Articles

Religious and secular ideologies are hotly debated within Indian educational circles, partly in response to neo-liberal trends in educational provision, which have encouraged non-state providers, including religious organisations, to increase their involvement. The paper explores similarities and differences between educational providers affiliated with different faith traditions in Maharashtra, with respect to their educational activities and the extent to which their ethos and practices are pro-poor.

Christian health services (CHSs) provide a substantial proportion of health services in many developing countries. This paper outlines the results of research which assessed whether the financial pressures resulting from a decline in their traditional funding sources have compromised CHSs' initial motivation to serve the poor. The two main approaches CHSs used to increase their income in the 13 countries investigated were by improving their access to government funds through increased cooperation, and increasing user fees.

In the literature on the religious contribution to health and development, it is commonly stated that faith-inspired institutions (FIIs) provide from 30 to 70 per cent of all health care provision in Africa. This article tracks the sources of such statements back to the 1960s, highlighting a process of ‘broken telephone’ whereby estimates are passed on and frequently distorted by policy- and advocacy-oriented influences at both the national and international levels.

Legal reform is necessary but not sufficient to realise women's rights. This paper compares two campaigns for legal reform in Nigeria: attempts to domesticate the UN Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in federal law, which resulted in defeat of the bill in 2007, and a successful campaign to introduce legislation to prevent the mistreatment of widows in Anambra State. It considers the role of religion in the campaigns, by examining how the women's movement engaged with religious actors.

This paper describes attempts in Nigeria and Tanzania to build the capacity of selected religious organisations to participate in policy consultation processes, by strengthening their ability to speak effectively to governments on behalf of poor communities. These attempts arose out of enquiries into the limited involvement of faith-based organisations in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper processes which were a condition of debt relief.

Civil society organisations, including those that are faith-based, are increasingly viewed as key stakeholders that can influence government policies, advocate on behalf of poor people and contribute to service delivery and development. This paper discusses interactions between religious groups and the state and how they influence society in the ethnically diverse Asia-Pacific region.

Transnational Muslim NGOs are increasingly important actors in the field of aid provision. Much of the literature has presented a rather static and homogeneous picture of this group of organisations, overlooking their heterogeneity and changing nature. Tracing the historical trajectories of transnational Muslim NGOs, this article shows how changing political, economic, and social contexts have shaped the identities, activities, and relations of these organisations.

A growing number of international networks, like those linking religious institutions, engage in development-related activities across the world. Improvements in technology and increased travel opportunities for international volunteers have given these networks new influence, with unknown implications for the trajectory of development, especially where states are weak. This paper examines the role of a transnational religious network in a newly formed nation: the Republic of South Sudan, where the dominant Episcopal Church has links with dioceses elsewhere in the Anglican Communion.

‘Faith-based organisations’ (FBOs) are gaining increasing attention within development circles – amongst practitioners, funders, and policymakers as well as academics. While some discussion has taken place over the meaning of the term ‘FBO’ in academic circles, little empirical research has been conducted as to the relevance and interpretation of the term in different contexts and what role religion plays within organisations engaged in development-related activities.

This paper examines the position and role of religious organisations within a wider range of civil society organisations (CSOs) in two districts in Tanzania. We argue that where development agendas are externally generated and civil society is driven by supply-side factors, religious organisations are not very different from other CSOs.