An introductory note on FMR 48, 'Faith and Responses to Displacement', from the Editors.

In the Central African Republic, where religion has been used as a tool to divide and manipulate the population, religious leaders have come together to promote tolerance and forgiveness as a basis for rebuilding peaceful cohabitation.

Faith leaders, faith-based organisations and local faith communities play a major role in the protection of people affected by conflict, disaster and displacement. Humanitarians, however, have only recently begun to fully appreciate their protection work.

Friendship and compassionate companionship with the most vulnerable provide a powerful type of humanitarian service giving priority to personal accompaniment.

Local faith communities are able to offer assistance to asylum seekers in ways that faith-based organisations, constrained by eligibility criteria, are not.

Spiritual life is a priority in many conflict-affected communities. It is rarely prioritised by aid agencies, yet may be central to the formation and maintaining of strong and effective cross-community relationships.

Faith-based organisations take from their religious traditions both strong motivations & access to a long history of thinking concerning social and political issues. This can make them ideally placed to fill the gaps in the implementation of human rights

There is good reason to engage faith-based organisations and local faith communities in humanitarian response but doing so raises challenging issues for the interpretation of humanitarian principles in what some see as a post-secular age.

CAFOD’s ability to partner with other FBOs and communities brings significant advantages for its work with displaced people. However, modern-day humanitarianism does not always sit comfortably alongside some of the practices of the major religions.

Catholic Social Teaching’s emphasis on the dignity of the human person is a lens that Catholic institutions use to evaluate how we as a global society enhance or threaten the dignity of the human person, especially the most vulnerable of people.