Universal development discourse has long emphasized economic growth, infrastructure, and material well-being as the primary makers of progress. While these dimensions are crucial, they often overlook the holistic needs of individuals and communities—particularly, women and girls, whose empowerment depends not only on material resources but also on dignity, voice, and agency. Faith traditions across the globe, by contrast, have for centuries shaped moral values, community structures, and social norms. A notable example is the concept of Integral Human Development, articulated in Catholic social teaching and captured majorly in Populorum Progressio (The Development of Peoples). It emphasizes the flourishing of the whole person and every person, recognizing that true development is not merely economic growth but the transformation of life in all its aspects: spiritual, cultural, social, political, and ecological.
In the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), one can affirm that faith-inspired approaches offer unique opportunities to transcend purely material development paradigms by integrating spiritual, ethical, and relational angles of human well-being. At the same time, they raise important questions, particularly when religion is misinterpreted to justify exclusion or restrict women’s participation. Thus, the challenge is not whether faith has a role in development, but how faith actors and institutions can contribute to more integrated, inclusive, and transformative models of progress.
Conventional development strategies often focus on material indicators such as income, infrastructure, literacy, and health outcomes. While critical, these metrics alone cannot capture the full spectrum of human dignity and flourishing. A faith-inspired perspective insists that true empowerment must include moral, spiritual, and relational dimensions (Marshall & Van Saanen, 2007). For women, this means not only access to education and finance, but also affirmation of their intrinsic worth, personhood, and leadership. In theory, this aligns with Amartya Sen’s capability approach, which highlights expanding people’s freedoms to live lives they value (Sen, 1999). This in practice resonates with faith-rooted values of compassion, justice, and stewardship that nurture peace, social cohesion, and human dignity.
Faith actors and institutions are uniquely positioned to advance inclusive development. First, they enjoy deep trust within communities, often reaching places where governments and NGOs cannot. Second, their teachings and practices provide ethical frameworks that can challenge harmful norms and mobilize change. In Nigeria, for example, interfaith coalitions addressing farmer–herder conflicts have combined peacebuilding with women’s empowerment. By drawing on shared spiritual values, these coalitions have enabled women to act as mediators, fostering reconciliation and ensuring food security (Francis, 2021). Similarly, Muslim and Christian leaders have reframed girls’ education as both an essential duty and a pathway to community well-being, thereby breaking cultural resistance.
Faith-inspired development has also shaped policy globally. Organizations such as Religions for Peace, Islamic Relief Worldwide, and Caritas Internationalis among others have actively engaged with the United Nations on issues such as gender, climate justice, and migration. These initiatives highlight the potential of faith actors to bridge local realities with universal frameworks, including the SDGs. Hence, the reality of women remaining disproportionately affected by poverty, violence, and exclusion, makes empowerment of women and girls both a practical necessity and a moral imperative. Faith-inspired development initiatives, when guided by inclusive theological interpretations, have proven powerful in challenging systemic inequalities. A compelling example at the grassroots level, is the Nuns on the Frontlines initiative in Nigeria.
With the training received in peacebuilding and conflict management through the Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace (COFP) Fellowship and supported by the Conrad Hilton Foundation, these Catholic sisters combine their spiritual authority with practical skills in mediation, enabling them to address community disputes while also empowering and mentoring young people in leadership roles. The outcome has not only reduced violence but also created a gradual shift in perceptions of women as legitimate leaders in both religious and public spheres (Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace, 2023). In Kenya, faith leaders have successfully campaigned against child marriage and female genital mutilation by reframing these practices as inconsistent with both spiritual and human dignity (UNICEF, 2020). Post-genocide reconciliation programs led by faith groups in Rwanda integrated spiritual care with psychosocial and economic support. Women survivors, through church and mosque-based initiatives, not only found healing but also pathways to economic self-reliance (Uwineza & Pearson, 2018).
These examples reveal how faith-inspired approaches advance development beyond the confines of a single SDG. Women’s empowerment initiatives led by faith communities simultaneously strengthen peace and justice (SDG 16), gender equality (SDG 5), climate action (SDG 13), and poverty reduction (SDG 1). Yet challenges remain. The SDGs are grounded in universal human rights and secular frameworks, while some religious traditions still cling to restrictive gender norms. To reconcile these tensions, engagement with faith actors must be both critical and collaborative, celebrating their contributions while addressing narratives that limit women’s space. The most effective lessons and approaches from these are dialogical, not prescriptive. This is because dialogue creates safe, intergenerational, and interfaith spaces where women and marginalized voices shape the agenda. It also means moving beyond token inclusion toward genuine participation in decision-making. Another lesson is the power of interconnectedness, recognizing that empowerment is never isolated but woven into the broader fabric of peace, justice, and sustainability.
In theory and practice, therefore, faith-inspired approaches to development challenge us to move beyond material outcomes toward holistic human flourishing. They remind us that development is not merely about building economies but about building people. It emphasizes that true progress is not more than having more, but about being more. To pursue shared sacred flourishing in our world today requires a deliberate effort to reclaim religion as a bridge for compassion and justice; to integrate spiritual leadership with practical empowerment strategies; and to engage women and girls as full partners in shaping inclusive futures. As the global community strives toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, faith leaders and institutions must continue to champion integrated development models that affirm women’s dignity, address systemic inequalities, and nurture the spiritual and social dimensions of human flourishing. Their role is not peripheral but central to reimagining development as a truly holistic endeavor. In doing so, faith-inspired development can not only complement but also enrich the SDG framework, ensuring that no one is left behind.
