Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 07 March 2024

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters.

Globally, Government Restrictions on Religion Reached Peak Levels in 2021, While Social Hostilities Went Down

Among the Pew Research Center’s key findings:

• The global median level of government restrictions on religion ticked up to 3.0 in 2021 from 2.8 in 2020 on the Government Restrictions Index, a 10-point scale of 20 indicators. This was the highest global median score since we began tracking restrictions in 2007.
• 55 countries (28% of the total) had “high” or “very high” levels of government restrictions in 2021, down slightly from 57 countries (29%), a level reached in 2020, 2019 and 2012. (The median index score for all countries rose anyway, partially because there were slightly more increases in index scores than decreases among the 198 countries and territories analyzed.)
• Religious groups faced harassment by governments in 183 countries in 2021, the largest number since the study began. Governments interfered in worship in 163 countries, down slightly from 164 in 2020 but still close to the all-time high.

Analyst Comments:

This Pew study provides useful information for Faith-Based Organizations with overseas operations.

FBOs can also get information on overseas threats at the  US Department of State’s Travel Advisories (state.gov) website. The State Department advisories can help FBO’s plan, or even cancel, overseas operations.

Enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) (state.gov) provides the following:

• Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.
• Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
• Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.

On a personal note, this analyst enrolled in the STEP program and received several State Department emails with specific, up-to-the-minute safety concerns for countries while I was in country. The information was very useful and potentially averted dangerous encounters with specific hazards.

These State Department programs can be very helpful to FBOs with overseas operations and members with overseas travel.  

DOJ Community Safety Update for Jewish Community Stakeholders

From the Zoom for Government website:

Date & Time

Mar 8, 2024 11:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Description

Over the last several months, members of the Jewish community have faced a surge in violence and violent threats targeting individuals and community spaces. The Justice Department remains vigilant in combating hate crimes that target individuals based on their religion, race, color, ethnicity, or national origin.

To continue bringing together stakeholders to support our shared goal of preventing, disrupting, and prosecuting illegal acts motivated by hate-fueled antisemitism, this 30-minute webinar will feature speakers from the Justice Department, including Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke (Civil Rights Division), Deputy Director Paul Abbate (FBI), and Director Justin Locke (Community Relations Service).

Speakers will provide an overview of what the Civil Rights Division, FBI, and CRS have been doing to bolster community safety. Specifically, the webinar will present the current threat environment, direct stakeholders to critical safety resources, and allow stakeholders an opportunity to ask questions. We hope you can join us.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to take part in this event, please contact

 crt.reasonableaccommodations@usdoj.gov by Monday, March 4.

New Mitigation Guide for Working with Faith-Based Organizations

From the 8-page FEMA guide:

This Guide to Expanding Mitigation is meant to prompt connections between leaders in hazard mitigation and in faith-based and religious communities. It is for hazard mitigation and emergency management professionals who want to learn more about engaging faith-based organizations in hazard mitigation. It is also for people leading and serving in religious organizations who want to learn more about how to help reduce risks and protect their communities.

PDF: Guide to Expanding Mitigation, Making the Connection to Faith-Based

The guide covers the following topics:

• SUPPORTING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
• FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS ADVANCE HAZARD MITIGATION EFFORTS
• FOR MITIGATION PROFESSIONALS: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
• FOR RELIGIOUS AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS: WORKING TO MITIGATE RISKS
• GRANTS AND FUNDING
• RESOURCES

Analyst Comments:

Faith-Based Organizations should consider reviewing this guide to facilitate outside assistance, and improve mitigation efforts and grant applications.