This paper analyses the experience of Islamic Relief in working with and for refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Although much relief work is carried out by faith-based organisations worldwide, and although religious identity is often an important factor in understanding communities, little work has been done to examine the work of faith-based organisations in the field of refugee assistance. This paper attempts to fill part of that gap by examining the work of Islamic Relief as a faith-based organisation providing assistance to refugees and IDPs in multiple and diverse contexts. The investigation concludes that in many cases Islamic Relief has an advantage over secular, Western and non-Muslim faith-based organisations in working with Muslim communities. However, in certain contexts, being identified as a ‘Muslim organisation’ may also complicate the experience of gaining entry into communities, especially with regard to local authorities and other international NGOs.

The ‘debt’ of the world’s poorest countries is currently estimated to stand at $2.7 trillion. Since 1996, the world’s 66 poorest countries have paid a total of over $230 billion to service their foreign debt - this amount far exceeds any aid they have received. Indeed, indebted countries are paying around $118 million every day in interest and principal payments - although payments far greater than the original loan amount have already been made. Debt is one of the principal causes of poverty; it has hampered the economic development of indebted countries and prevented them from investing in essential services such as healthcare and education. Are there any additional insights that can be gained through analysing the debt crisis from an Islamic perspective? Are there any specific Islamic teachings and guidance that Muslims can refer to when considering solutions? This paper examines Islamic teachings on debt and, with references from the Qur’an and ahadith, argues that for Muslims there are indeed strong and clear faith-based reasons for advocating debt cancellation.

The purpose of this document is to show how microfinance programmes based on Islamic financing principles can be established. It is hoped that this may encourage the provision of microfinance services that conform to Islamic financing principles and eventually, of course, the use of these services by microentrepreneurs. As well as providing a theoretical framework outlining the tenets upon which Islamic financing is based, this document provides practical advice on how such a programme may be structured: guidelines that can be followed when implementing a microfinance programme; as well as advice upon programme monitoring and evaluation. The target audience is organisations that wish to provide microfinance services that conform to Islamic financing principles. This document is, primarily, a practical manual written from a practitioner’s perspective. The document is available to download in both English and French

Poverty

We understand poverty as a being a multidimensional phenomenon, with a special focus on capability deprivation. Poverty encompasses not only material deprivation (that can be measured by income or consumption), but also forms of deprivation such as unemployment, ill health, lack of education, vulnerability, powerlessness, and social exclusion.

We believe that poverty and environmental degradation are closely linked. The causes of environmental degradation disproportionately affect the poor, while poverty also accelerates environmental destruction. In Islam, Muslims are encouraged to reflect on the relationship between living organisms and their environment and to maintain the balance created by God. Mankind is the guardian of the earth and as such has a duty to protect it and also to ensure its posterity for future generations in the spirit of inter-generational equity. Islamic Relief believes that we all have a responsibility to maintain the balance of the earth, especially as disruption of this balance is causing widespread suffering amongst the world’s poorest people. Protection of the environment is therefore crucial to Islamic Relief both as one of the Islamic principles on which we are founded, and also because of its importance for poverty reduction.

We believe that HIV–AIDS and poverty are intrinsically linked. People living in poverty are more vulnerable to the disease and those living with the disease more vulnerable to ever deepening poverty. The disease can affect every aspect of a person’s life from their ability to access education to their ability to earn a living. As well as developing and implementing programmes that aim to reduce people’s exposure to HIV and to halt the spread of the disease, Islamic Relief aims to use our position to influence other parties and, where relevant, to educate people about the reality of the pandemic.

International debt is crippling developing countries and trapping them in a cycle of poverty. The world’s poorest countries are currently paying back millions of dollars in debt repayments to banks, lending agencies and the governments in developed countries while simultaneously struggling to provide basic services, such as health and education, for their people. To enable developing countries to escape from poverty and in the interests of justice, Islamic Relief advocates that bankruptcy procedures are created for countries that are unable to repay their loans; that all un-payable debt is cancelled by fair and transparent means, and the resources that are freed are monitored to ensure they are used for social welfare purposes; that all ‘odious’ debt is cancelled; and that creditor countries and institutions should re-evaluate their past and present lending practices to avoid future undue indebtedness.

More than half a million women a year die during pregnancy or child birth, and many more women suffer serious injuries which if untreated can cause life-long pain and humiliation. Poor reproductive health, therefore, puts the lives and health of millions of women at risk, and without serious improvements in the provision of reproductive healthcare there will be little progress towards reducing maternal or infant mortality rates. The majority of Islamic Relief’s reproductive health work will, therefore, concentrate on meeting and advocating for the needs of women and girls. Our focus is on providing comprehensive information on reproductive health, supporting the provision of health care facilities and advocating against unsafe beliefs and practices.

Trade has the potential to lift both individuals and countries out of poverty, as well as contributing to the problems and inequalities they face. At present the international trading system is an un-level playing field that unfairly disadvantages the poorest countries and is pushing many of them deeper into poverty. Islamic Relief will work towards a more just world trade system, implement an internal fair trade policy and utilise its successful livelihood projects to produce items that are marketable and ethically produced and traded.