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Press Release
14 March 2005
Islamic agencies play vital role in fighting poverty - Thomas
International Development Minister Gareth Thomas hosted a
seminar to improve the links between DFID and Islamic aid agencies in the UK.
He said Islamic aid agencies play a vital role in fighting
world poverty.
The seminar was jointly organised by DFID and the Muslim
Council of Britain and discussed how department and Islamic agencies can:
- Support projects and programmes in developing countries;
- develop education and awareness issues amongst the Muslim community in the UK; and
- address broader issues about fund raising and organisational structures.
After the seminar, Mr Thomas said:
“It’s essential that we build a stronger partnership
between DFID and Islamic agencies.
“Faith-based groups play a very important part in working
towards the Millennium Development Goals, as well as when an emergency like the
tsunami happens.
“We already have good relations with the Muslim Council
of Britain and Muslim Aid.”
Other organisations invited to the seminar were: UK Islamic Mission,
Interpal Palestinians Relief & Development, Islamic Relief, Ummah Welfare Trust, Muslim Hands
International, Muslim Care, Human Appeal International, Human Aid, World
Federation of KSIMC and Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith UK.
“The seminar was a constructive and valuable part in
building on and improving our partnership with these organisations,” added Mr
Thomas.
Over the years, DFID has provided £3.6m in humanitarian
relief and development to Islamic Relief, an organisation dedicated to
alleviating the suffering of the world’s poorest people. The department’s support for Islamic Relief falls into three main
categories:
- Long-term development work totalling £1.6m including:
- £80,000 for an education project in Palestine;
- £80,000 for a mother and child health project in Bangladesh;
- £200,000 for a community development project in Mali; and
- £1.3m for a health programme in Neelum Valley, Pakistan.
- Emergency relief and rehabilitation of almost £2m including:
- £600,000 for post-tsunami relief work in Sri Lanka and
- £1.2m for relief and rehabilitation work in Afghanistan.
- Development awareness work including:
- In partnership with DFID, the Muslim Council of Britain and Muslim Aid, Islamic Relief contributed to the booklet “Target 2015 Halving World Poverty: a shared vision of reducing world poverty, British Government and British Muslim charities working to realise the common good.”
- Research on the possibility of producing development awareness materials for secondary schools that include Islamic perspectives and address development challenges in the Muslim world.
