Gender, Sexuality and Faith: A Toolkit

This interactive toolkit seeks to support faith communities and faith leaders working to promote social justice in relation to gender and sexuality. It was developed by the Wits Centre for Diversity Studies (WICDS), the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), and Sonke Gender Justice, with individuals, communities, and faith leaders.

The toolkit contains the following six modules:

• Sexuality and gender diversity - This module aims to offer information and debunk dangerous myths around sexuality and gender. It explains how gender and sexuality can be understood along a spectrum in an approach more reflective of the true nature of human experience.
• Sexual and reproductive health and rights - This module aims to support faith leaders and communities to understand and promote sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). It offers definition of SRHR, outlines the challenges of attaining them, and provides faith-based case studies and practical tools to promote SRHR.
• Sexual and gender-based violence - The purpose of this module is to broaden the understanding of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and to explore the ways in which it impacts people marginalised because of their gender and sexuality. The module outlines the impact of SGBV on individuals, families, and communities, and it offers insight into the ways in which gender and sexual minorities are ‘policed’ through violence.
• Women, gender and power - This module outlines some of the links between faith, gender, power, hierarchy, and socialisation, and highlights the negative consequences of patriarchy for both men and women.
• Culture, tradition and faith - This module examines how religious and cultural practices enhance human life and how some are misused to deny rights. It demonstrates that culture and tradition are not static but open to re-interpretation, reinvention, and re-imagining.
• Being accountable, becoming allies - This module explores ways that faith leaders and communities can be effective allies in advancing human rights, especially those rights related to sexual orientation and gender identity.

Modules include sections on:

• Terminology and definitions
• Key issues - highlighting challenges and opportunities.
• Case studies - highlighting faith-based programmes that address gender and sexuality.
• Activities - designed for faith leaders to use with discussion groups from their congregation. They encourage exploration and reflection on different ways to think about sexuality and gender diversity.
• Further reading - offering a wide range of further resources and information produced by others.