Mission 21's thematic areas
Mission 21 is committed to education and health, peacebuilding and food sovereignty in Asia, Africa and Latin America. We focus on the peaceful potential of religion as a resource to deliver quality and sustainability in development cooperation (► "Religion and development cooperation" as a pdf). We advocate good governance and gender justice in all our programmes and projects.
Good governance: In order to achieve Development Goal 16+ of the UN Agenda 2030, good governance is of particular importance. This thematic area includes strengthening our partner churches and organisations and their beneficiaries. In this context, our long-standing experience in intercultural and interreligious peacebuilding and our focus on the interaction between religion and development are of particular importance. We enable our beneficiaries to have better access to decision-making processes, support them in building local capacities and contribute overall to strengthening civil society.
All human beings should be able to lead lives that are free from discrimination, regardless of their religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Throughout the world, women often suffer major disadvantages. This is why support for women's rights and gender justice is an integral element of all Mission 21's projects and programmes.
Education
Education enables people to shape their own lives and shoulder responsibilities in society. We promote literacy in our partner countries: projects on basic education in reading, writing and mathematics. We support vocational training and adult education. We foster self-confidence among people in marginalised groups of the population so that they can stand up for themselves and claim their right to live in dignity.
Healthcare
More than one billion people across the globe have no guaranteed access to medical care. Mission 21 helps people in remote and rural regions to obtain medical care. We support projects that promote sexual and reproductive health for vulnerable groups of the population. We are committed to the fight against HIV and to combating discrimination against people living with HIV.
Peacebuilding
Tensions and violence are on the increase in many of our partner countries. We work as equals with people on the ground to resolve conflicts and counteract structural violence by peaceful means. We oppose violence against women and children. Religious or ethnic aspects often play a key part in conflicts. In these situations, Mission 21 contributes its expertise in interfaith and intercultural peacebuilding.
Food sovereignty
The right to food is a fundamental human right. Although sufficient food is produced to meet global needs, about 870 million people are starving and another billion are chronically malnourished. Mission 21 supports projects aimed at enabling disadvantaged people – especially small farmers and their families – to benefit from healthy nutrition and to lead their lives in dignity.
International Learning Community
As an international learning community, we create spaces for intercultural exchange and interreligious cooperation and promote understanding for global connections. In Switzerland, Mission 21 carries out educational work and contributes to interreligious understanding.
Annual Report and Financial Report
The Annual Report provides information about Mission 21's work and our principles, and it shows how we put those principles into practice during the year under review. It includes the annual financial statement together with details about the origin and use of funds. The main donor groups are mentioned by name. The Report also includes information about the mission organisation's structure and governing bodies, together with a brief portrait of Mission 21. The Annual Report is published every June to coincide with Mission 21's international Mission Synod.
► Download the 2019 Annual Report (PDF)