in Peace Making and Diplomacy The Role of (Muslim) INGOs Amjad - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Institutionalising Humanitarianism in Peace Making and Diplomacy

The Role of (Muslim) INGOs Amjad Saleem, Head of Communications @corporatesufi

Context

• A 60% increase in the number of

humanitarian crises/complex political emergencies over the last 10 years in comparison to the previous decade

• Humanitarian disasters will continue

to occur with greater frequency and with greater ferocity;

(Source: speech by Gareth Thomas MP, Minister of State for International Development to the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, 7 October 2008).

UK (Charity Commission)

• 1,373 Muslim charities on central

register (combined income of £218.5 million)

• 2% of registered Muslim charities

have an income of over £1m

• 379 Muslim charities have registered

in last 5 years

• Largest is Islamic Relief Worldwide

Estimate of Aid Contributions

Every year, somewhere between US$200 billion and $1 trillion are spent in "mandatory" alms and voluntary charity across the Muslim world, Islamic financial analysts

• estimate. (IRIN, June 2012)

At the low end of the estimate, this is 15 times more than global humanitarian aid contributions in 2011

• f $13 billion (UN Financial Tracking

System)

Why?

• Increasing religiosity in the Muslim

world

• Increasing wealth in the Muslim world
• Increasing poverty in the Muslim world

– ¼ of the Muslim world living on less than $.125 a day (calculated by IRIN based on 2011 HDI)

• Decreasing aid from traditional western

donors due to recession

• Increasing awareness from 2nd / 3rd

generation Muslim communities about poverty etc

Challenges & Opportunities

Disconnect

• Lack of understanding of the concept of

poverty / development

– Ineffective – Lack of strategy for sustainable development – Mismanagement – Wasted

• Working around conflict
• Lack of proper understanding of Islamic

faith teachings on development

• Struggle for support for ‘intangible’ causes
• Competition vs Ideology

Organisation Myopia

• 1. Understanding of Mission
• 2. Religious Charity Mentality (?)
• 3. Clarity of Issues

Confusion of Purpose of Existence

• 1. Legitimacy
• 2. Mission
• 3. Secular vs Faith
• 4. Symbiosis
• 5. ‘right’ operating model

Security

• Counter-terrorism laws & other

measures are having a significant impact on humanitarian action. (HPG, 2011)

• Linked to fundraising &

disbursement

• Conditional humanitarian funding

from donor governments

• Challenges for Peace-Building

Opportunities

• Continuous charity
• Comparative advantage – cultural

competency and moral authority

• Buffer?
• First responders in emergencies –

footprints on the ground

• Better understanding of theoretical

framework for development and peace building from an Islamic perspective

Conflict & Humanitarianism

Emergency (Disaster & Human Displacement) Poverty Human Conflict Natural Forces Inequality & Injustice Inadequate Preparation

Way Forward

New Paradigm 1

• Development without Peace is

unsustainable

• Peace building without Development is

ineffective

• Explicitly integrate peace-building

goals, systems and processes within and across all tracks – Track 1, 1.5, 2, 3

New Paradigm 2

• Better understanding of terminologies

& concepts

– Link issues with development, humanitarianism – Better mechanisms for distribution & management

• Engaging in advocacy
• Using existing channels more

effectively

• Better regulation
• Better programming and coordination

New Paradigm 3

• Capacity Building & Literacy
• Better dialogue
• Networks and partnerships
• Invest on R&D
• Long term funding
• Visits and exchange programs
• Database of practitioners
• Regional Lens

Engagement with & between

• the Governments
• Donors
• Other humanitarian actors -

Partnerships

• Community
• Private sector
• Faith organisations
• Regional bodies

Understand Zakat

• 1. Understand role, calculation and

disbursement of Zakat (wider categories such as human trafficking etc – greater discussion as development and conflict resolution tool (funding source)

• 2. Understanding tax implications /

financial regulations for Zakat

• 3. Understanding the empowering

aspect of Zakat.

Existing Channels

• 1. Providing better mechanisms for

existing tools

• 2. Use of Imams (and other means)

for advocacy

• 3. Use processes such as third party,

mediation, dialogue, arbitration

• 4. Innovative methods for existing

channels and customs (Xeer, Jirgas)

Capacity Building - 1

• Basic Islamic literacy
• Training staff in conflict resolution,

peace-building skills and concepts

• Locally develop educational

materials including a manual on Islamic Peacebuilding

• Training sessions
• Basic NGO capacity development

and management

• Coordination Mechanisms

Capacity Building 2

• Building understanding of faith &

charity within regulatory / donor bodies – develop policy

• Looking at issues of regulation (&

taxation) within Islamic charity

• Guidance on fundraising
• Improve programs in governance &

accountability

Knowledge Management

• Documentation process
• Mechanism to capture, store and

disseminate lessons learnt

• Cross organisational learning and

sharing

• Supporting action research

Key Conclusions - 1

• Any peace building effort needs

strong analysis of context from sectoral and conflict perspective – footprints of NGOs

• Integrating and synchronise efforts
• Capacity development - literacy
• Documentation and knowledge

management

Key Conclusions - 2

• Untapped potential
• Internal discussions on zakat,

poverty & so on

• External discussion on regulations

and synergy

• Innovative initiatives inculcated from

existing themes – reframe and revive

Key Conclusions - Caveat

• Understand context – role of third

parties / gender and age imbalance

• Match expectations
• Long term process

OPPORTUNITIES