Reflections on the Role of Faith Actors in Refugee Responses

Abstract The growing global refugee crisis is a challenge for dignity and human solidarity. Aware of the shared religious narrative about the respect of human dignity and solidarity with the most vulnerable people, UNHCR has engaged faith-based actors, as organizations, local communities, and leaders, into the response to this crisis. This role of faith-based actors has been recognized by the Global Compact on Refugees, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018, which has led to further religious and interreligious initiatives in assisting refugees and host communities, including conflict prevention, reconciliation, and peacebuilding. The paper presents, from the UNHCR perspective, the framework for faith-based engagement in refugee responses, the identified challenges for collaboration in this field, as well as UNHCR ’s actual priority areas for religious engagement.