Testify and alert on the needs of the most vulnerableة
Through its field actions to help the poorest in France and in the world, Secours Islamique France witnesses extreme poverty, social exclusion, lack of access to essential services and violations of international humanitarian law. Faced with such situations, Secours Islamique France cannot remain silent and must alert the international community over the living conditions of the most vulnerable. The main objective of our advocacy is to facilitate and complement our field work by addressing the root causes of the needs of civilians, by removing any obstacles to humanitarian action and by increasing the impact of our interventions in the long run.
Advocacy is therefore a crucial link between humanitarian activities in developing countries and the search for a solution on a global scale. Through partnerships with other organisations, Secours Islamique France strives to raise awareness, mobilise the media, and especially influence political decision-makers to promote positive and sustainable change on an issue or to ensure that national and international policies get implemented. Advocacy activities may take the form of analytical reports, letters to decision-makers, petitions, press releases, comment pieces, conferences, high-level meetings, street mobilisations or actions on social media.
Access to water and sanitation
In partnership with the Water Coalition, the Butterfly Effect, and the French Water Partnership, Secours Islamique France carries out advocacy activities in order to ensure access to water and sanitation for everyone. Secours Islamique France was mobilised on this issue at the World Water Forums in Istanbul in 2009 and in Marseille in 2012, as well as during Budapest Water Summit in 2013. In 2012, Secours Islamique France published a report entitled: «Besides those excluded from access to water». Based on Secours Islamique France’s field experience in Chad, this report emits recommendations for inclusive, efficient and sustainable use of water resources.
Nutrition and Food Security
In 2012, Secours Islamique France raised awareness on the severe food crisis in the Sahel region. In 2014, along with 7 other NGOs in France, Secours Islamique France launched the Generation Nutrition campaign which aims at challenging the decision-makers and mobilising the public to end malnutrition-related deaths within one generation.
Childhood Protection
In 2013, Secours Islamique France published a report entitled «Children confronted to the Haitian reality», and organised a conference to discuss the measures needed to tackle family separation and child abandonment in Haiti.
Respect of International Humanitarian Law and protection of civilians
Secours Islamique France is an active member of different humanitarian networks in France and abroad (such as Coordination SUD, VOICE, etc.) in order to:
- Alert, along with other international actors, on the scale of humanitarian needs in different crisis situations (Syria, Mali, Philippines etc.);
- Call for respect of humanitarian principles of independence, neutrality and impartiality of aid;
- Denounce violations of international humanitarian law, especially in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. For World Refugee Day on 20th June 2014, Secours Islamique France published a report entitled Surviving beyond Syria, which calls upon the international community to come forward and assist refugees from Syria and vulnerable host communities in Lebanon.
Fight against poverty and social exclusion in France
In France, Secours Islamique France denounces the increasing poverty and social exclusion. On a regular basis, it calls upon the French government to increase the number of slots available in emergency accommodation centres all year long with suitable responses adapted to the different profiles of beneficiaries.
