Excellent work and dedication of a wide range of non-governmental organizations garner respect and admiration, but coordination among them is a large and growing concern. Both international (secular or faith-inspired) organizations and the multiplying, often locally based humanitarian NGOs, are part of this coordination challenge. At worst, it exacerbates tensions and at best wastes energies and resources.
One reason for disparate and fragmented efforts and weak cooperation is that the organizations tend to be rooted (at least on the surface) in different ideologies or value systems. Religion is both a source of disconnect and tension and a potential area of common ground. Increasing attention and government funding is being directed to faith based or faith-inspired organizations, with several countries supporting research programs on their work, especially where it involves development and humanitarian action. There are promising examples of interfaith partnerships. However, cooperation between development and humanitarian organizations with distinctly different backgrounds is still rare and does not come easily.
As a means to identify problems and potential avenues for collaboration and understanding among actors in the field of humanitarian and development action, UNAOC submitted a survey to 96 development organizations in an effort to better understand the interaction between organizations of different faiths, as well as between secular and faith-inspired organizations.
The attached policy brief [PDF] and the working paper [PDF] and the report [PDF] are the result of the “dialogue in action” encouraged by the UNAOC and supported by Switzerland within the thematic platform.