What is FPCC? Conceived in 2018, the Faith and Positive Change for Children, Families and Communities Initiative (FPCC) aims to move beyond single-sector, single-faith, small-scale, ad-hoc and sometimes instrumentalist approaches of faith engagement in development and humanitarian work.
FPCC is an initiative with three main partners and multiple collaborating partners around the world. Alongside UNICEF, Religions for Peace, International (RfP) is the interfaith convening partner for the global initiative. The Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI) is the knowledge partner for the initiative. JLI also helps to bring the coordinated voice and inputs ofFBOs into the partnership initiatives.
Watch Introductory video on FPCC here
The FPCC model incorporates three main components:
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Faith-centered research and mapping to ensure evidence-based and contextually-appropriate approaches.
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Experiential training of FPCC facilitators to ensure interactive and reflective Mind-Heart Dialogue approaches to address issues affecting children.
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Establishment of sustainable inter-faith coordination and partnership mechanisms for on-going planning, implementation and oversight.
At country level this includes faith groups, FBOs and UNICEF Country Office staff linked to existing Country-level Inter-religious Councils. At Regional level, Tripartite Advisory groups (RfP, JLI/FBOs and UNICEF are being established to guide and support the roll-out of FPCC.
FPCC was first piloted in ESAR (East and Southern Africa), and WCAR (West and Central Africa) and is now being replicated in other regions: ROSA (South Asia); MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and LACR (Latin America and the Caribbean). Elements of FPCC are also being implemented in ECAR (Europe and Central Asia)with primary focus on Migrants and Refugees and in EAPR (East Asia and Pacific). Click here to learn more .
RECENT EVENTS
8th to 10th May 2022, South Asia Regional Faith Engagement Forum, Nepal Kathmandu: The Asian Conference of Religions for Peace (Religions for Peace-Asia); UNICEF South Asia Regional Office (ROSA); Religions for Peace, International; Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI), UNICEF HQ organised the first South Asia Regional Strategic Faith Engagement Forum for Positive Change for Children, Families and Communities (the Forum) from the 8 to 10 May 2022 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The Forum brought together 100 faith leaders, faith-based organizations and UNICEF South Asia teams to develop a South Asia Regional Faith Engagement Strategy. This event built on the initial consultations held virtually during the South Asia High-Level Forum for Faith Actors on 8 December 2021 where the participants from the region made a commitment to work together on system strengthening of local faith communities for positive change for children, families and communities in South Asia. See the statement here
8th December 2021, South Asia Regional High-Level Meeting of Faith Actors held virtually where over 100 religious leaders and faith actors convened and made commitments towards collaboration for the development of a South Asia Regional Strategy on Faith Engagement for Children. See the statement here
November and December 2021 Mind and Heart Dialogue Facilitators' Training, Africa: In November and December 2021, over 80 Inter-Religious Council (IRC) and Faith-Based Organization (FBO) nominees from eight countries in Africa (Burkina Faso, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Zambia) were trained as national Mind-Heart Dialogue teams and equipped to support the Faith and Positive Change for Children (FPCC) initiative in their country. Facilitators were from diverse faiths and included male faith leaders, women of faith and youth. Their role will be to support their IRC to set up an Multi-Faith Advisory Committee on Children that brings faith leaders, FBOs and UNICEF together to find shared priorities and partner to support positive change for children. They will integrate Mind-Heart Dialogue into its internal structures and mechanisms; as well as being deployed to facilitate for diverse groups around the Committee’s priorities. See full report here
5 DECEMBER 2020 - In response to the ‘Info-demic’ and other social challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Faith and Positive Change for Children, Families and Communities (FPCC) hosted its first of six COVID-19 training webinars for religious leaders and faith-based organizations (FBOs) in Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR) on 10 and 11 November, 2020. Spaced over two months, the webinar series aims to equip multi-faith actors to address harmful myths and rumors, counteract stigma and discrimination and violence against children, and strengthen partnerships with each other and UNICEF to improve the wellbeing of children, families and communities.
According to Dr. Francis Kuria, head of the African Council of Religious Leaders - Religions for Peace (ACRL-RfP), “this event is a significant moment in the journey ACRL has been taking with UNICEF and Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI), when, for the first time the FPCC Initiative is moving from strategy, pilots and backend designs and planning at global and regional level to the actual frontlines.”
In Rwanda, children sit in a Circle of Dialogue to discuss important social issues such as health, hygiene, sanitation and HIV.