Act Church of Sweden works with a wide range of partners, providing project funding, partner membership and networking opportunities. Together with ACT Alliance, we also provide support through appeals.
Our Christian faith permeates our work in all that we do. Faith is an ongoing conversation - a present interaction. Faith is the foundation on which we stand together. Our work, like our faith, is an ongoing interaction between us and our partners. Our ecumenical approach is based on the desire to work for a sustainable development together. Through dialogue and advocacy, we can challenge attitudes and social norms and work for real change.
The following are partners in our networks.
The ACT Alliance secretariat is based in Nairobi and liaises with ACT members and ACT forums in the region, as well as with external stakeholders (ecumenical bodies, UN agencies and other relevant networks and actors). The secretariat coordinates communication and joint advocacy in the region, as well as supports ACT Forums in their humanitarian, development and advocacy work.
The All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) is a cooperative organization of Christian churches in Africa. The organization works to promote the Christian faith and to interpret and respond to challenges concerning human dignity. The organization supports member churches through training, experience sharing and joint advocacy.
Faith to Action Network supports faith actors empower people to live healthy, peaceful, quality lives. F2A focus on issues that faith actors are grappling with, including sexual and reproductive health and family planning; women rights and gender justice ; peaceful just and inclusive communities.
Fecclaha is a regional ecumenical organisation whose purpose is to provide a platform for the Christian councils in the region to share perspectives and advocate jointly on common challenges, especially in the area of peace and reconciliation.
INERELA+ is a network of religious leaders that either are living with HIV themselves, or have family members or relatives living with HIV. All members of the network are open about their status, which is a powerful starting point, working to reduce the shame and stigma associated with HIV and AIDS.
The LPI works in the Horn of Africa, a region largely marked by military conflict and other unrest. LPI has regional offices in Kenya, country offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan and Ethiopia. Together with partners, LPI disseminates knowledge in the region on how to work in a conflict-preventive and transformative manner through, among other things, the publication Horn of Africa Bulletin.
The Lutheran Church in Eritrea was founded in 1860 and has 15,000 members. The church carries out a number of different activities annually as part of its mission as a church. These include: conducting worship services and Sunday school and baptism, training new and young people for church missions and conducting educational activities to preserve Lutheran identity and learning, training and retraining clergy, constructing new church buildings.
Through education of so-called Mentor Mothers Siphilile aims to reach out to new and soon-to-be new mothers in their target areas. The Mentor Mothers support the mothers in their motherhood and follow up for example HIV-status and screen for postpartum depression. They are trained to identify and provide support when it comes to Sexual and gender-based violence. Siphilile is active in Eswatini.
The Act forum is a network, not an organization. The ACT forum is a network with 12 members, it's not an independent organization. The network promotes an ongoing conversation - a present interaction between the members.
EGST was jointly founded in 1997 by the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church (EKHC), the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) and the Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia (EFCE). Together, they represent virtually all the protestant evangelical churches in Ethiopia. EGST’s vision is to become an institution of academic and research excellence towards stronger churches and transformer society.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission (EOC-DICAC) was established as a development wing of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC) with the objective of enhancing the development efforts of the country by legal notice Their mission is to assist the disadvantaged communities in Ethiopia and to attain self-reliance by taking the root causes of poverty, drought, conflict, gender inequality and HIV/AIDS pandemics by promoting sustainable development programs and projects.
The Ethiopian Evangelical Church MekaneYesus (EECMY) is one of the fast-growing and the biggest Lutheran church organizations in Africa. The Ethiopian Evangelical Church MekaneYesus (EECMY) was instituted as a national Church on January 21, 1959 from the joint effort of the American and Swedish Missionaries. Currently, the church is operating throughout the country, embracing more than 10 million members in 30 Synods across Ethiopia.
NCA Ethiopia is a part of The Norwegian Church Aid globally, Norwegian Church Aid is an ecumenical aid organization for global justice. It provides humanitarian aid, works for long-term development, and seeks to influence decision-makers, businesses and religious leaders to respect human rights.
WE-Action (formerly known as Women Support Association) is a local nongovernmental organization established in 1995 with the vision of creating an environment that enables poor women to play a key role in the social and economic affairs of Ethiopia without being discriminated in utilizing their opportunities.
The LWF organization works with the refugee camps in Kakuma and Dadaab in Kenya, as well as Kismayu in Somalia. The organization is a member of the ACT Kenya and Somalia Forums. It is one of the major partners of UNHCR.
A network of Southern African and European organisations working for economic, gender and environmental justice. They do this by facilitating critical reflection on social justice practice, listening to the voices of those who are most affected by injustice, and supporting innovative and collaborative solidarity initiatives that address unjust power relations globally.
BMF is a non-profit organization, owned by the churches in South Africa. BMF monitors corporate performance against national and international measuring standards which include the Principles for Global Corporate Responsibility and the Benchmarks Principles which are shared by a number of churches and church agencies across four continents.
The Economic Justice Network of the Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa (EJN of FOCCISA) builds the capacity of a national Christian councils in Southern Africa and strengthens the councils to engage in economic justice at the national level. EJN also creates space for the Christian Councils at regional and international levels.
The Global Interfaith Network For People of All Sexes, Sexual Orientations, Gender Identities and Expressions (GIN-SSOGIE / GIN) is a global network of gender and sexual minority people of faith who use their faith traditions as a source of insight and energy to advocate for the human rights of LGBTIQ+ people globally. GIN has a specific focus on Key Affected Contexts, places where violence and power collude with religion, culture and tradition most viciously to instigate homophobic and transphobic discrimination, many of which are in the Global South.
Inclusive and Affirming Ministries was founded in 1995 on the principle that the South African struggle for liberation sought not only racial liberation but a holistic approach to justice in which all people, particularly oppressed minorities, would enjoy the fullness of the dignity and rights afforded to them in a democracy. As a result over the years, IAM draw on intersectionality as an integral approach informing our activism, advocacy and overall praxis. IAM was founded on the belief that patriarchy and religious fundamentalism fuels homophobia and excludes LGBTIQ+ people from basic human rights. IAM continue to position themselves as an alternative, constructive religious voice in Africa, taking action against these detrimental practices.
Philani is an organization that works through a mentor mother program to address maternal, child health and nutrition problems in the informal settlements surrounding Cape Town. Promote family health, focusing on the support of pregnant mothers, care for newborn babies and children as they grow, prevention of child malnutrition, the rehabilitation of underweight children as well as support of people with chronic diseases and those that are bed-ridden.
The University of KwaZulu-Natal is the educational institution that is one of the main training ground for future clergy in ELCSA (Evangelical Lutheran church of Southern Africa). The school hosts the Master Program in Gender, Religion, and Development and the Ujamaa centre and enhance and strengthen contextual community engagement, resource development, and dissemination of research.
SAFCEI is an organization for people of various religions in Southern Africa who works for an environmentally sustainable life on our planet. SAFCEI's goal is to support religious communities to achieve their environmental and socioeconomic responsibilities.
The national Forum for coordination and collaboration among ACT Alliance members in South Sudan, based in Juba. Members are working with humanitarian response, peacebuilding and development work together with local partner organizations and INGOs. The South Sudan Forum coordinates capacity building of members as well as advocacy work.
Community Development Support Service is a national Non-governmental organization based and operating in Chukudum, Eastern Equatoria, South Sudan. CDSS works for socio-economic transformation in the area, by strengthening the resilience of marginalized people and communities in Eastern Equatoria. Its work includes sustainable agricultural production and food security, peace and reconciliation, and gender equality.
FADRA is a faith based organisation established by the Dioceses if Kajo-Keji in South Sudan to carry out humanitarian, relief and development programs in its ministry of Jesus Christ.
LWF established in South Sudan in 2007, and currently has four offices in Juba, Bor, Panyagor, and Maban. In 2015, LWF focused its work on humanitarian response to refugees, in education and child protection in Unity and Upper Nile. Today, it is working long-term to strengthen local capacity for peace and reconciliation work in the area of children's rights.
Nile Hope is a national South Sudanese humanitarian non-governmental organization, established in 2004. It has been operational in South Sudan since 2006. Nile Hope has a liaison office in Juba, South Sudan and in Nairobi, Kenya. Its original Head Quarters has been at Akobo. It has offices in Bor and seven other satellite offices in the country. it is currently establishing an office in the humanitarian hub of Bentiu.
Roots of Generations is a South Sudanese women led NGO, focusing on community development, peacebuilding, and empowering women, girls, and children who are disproportionately affected by conflict and poverty.
Friends of Peace and Development Organization (FPDO)
FPDO is a voluntary, non-sectarian, non-profit and non-governmental organization established in March 19, 2003 to promote peace and development in Sudan through mobilizing resources for humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable groups and affected communities. FPDO have several offices in Sudan, including Gedaref.
The ACT Tanzania Forum is a network coordinating the work of the ACT Alliance members who are active in Tanzania. The forum is the host for the project "Waking the Giant" which aims to strengthen and equip churches and other religious actors to be at the forefront of more effective implementation of Tanzania's SDG Agenda.
The Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT) is an umbrella organization bringing together protestant denominations and church related organizations. Its mission is to promote unity and sustain spiritual and prophetic role of the Churches and serve as an instrument for advocacy, monitoring and expression of common voice on crosscutting issues for the community.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania is the second largest Lutheran church in the world and Common Work is the head office for the Church. The Church focuses on propagating the "holistic" Gospel serving the Tanzanian community through spiritual, social, economic and environmental programmes/interventions. The specific role of the ELCT head office is capacity building, advocacy and facilitation for the entire Church.
Lutheran Mission Cooperation is a joint instrument of coordination and cooperation between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania and her partners from Europe and America. 27 ELCT Dioceses, ELCT Common Work and 13 Churches and Mission Organisations from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany and the USA have formed the Lutheran Mission Cooperation to coordinate their working together in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in Tanzania but also in the northern countries.
Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service (TCRS) is carrying out a programme of humanitarian relief and development activities with refugees and marginalised poor people in Tanzania.TCRS was first operated by the Tanzanian country programme of the Lutheran World Federation's Department for World Service (LWF/DWS). It became an autonomous and independent Tanzanian registered NGO in January 2006.
Founded in 2016 by a group of women volunteers, committed to promoting human rights of girls and women, boys and men affected by war in Northern Uganda, advocate for peace, justice, and social protection of the marginalized groups/individuals through Advocacy and lobbying for quality service delivery; Providing sponsorship for education for vulnerable children/youth, Dialogues and Community sensitization; Music, Dance and Drama for trauma healing; sports and artwork; economic empowerment through Village Savings, and Loan Association Schemes (VSLA) and local businesses; Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to complement courts of law, training of religious and cultural leaders, and frontline peace mediators ‘The peace Committees’ and ‘Women Caucus’ as peace champions, Engaging Male Champions as mediators for peace.
CIVITAS was founded in 2015 operating primarily in Bidi Bidi and Palorinya refugee settlement where they have had funds from UNHCR focused on providing quality education through technology in remote refugee settlements where it is scarcely available. Three key programmatic areas that is child protection and welfare, sustainability and nutrition as well as psychosocial awareness. Simbi learn cloud is a digital library that contains the Uganda national education curriculum resources and students can access this by a shipping container powered by solar that has laptops for students as well as through a portable kit with laptops and wifi. CIVITAS also uses community based psychosocial support as well as livelihood opportunities for the communities where it operates. Successes include publishing a wide spectrum of material for information dissemination for semi-literates to professionals in a reader-friendly format ranging from primary to tertiary levels of education.
Established in 2014 to meet the needs of the population of the Kalangala Islands - one of the 84 Islands that makeup Kalangala district in the Lake Victoria region. These islands are widely scattered, remote, and difficult to access, posing significant challenges for the inhabitants who are in urgent need of social services. The primary objective is to uplift vulnerable, impoverished, isolated, and conflict-affected communities by improving their quality of life through community-based protective and economic empowerment approaches. Target population includes women, girls, boy’s adolescent youth, men, (nationals & refugees, urban refugees), adolescent youth, traumatized persons and Persons with Disabilities.
Works in Adjumani and Pariginya Refugee settlements in Northern Uganda with peace building, gender equality and GBV addressing negative social and cultural norms and applying community-based protection mechanisms. Sajas which is the leader was trained as a LWF staff by the Act CoS CBPS programme.
The LVF Department of World Service is the internationally recognized humanitarian development arm. The Lutheran World Federation (LVF) provides humanitarian aid and assists in reconstruction and development in 33 countries. World Service works with marginalized and disadvantaged groups with the greatest vulnerability and indigenous needs.
Founded in 2016 by a group of women volunteers, committed to promoting human rights of girls and women, boys and men affected by war in Northern Uganda, advocate for peace, justice, and social protection of the marginalized groups/individuals through Advocacy and lobbying for quality service delivery; Providing sponsorship for education for vulnerable children/youth, Dialogues and Community sensitization; Music, Dance and Drama for trauma healing; sports and artwork; economic empowerment through Village Savings, and Loan Association Schemes (VSLA) and local businesses; Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to complement courts of law, training of religious and cultural leaders, and frontline peace mediators ‘The peace Committees’ and ‘Women Caucus’ as peace champions, Engaging Male Champions as mediators for peace.
Established in 2019 and operating in Rwamwanja Refugee settlement works with both Refugees and host community using Community Based Psychosocial Support (CBPS) (Basic level, mainstreaming level, PMER level and Advanced level), Conflict Transformation and Peace Building Community Managed, Disaster Risk Reduction (Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change Adaptation and Ecosystem Management and Restoration), Youth engagement through forum theatre (Talent and talent development).
Rural Finance Initiative (RUFI) is a cross boarder microfinance institution incorporated in South Sudan and Uganda. Its a leading provider of tailored financial products and services offered to refugees and host communities, despite typical barriers to financial inclusion. These services include loans, money transfers, savings accounts, financial literacy training, and digitalization of Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs). Their vision is "To uplift the living standards of their clients by sustainably providing inclusive financial services.''
The Comboni Missionaries are working with the refugees and the host community focusing on empowerment through training in different fields. Their primary needs include spiritual formation and support, building peace, education, short-term livelihood development, and vocational preparation in all sectors.
The ACT Alliance Forum in Uganda has secured the position of an Advocacy Officer who will be responsible for designing the coordination and implementation of advocacy activities undertaken and/or supported by the ACT Alliance.
UNIRELA+ is a network in Uganda, and affiliated to INERELA + (see under Africa Regional) of religious leaders that either are living with HIV themselves, or have family members or relatives living with HIV. All members of the network are open about their status, which is a powerful starting point, working to reduce the shame and stigma associated with HIV and AIDS.
YEI is a youth-focused organization based in Palorinya Refugee Settlement. It has a great niche working with the targeted rightsholders (youth, refugees, and host communities).
The ACT Forum is a network, not an organization. Its members are about 12 in number, half from Zimbabwe and half from the Global North. The Forum has two staff members and they together with members and other affiliated organizations carry out a lot of activities. Their thematic focus is: climate justice, peace and gender.
ECLF promotes local peacebuilding work and post-training in conflict management and non-violence principles. ECLF helps local communities to create peace committees. The work is carried out all over the country.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ) is the Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe. It was founded by Swedish missionaries in 1903 and since then the contact has been maintained between the ELCZ and the Church of Sweden.
The Ukuthula was established in 2014 and works with local peacebuilding in southern Zimbabwe.
UTC in Harare provides basic theological education and is an ecumenical institution where, among others, the Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ), which is also the sister church of the Church of Sweden, trains its future ministers.
The Christian Council brings together more than 30 member churches and works strategically with other Christian denominations to raise the issues of human rights and human dignity and to promote nation building and national dialogue in order to rebuild trust between people and create a new social contract between citizens and the state in order to create the conditions for sustainable, inclusive peace and development.
EuroMed Rights was founded in 1997 and is a network representing human rights organization, active in 30 countries around the Mediterranean. EuroMed Rights’ mission is to develop and strengthen partnerships, on an equal footing, between civil society organizations at regional and national levels. By creating network opportunities and encouraging such civil society cooperation, EuroMed Rights aims to help them develop joint strategies, convey their shared views and visions to decision-makers and to the broader public, and ultimately increase their influence at home and abroad.
The Middle East Council of Churches is a regional ecumenical organization that brings together Churches in the Middle East for a common Christian witness in a region where Christ was born, lived, died and resurrected. MECC provides a forum for churches in the Middle East to be the common voice of the churches in the region and promote theological reflection and dialogue. MECC’s social, humanitarian and development programs work to preserve human dignity through empowering those directly or indirectly affected by conflict and crisis.
The Near East School of Theology (NEST), established in 1932, is an interconfessional Protestant Seminary serving the evangelical churches of the Middle East. NEST train pastors and church workers for ministry in the Middle East and engages in continuing education for pastors and church workers and with theological education for the public. NEST is a resource centre for the Evangelical churches and for research on Near Eastern Evangelical heritage and history.
The Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees of the Middle East Council of Churches started in 1948 as an ad-hoc ecumenical group that tended to the acute needs of the Palestinian refugees after the first Arab-Israeli war. Today, DSPR works in Jerusalem, the west Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon. DSPR works to empower people and give equal opportunities to refugees, by focusing on economic empowerment, social and economic rights, relief response and advocacy.
Starting its activities already in 1950, CEOSS is one of Egypt's oldest development organizations. The organization is dedicated to social and cultural development, individual well-being, social justice and intercultural harmony. Among other things, CEOSS engages civil society and state actors in interreligious dialogue, building social cohesion and a culture of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.
BLESS is a nationwide diaconal diocese, serving as the social development arm of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Act Church of Sweden support BLESS' extensive programme for integrated community development in poor and marginalized communities throughout Egypt.
The Daughters of St Mary is a diaconal order of nuns related to the Coptic Orthodox Church. It has convents in five different locations. Church of Sweden has cooperated with Daughters of St Mary in Ezbet El-Nakhl, Cairo, since the late 1990s. Daughters of St Mary work with the “zabaleen” or garbage workers and their families with education, health care, human rights awareness and legal counselling through a legal clinic. Act Church of Sweden supports Daughters of St Mary’s rights-based work among women and youth, as well as the mentor mother programme.
The Adyan Foundation is based in Lebanon and works regionally and globally to achieve inclusive citizenship, develop education on living together, activate religious social responsibility and promote spiritual solidarity. Adyan also works to prevent and counter violent extremism and advance freedom of religion and belief. The organisation was established in 2006 by a group of Christian and Muslim academics. Adyan has a wide range of activities in education, research, policy making, media and community engagement networks.
JORD is a humanitarian, independent, and non-profit organization established in 2012, operating in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and North-East Syria, and working in humanitarian relief sector, development, education, livelihood, child protection, and Syrian missing persons. Jord works to serve communities and participate in the development of individuals’ skills by providing educational services, developmental awareness programs, and relief activities.
Youth Speak is an international non-governmental organisation that works with young people in conflict affected areas to amplify their voices and ideas to improve their communities. Youth Speak believes that young people know best what their communities need and understands that their voices are often marginalized, particularly in times of conflict. Youth Speak brings together youth activists from conflict-affected areas to support and mentor the ideas of young people into a sustainable reality.
B’Tselem’s was founded in 1989, and since then they have been documenting, researching and publishing statistics, testimonies, video footage, position papers and reports on human rights violations committed by Israel in the Occupied Territories. The goal of the work is the realisation of a future in which human rights, liberty and equality are guaranteed to all people, Palestinian and Jewish alike, living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Such a reality is, according to B’Tselem, only possible if the Israeli occupation and apartheid regime ends. B’Tselem is an independent, non-partisan organisation. It is funded solely by donations: grants from European and North American foundations that support human rights activity worldwide, and generous contributions by private individuals in Israel and abroad.
Rabbis for Human Rights is a member organisation, founded in 1988, with over 170 members — ordained rabbis, rabbinical students, and rabbinic leaders. The organization is non-partisan and brings together rabbis from across all denominations and rabbinical schools in Israel. Rabbis for Human Rights works through accompaniment, advocacy and education to spread information about human rights in Israel and in the occupied territories, to promote the rights of vulnerable groups in society, to protect the rights of minorities in Israel as well as Palestinians in the territories, and to prevent blatant violations of the basic rights of migrant workers. The organization puts pressure on policymakers in Israel to ensure the safeguarding of human rights, including the right to healthcare, shelter, education, and a minimal standard of living.
The Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue is an interreligious organisation based in Jerusalem which promotes an inclusive society for all religious, ethnic and national groups. Through education, encounter, research and consulting, the Rossing Center promotes better relations between Jews, Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land.
Who Profits from the Israeli Occupation Industry is an independent research center dedicated to exposing the commercial involvement of Israeli and international corporations in the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Syrian lands. The information presented by Who Profits helps grassroot activists, civil society organisations and policymakers to stimulate the public conversation about the occupation economy and the global and local economic interests that play a critical role in sustaining Israeli control over occupied land.
The LWF in Jordan supports vulnerable communities by promoting dignity, inclusion, and resilience. Operating in both refugee and host community settings, LWF Jordan delivers integrated programs that focus on climate-resilient livelihoods, protection, social cohesion, and advocacy. The program prioritizes skills development, economic empowerment, and job creation through vocational training, climate-smart agriculture, and market-driven livelihood opportunities.
Dar al-Kalima University is a private, non-profit Palestinian institution of higher education dedicated to cultivating creative generations of leaders through excellence in arts, culture, and design. Dar al Kalima provides innovative, high-quality academic programs and lifelong learning grounded in critical, entrepreneurial thinking, rigorous research, and active civic engagement. In the Gaza Training Center, Dar al Kalima combines psychosocial support through art therapy and awareness-raising efforts to help children and youth deal with and overcome the traumatic experiences they are enduring.
As a member of the World Alliance of YMCAs, the EJ-YMCA is committed to a unique vision of community, based on the universal values of human dignity, peace, and justice. The EJ-YMCA is deeply rooted in the Palestinian society and runs a variety of programs based on local priorities in areas of vocational and technical training, economic empowerment and employment, rehabilitation and mental health, advocacy, youth participation, and women empowerment. With support from Act Church of Sweden, EJ-YMCA works with support to community led responses in the West Bank.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land is led by Bishop Bishop Imad Haddad and has around 2000 members in congregations in Jerusalem, Ramallah, Betlehem, Beit Sahour, Beit Jala and Amman, Jordan. The church has its roots in German and English mission and became independent in 1959. The church is a prominent actor in advocacy for a just peace in Israel and Palestine and for gender justice, as well as in the promotion of the Christian presence in the Holy land. Among other things, the church runs primary schools, a diaconal centre and an Environmental Education Centre in Beit Jala.
The Lutheran World Federation established their work in Jerusalem in order to respond to the acute needs of Palestinian refugees immediately after the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Today, LWF Jerusalem runs vocational training centres in Jerusalem and Ramallah to empower youth to live resilient lives and to access market relevant employment. LWF Jerusalem also runs the Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH), which is specialized in oncology, nephrology and diabetes. AVH is the only hospital in which Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza can access specialized health care. To preserve the multi-ethnic, multi-religious character of Jerusalem, LWF is supporting affordable housing for Palestinian Christians and ensures the overall protection of the Mount of Olives property. Church of Sweden has been a partner and supporter of LWF Jerusalem since the beginning.
Sabeel is a Palestinian Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center striving towards theological liberation through instilling the Christian faith in the daily lives of those who suffer under occupation, violence, injustice, and discrimination. Sabeel strengthens the local Christian community as it works towards restorative justice, inclusivity and non-violence. Sabeel organizes Bible study groups to study Jesus’ message in the parables. The study groups enables local Christian communities to connect their faith with current realities, provides input into the ongoing development of Palestinian Liberation Theology and shares questions that opens the Scriptures to be applied to daily life.
Association Najdeh is a secular, feminist, democratic organisation, founded at the beginning of the civil war in Lebanon in 1976. It works mainly with Palestinian women and children, and through them, the wider Palestinian refugee community in Lebanon. Najdeh provides humanitarian assistance and works with community led support in Palestinian refugee camps.
The Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development (DERD), is the charitable arm of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East (GOPA). Through offices and service centers spread across Syria, GOPA-DERD’s staff and out-reach mobile teams implement a wide range of programs, ranging from protection, livelihoods, education and health to community-based responses.
EPDC is a humanitarian and developmental, faith-based, non-profit, non-governmental, and non-political organization operating under the auspices of the Antiochian Patriarchate and throughout the East for the Syriac Orthodox, directly linked to His Holiness Patriarch Ignatius Ephrem II. EPDC began providing humanitarian services to Iraqi refugees in 2003 by offering immediate relief aid. With the onset of events in Syria, the organization resumed its activities to meet the needs of the Syrian community, working over the years to expand its service base and broaden its areas of operation. EPDC works to meet the humanitarian needs of the Syrian people without any religious, racial, regional, or sectarian discrimination. Act Church of Sweden supports EDCs work with support to community-led responses.
Act Church of Sweden and Dan Church Aid together supports Dan for Relief and Development Foundation, a Syrian non-profit organization that works to achieve stability and economic and social development by securing the basic needs of the most vulnerable groups, including children, youth, and women. The joint project aims to strengthen local communities by supporting community-led responses.
The Latin American Council of Churches (Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias, CLAI) works, among other things, on "ecumenism in action" at both regional and national levels.
LWF-DWS Central America program started during the civil war in El Salvador in 1983, Guatemala joined in 1997 after the end of the civil war. The program was extended to Honduras and Nicaragua in 2005. LWF works mainly through local partners in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and regionally.
The Society of Jesus is a Religious Order of the Catholic Church. Its members are popularly known as Jesuits. Founded by Ignatius of Loyola in 1540, it is today spread over 127 countries where 19,564 companions work for the evangelization of the world, in defence of the faith and the promotion of justice, in permanent cultural and interreligious dialogue.
Youth for Christ (JPC) aims to develop a gospel lifestyle, with values of justice, peace, solidarity, tolerance, love and respect for diversity.
The Lutheran Church in Honduras has been in existence for almost 20 years and works in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba.
Jotay is a program in Guatemala working with more than 35 local organizations. The aim is to support Guatemalan civil society actors, including churches and ecumenical organizations, in their work for gender equality, sustainable livelihoods, greater respect for human rights and peace.
The organization works via local partner Gempaz who supports women´s political participation in the peace process. Ecumenical values empowering local female leaderships and organizational strengthening are part of the ingredients in the project.
CIJP is an organization with 34 years of experience, based in communities made up of ethnic and peasant groups. It has developed the concept of "territorial global peace" whose purpose is to build peace from below based on processes of dialogue between victims and perpetrators that lead to truth, restorative justice, guarantees of non-repetition to remain in their territories.
Buisness and Human rights resource centre aims to end poverty and injustice worldwide by focusing on seven key areas. This involves working in partnership with local organisations, as well as with governments and the private sector.
Diakonia is an aid organization based on Christian values and works together with local partner organizations for lasting change for the most vulnerable people in the world.
DIPAZ is a dialogue forum of Colombian churches, Faiths Based Organizations and theological institutions working together in peacebuilding, gender justice and reconciliation process. DiPaz has a mandate recognized in the final Peace Agreement 2016 between Colombian State and ex-guerrilla group FARC-EP. DiPaz is working with the World Council of Churches and Colombia ACT Forum members in the peace process participating as an accompanying in two peace tables talks (ELN-EMC-FARC).
PUJ is the Catholic University of Colombia with the Faculty of Theology. The Faculty of Theology has existed since 1937 but has its origins in a theological institution established in the early 1600s.
The university currently has 23,000 students and is widely recognized for, among other things, the high standard of its research and for the social and technological projects it carries out in Colombia's most vulnerable regions.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (Iglesia Evangelica Luterana de Colombia - IELCO) is a member of the Lutheran World Federation and has 25 congregations served by 27 pastors, evangelists and laymen.
The Catholic University of Colombia is based on a Faculty of Theology. The Church of Sweden has been collaborating with the Faculty of Theology in a regional research project on the theme of Theology and Sexual and Reproductive Health since 2011. The University of Javeriana is widely recognized for the high standard of its research and for the social and technological projects it carries out in Colombia's most vulnerable regions.
LWF Colombia is rights-based and locally anchored in its work. They address the underlying causes of conflict in both Arauca and Chocó by working on land rights, rural development, and livelihood issues.
RNM is a network of women organizations working for 30 years in processes and implementing projects for the guarantee, promotion and defense of the rights of women in Colombia.
Women in Action for Peacebuilding seeks to "increase the effective and autonomous participation of women in the territories prioritised by the project in the formulation and implementation of public policies that guarantee women's rights, within the framework of peacebuilding and a democratic and inclusive society."
SweFOR (KRF) is a long-time partner to Act CoS and Sida in the area of Human Rights defenders protection in Colombia. This project is a financial contribution to the program "Comprehensive protection of human rights defenders in Colombia 2022-2025" implemented by SweFOR Colombia.
The SweFOR´s program in Colombia (2022-2025) focuses on promoting greater security, legitimacy and an increased space of action for human rights defenders who fight for the peace, justice and a sustainable society without violence.
LVF DWS started its program in the Caribbean in 1983 to support political refugees in the Caribbean and in the United States, and has been operating in Haiti since 1997. LVF Haiti applies a rights-based and integrated approach. The work places a strong emphasis on strengthening local capacity and people's empowerment.
Christian Aid Haiti is a Christian organization that insists the world must be swiftly changed to one where everyone can live a dignified life, free from poverty. They provide urgent, practical, and effective assistance where need is great, tackling the effects of poverty as well as its root causes.
Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe has been providing humanitarian assistance for more than 65 years. Churches and church-based organisations are united by a shared understanding of the concepts of Diakonie (social welfare), which motivates us to provide aid. DKH helps people in need as a result of conflict or disaster.
Red Jesuita con Migrantes works in the Latin American and Caribbean promoting and defending the human rights of migrants, displaced persons and more vulnerable refugees and their families addressing the structural causes and linking with other initiatives and civil and ecclesial network.
Since 1983 LWF Central America operates in Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. There, common threats to vulnerable populations include limited, fragmented economic growth; forced and voluntary migration; continued violation of basic human rights; militarization and insecurity; and natural disasters. As a response, LWF Central America conducts projects in the areas of food security, climate change, human rights and gender justice, migration, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and and humanitarian assistance. In Honduras LWF assist our work with:
We support ACT Alliance national forum in Honduras, where many organizations and churches work collaboratively in humanitarian work and disaster risk reduction.
Works against violence using art and theater, with students in educational centers. They also work with advocacy and trainings to strengthen the protection capacities of women's rights organizations and provide with case management.
The Lutheran Church in Honduras has been in existence for almost 20 years and works in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba. They work with diaconia and social justice matters including migration, gender justice, risk preparedness.
A feminist organization of women believers in several faiths. They work with youth activists on battle against religious fundamentalism affecting women’s rights. They have an observatory taking notes of cases of violence against women.
An organization working with the Lencas indigenous groups on prevention of gender-based violence. CoS is supporting them to work with capacity building and institutional strengthening, they provide consultations with lawyers and psychologists.
Foro de Mujeres por la Vida is an articulation or platform of women's organizations and unorganized women, who have been joining forces since 2003, with the aim of merging experiences and forces in the defense of women's human rights in the northern part of the country. Since its inception, the Forum is proposed as a pilot experience that links women of diverse thoughts and articulates organizations that promote processes from the grassroots, aimed at achieving a better life for women. This space allows accompaniment, from diverse experiences, in the tasks of training, analysis, debate and proposals on specific problems; maintaining a policy of respect and tolerance for the differences of each one. It is a space that brings together the strengths and creativity of each organization, from sharing and making the road together.
Jotay is a joint program of four organisations: Norwegian Church Aid, Act Church of Sweden, Bread for the World and the Lutheran World Federation. A common foundation is the ecumenical identity, and it aims to mobilize and encourage faith-based civil leadership to promote human rights in Guatemala and to challenge the foundations of social injustice.
The work is based on flour areas: Gender justice, Enviromental management, human rights and humanitarian aid . The joint program Jotay supports more than 25 local partners spread through Guatemala. Some examples of these organisations are:
IBC provides civil society leaders (mainly churches) tools for democratic participation. Training and publications support leaders in their analysis of key societal problems and possible solutions - not least on environmental and natural resource extraction issues - and strengthen their capacity to take a stand and act to claim their rights and influence decisions that affect them, not least at the local level.
Is an organisation that works to develop children and adolescents’ capacities against violence, develops adult capacities for treatment, care and gender equity. Their work covers production of programs, teaching materials, training of educators and technicians, institutions and networks as well as biblical-theological reflection. CLAVES also produces awareness campaigns with children and adolescents.
Faculdades EST- ISAEC is a training and research centre in Brazil. Its overall objective is to promote academic education and foster scientific research in the humanities and applied social sciences, linguistics, languages, arts and health.
ILCO, the Lutheran Church, is a small church in Costa Rica that is active in advocacy and social work for the most vulnerable people in Costa Rica.
Is an organisation which supports human rights defenders in developing their security and protection management strategies.
RDRS is one of Bangladesh’s leading civil society organisations, working to strengthen the rights, resilience and opportunities of vulnerable and marginalised people to live with dignity. Particular emphasis is placed on young people’s participation and future opportunities.
Act Church of Sweden and RDRS have been partners since 1972. Since 2024, we have worked together on resilience-building and education initiatives for Rohingya refugees and host communities in Cox’s Bazar, as part of our support for people displaced from Myanmar. During crises and disasters, RDRS is generally our partner for humanitarian response in Bangladesh.
The Henry Martyn Institute (HMI), also known as the Henry Martyn Institute: International Centre for Research, Interfaith Relations and Reconciliation, is an ecumenical Christian organisation working towards reconciliation among people of different faiths. It combines academic research and reflection with practical work on dialogue, conflict prevention and conflict transformation to promote peaceful coexistence and interfaith relations.
LWSIT works with local communities to strengthen climate resilience, gender equality and sustainable livelihoods. Through the Climate Resilience and Gender Inclusive Project (CRGI), women, marginalised groups and local organisations are supported in strengthening their ability to respond to climate change, improve their incomes and increase their influence over decisions affecting their lives.
Schumacher Society Delhi mobilises individuals and organisations to counter fundamentalism and the oppression of minorities in India. Its activities include publishing studies on current issues related to these challenges. During 2025–2026, Act Church of Sweden has supported a project focusing on gender equality and freedom of religion or belief.
The Christian Study Centre in Rawalpindi is a centre for study and practical initiatives supporting Christians in Pakistan in the areas of ecumenism, interfaith dialogue and interreligious engagement. It has a strong network of churches, civil society organisations and Muslim organisations across the country. In 2026, Act Church of Sweden supports theological education for laypeople and stronger ecumenical cooperation, enabling churches to take a proactive role in interfaith relations and related issues.
Norwegian Church Aid is an ecumenical aid organisation working for global justice. It supports humanitarian response, long-term development cooperation and advocacy targeting decision-makers, religious leaders and the private sector. Its office in Pakistan coordinates this work and supports local and national organisations in the country.
CWSA is a regional humanitarian, development and advocacy organisation headquartered in Pakistan. Together, we work to strengthen civic space, promote quality and accountability, and build communities’ capacity to respond to climate-related and other challenges. A central part of this work is supporting marginalised groups, tackling inequality and enabling people to live safe, dignified and resilient lives.
Based in Peshawar, this network of religious leaders works to advance minority rights, including through advocacy. It also trains religious leaders on interfaith relations, climate issues and gender. Act Church of Sweden provides core support to the partner through Norwegian Church Aid in Pakistan.
Blue Veins is a civil society organisation based in Peshawar that works on health issues, including women’s health and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), as well as peaceful coexistence between local religious communities. Act Church of Sweden supports its work on peaceful coexistence.
Rozan is a national organisation working on a broad range of gender issues, including masculinities, as well as children’s rights. Act Church of Sweden supports its work on gender issues.
CSSP is a local civil society organisation working on a broad range of development issues, including gender equality. It facilitates a network involving local authorities, including the police, and other organisations to address issues such as gender-based violence. Act Church of Sweden supports this work to reduce gender-based violence.
ECPAT Philippines works on children’s rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), with a particular focus on advocacy to combat the sexual exploitation of children. It is recognised nationally for its expertise in tackling online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC). Act Church of Sweden has supported its work against OSAEC.
Founded in 1963, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) is an ecumenical fellowship of Protestant and other non-Roman Catholic churches in the Philippines. Its work includes peacebuilding, gender issues, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and climate resilience. Act Church of Sweden specifically supports its work on climate resilience and SRHR.
Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) is a Philippine Catholic church founded in 1902 as part of the country’s independence movement against Spanish and American colonial rule. With between six and eight million members, it is one of the most influential churches in the ecumenical movement. IFI has had a concordat with the Church of Sweden since 1995, meaning that the two churches are in full communion with one another.
Together with Act Church of Sweden, IFI has worked to change harmful social norms and prevent violence and abuse, including online child sexual abuse. The partnership also focuses on organisational strengthening, including developing policies to promote greater inclusion of women and LGBTQI+ people and to strengthen the protection of children and young people within the church.
Bahay Tuluyan is a children’s rights organisation working to protect and promote the rights of children in vulnerable situations. The organisation runs several programmes to strengthen child safeguarding in different settings. Its work includes developing child protection policies and practices and promoting safe environments for children.
Bahay Tuluyan is registered, licensed and accredited by the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Kanlungan sa Er-Ma works to protect, support and empower children in vulnerable situations, particularly those affected by violence, abuse, exploitation and online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC). Through its Protection, Recovery, Prevention and Participation Program (PPRP), the organisation combines direct support for affected children with prevention, family-strengthening initiatives, psychosocial support and advocacy. The programme aims to create safe environments for children, strengthen local child protection systems and enable children to recover, participate in decisions that affect them, and live with dignity and hope for the future.
Aglipay Central Theological Seminary (ACTS) is a theological seminary in Pangasinan province that trains priests for the IFI church. Human rights, including gender issues and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), are integrated into its teaching. The seminary also provides training in prison chaplaincy. Act Church of Sweden supports all these activities.
In Myanmar, we work with five partner organisations to strengthen people’s opportunities to build a safe and sustainable future. Together, we support livelihoods, disaster risk reduction and the capacity of local communities to respond to challenges.
Gender equality, human rights, freedom of religion or belief, and women’s rights are central to our work. We support research on gender issues, strengthen churches’ knowledge and engagement on gender and climate issues, and contribute to improved maternal and postnatal care. Through our partners, we also work to ensure that more children are registered at birth and receive birth certificates, which are essential for accessing their rights and public services. We support local networks and human rights defenders who document human rights violations and strengthen local actors’ capacity to defend and promote human rights, including freedom of religion or belief.
For security reasons, and to protect our partner organisations and their staff, we cannot disclose the names of our partners.
The Christian Conference of Asia is a regional ecumenical organisation with approximately 100 members, including national councils of churches, churches and other Christian organisations across Asia and Oceania. It works to promote cooperation among churches, global justice, freedom of religion or belief, and gender equality. Act Church of Sweden provides support in response to identified needs. In 2025, this included support for a conference on freedom of religion or belief.
SAFFoRB brings together civil society organisations across South Asia to promote freedom of religion or belief. It strengthens the capacity of local organisations, facilitates networking and publishes reports, including reports relating to the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process. Act Church of Sweden provides core support to the organisation.
Act Church of Sweden is obliged to be fully accountable for its own staff and the manner in which work is performed.
Regional offices are a key part of Act Church of Sweden’s localisation approach, accompanying partners, coordinating programmes, and shifting decision‑making closer to affected communities.
