§ Mr. GoodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list projects involving faith communities which are supported by her Department. [71850]
§ Clare ShortA full account of projects supported through my Department with faith communities is not held centrally. To provide full details would involve disproportionate cost.
Through DFID country programmes we are supporting initiatives through faith based groups in the provision of services (health, micro credit); in peace-building processes; relief, rehabilitation and disaster preparedness; and in election monitoring and voter education.
We are also providing £7.8 million during 2002–03 to faith based organisations in the UK (Christian Aid, CAFOD and CIIR) through Partnership Programme Agreements. One of the aims of the Christian Aid and CAFOD agreements is to strengthen a global alliance of Christian Churches and other faith groups to eradicate poverty.
In developing faith-specific literature to promote awareness of the Millennium Development Goals and development issues, a series of booklets have been co-produced with a number of faith based groups: Christian (Protestant and Catholic), Jewish, Islamic and Sikh.
We are also supporting 26 projects with UK faith based organisations in a variety of sectors through the Civil Society Challenge Fund—total value £1.5 million in 2002–03. Details are as follows: