| Summary | Empowering women and meeting women's needs for education and health, including reproductive health, were identified as core development objectives at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). This United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report argues that partnerships between the UNFPA and faith-based organisations are instrumental in creating local ownership of the ICPD Programme of Action. Drawing on case studies from nine countries - Brazil, Cambodia, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Malawi, Uganda and Yemen - the report shows how an engagement with religious leaders has placed reproductive health and rights on the agenda of many religious organisations. As a result, issues considered taboo before ICPD, such as early marriage, female genital cutting, and reproductive rights, are now being discussed publicly within religious institutions. The case studies demonstrate that religious leaders are open to discussions on the ICPD Programme of Action if approached with sensitivity. One of the most effective approaches is to provide religious leaders with evidence-based information on issues such as child and maternal mortality rates, incidences of violence against women, and HIV/AIDS prevalence rates. Importantly, joint programming with religious and faith-based organisations should be an ongoing process that extends beyond a single programme cycle.
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