Navigating Adolescence: Partnerships with Faith Actors

CCIH was a cosponsor along with the Faith to Action Network, the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), UNFPA, FP2030, the International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD), and World Vision of a side event on engaging faith communities in adolescent reproductive health at the 2022 International Conference on Family Planning. This brief includes some key themes, lessons, and recommendations for faith-secular partnerships that emerged from the event, including key challenges and opportunities; promising initiatives; tips on how to start such partnerships, and how to expand them. Key policy recommendations include: (1) Those concerned about ASRHR should redouble their efforts to support collaboration among faith actors, community leaders, and politicians to mobilize for better understanding and access to sexuality education; (2) Donors and policymakers need to find better ways to support this work, such as providing longer-term funding, as building the needed relationships requires time.