three conditions to be fulfilled:

• — recognition of the need and the opportunity;
• — a step-by-step process accompanied by confidence-building measures;
• — a vision of the ‘peace dividend’ that could follow once the crisis is overcome

Business is an essential part of any multi-stakeholder approach to peacebuilding and can play a role in relation to each these points.

First, business actors can lobby the UN and individual governments to support every effort at dialogue on the Korean peninsula, in order to find new ways of overcoming the current danger.

Second, business can contribute to the policy debate about the shape and content of a future step-by-step process. For example, business operates across borders and can advocate for (i) a strong regional and international dimension to any peace process; (ii) economic confidence-building measures such as respecting different social systems in the context of economic cooperation: and (iii) a comprehensive approach to future peacebuilding taking economic and environmental issues into account.

Third, business can help to make the ‘peace dividend’ more real in people’s minds by beginning to envisage projects and investments that might come on stream under improved geopolitical conditions.

The draft declaration annexed below follows the example of the 1991 Agreement between South and North and a number of leading contemporary commentators in applying ‘lessons learned’ in the CSCE (‘Helsinki’) process of the 1970s.

DECLARATION

We the participants in the Global Business & Interfaith Peace Symposium:

• — fully respecting the legal framework established by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions
• — welcoming the Olympic Truce between Seoul and Pyongyang and the opportunity for contact across the demarcation line
• — recalling previous frameworks for dialogue including the Six-Party Talks and the Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-Aggression, and Exchanges and Cooperation
• — conscious of the current danger and the responsibility that falls on all actors to avoid conflict and sow seeds of hope and progress

Agree as follows:

1. 1. We will use our influence in support of every effort at dialogue aimed at discerning new ways of overcoming the current disputes
2. 2. We will advocate for a common peace in Asia in the form of a step-by-step, inclusive, and comprehensive process based, first, on agreed principles; and second, on measured, parallel progress on security and arms control, humanitarian issues, and economic development
3. 3. We commit to a peace dividend and will work towards projects of high value and visibility to come on stream on the Korean peninsula once the necessary security guarantees are in place
4. 4. We stand ready to support a new Asia-Pacific Initiative – a team of experts to reach out to policymakers, parliamentarians, and academic institutions with a view to developing policy ideas within a fixed time-frame for a possible future conference on security and cooperation in East Asia

Meet the Business for Peacemakers

Press release by: Shirin Taber and Rickie Farnes (Los Angeles, California – June 1, 2018)

In the last year we have witnessed fewer reported suicide attacks worldwide, however, a record-high 137 women carried out bombings in which 4,310 people were killed. In May 2018, a band of young sisters acted on their plan to bomb various locations throughout London after their fiancés died fighting for ISIL in Syria. Earlier in the month, a family of suicide bombers attacked three churches in Surabaya, Indonesia, killing at least 13 and seriously wounding a dozen more.

Cellular, a short film directed by Camille Tucker, chronicles the journey of a young Arab woman in Los Angeles ensnared in a local terrorist plot. After receiving startling news, she begins her unexpected journey away from radicalism. Produced by Muslim and Christian students, the film aims to inspire young women to counter religious based violence and promote peace and security (Article 1325).

Rather than being just mothers to future jihadists, women around the world are now radicalized and used as propagandists for ISIL. Women terrorists increase numbers, garner media attention, and act as exceptional stealth agents. Coerced into committing acts of terror, many women are told they will be brave heroes, protecting their people, redeeming their families, following God’s will, and transporting themselves to a better place.

In her recent speech to the United Nations, actress Anne Hathaway said, “I remember the indescribable – and as I understand it universal – experience of holding my week-old son and feeling my priorities change on a cellular level.” Women are a source of life, often the first responders during times of crisis, and the film Cellular highlights this influence women have within themselves to promote the common good.

According to the newly released United Nations Plan of Action for Religious Leaders and Actors, a comprehensive approach is necessary to prevent and counter violent extremism and gender-based violence. Through the strengthening of education, media collaboration, engagement with partners, and interfaith dialogue, faith leaders can take the lead in building peaceful and just societies.

As part of the Plan of Action mandate, the Middle East Women’s Leadership Network has developed a media strategy that challenges every woman and girl to be peace-promoting citizens. MEWLN uses short films such as Cellular to help empower women to counter violent extremism through media. The organization also holds workshops to train peace activists and connect with NGOs, peace actors, and media producers in North Africa, Europe and the United States.

Everyone has a part to play in preventing violence and promoting inclusivity. Now more than ever, its essential for women to actively participate in peacebuilding, educate their children to say no to cultural and religious based violence, and encourage one another to resist all forms of hate speech.

To view the film Cellular, please choose one of the links below:

https://vimeo.com/271577413

https://youtu.be/DPpOKDP_VyQ.

Please contact Shirin Taber at Middle East Women’s Leadership Network about the U.N. Plan of Action, film screenings, discussion questions and workshops.

CONTACT: Middle East Women’s Leadership Network
shirin@visualstory.org; www.mideastwomen.org/contact

CELLULAR Discussion Questions

1. 1. Why did the men in the film want to bomb the train station in Los Angeles?
2. 2. Why is Fatima delayed in completing the suicide mission?
3. 3. How does the nurse play a role in Fatima’s journey?
4. 4. What happens at the mosque? How does Fatima’s perceptive begin to change?
5. 5. How does Amir react when he learns that Fatima is pregnant?
6. 6. How does Amir challenge Fatima to complete the mission? What does he promise her?
7. 7. Why does Amir believe Rashid is a messenger of God?
8. 8. What is Rashid’s message? How does Fatima respond to his message?
9. 9. What does this film reveal about the impact of Fatima’s pregnancy and her courage as a woman?
10. 10. If you met Fatima, what would you want to share with her?
11. 11. Is it ever right to use violence for something you believe in?
12. 12. Do you think this film can help others to think about conflict in a different way?
13. 13. How can we help prevent cultural and religious based violence in our communities?
14. 14. What are the biggest lessons you received from this film?

The United Nations recently released a Plan of Action for religious leaders, addressing the importance of preventing incitement to violence, which can lead to genocide, war, and crimes against humanity. The Plan of Action outlines ways to prevent incitement to violence and strengthen communities through education, media and collaboration. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres states, “Religious leaders can play a particularly important role in influencing the behavior of those who share their beliefs. Unfortunately, religion has sometimes been misused to justify incitement to violence and discrimination, and it is vital that religious leaders from all faiths show leadership.”

The CELLULAR film was produced by Muslim and Christian students and is intended for educational purposes. People of faith, NGOs and peace actors have the unique platform to create peace-promoting solutions. We hope this film will inspire more people to create short films to counter violence and promote reconciliation. Please share this film through social media and at small and large group gatherings. For further information about the U.N. Plan of Action, film screenings, discussion questions and workshops, please contact Middle East Women’s Leadership Network at shirin@visualstory.org or www.mideastwomen.org

Controlling for a range of observable factors which might affect people’s propensity to donate and to volunteer, we find that religious people are more likely to be donors and volunteers than non-religious people.

However, a range of factors which aren’t measured in the survey (like how an individual was raised) could impact on both religiosity and volunteering/donating.

We estimate that religiosity is associated with 194,320 additional volunteers in Australia each year who collectively contribute 30.5 million hours in volunteering time, or 2.4% of total volunteering hours in Australia, which is calculated from survey responses. The monetary value of this volunteering time is estimated at $339 million.

We also estimate that religiosity positively affects the likelihood of an individual to donate. Our findings suggest that religiosity brings about an additional $142 million in donations each year, or 1.7% of total donations in Australia, which is calculated from survey responses.

In total, the annual value to society of volunteering and giving associated with religiosity is estimated to be $481 million.

It’s difficult to untangle religiosity from other factors which might cause donating and volunteering behaviour. We try to remove the influence of these other factors by only considering the activity of a subset of religious people – specifically, those who were not religious in their youth but are now – to religiosity.

In practice, this means that our estimates are conservative, because this only represents a small proportion of the broader religious community, and its volunteering and donating activity. Regardless, it is clear that volunteering and donating behaviour associated with religiosity provides a broader benefit to Australian society.

Download the full study here

For more information, contact: