Development and Relief Foundation (DRF) , in partnership with the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation and the Sikh Human Rights Group, cordially invites you to join our panel discussion:

"Empowering Communities: Pathways to Poverty Eradication and a Sustainable Future”

📍 Location: Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC), Doha, Qatar – Room 5

🗓️ Date & Time: November 6, 2025, at 11:30 AM (local time)

This Solutions Session brings together interfaith and community-based organizations to showcase innovative, practical models for eradicating poverty, promoting social protection, and advancing sustainable futures.

Concept Note A: Development and Relief Foundation (DRF)

Title: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: Skills, Jobs, and Inclusive Livelihoods through Community-Based Programs

Overview: For over two decades, DRF, an ECOSOC-accredited NGO, has empowered vulnerable communities in Iraq and beyond through education, healthcare, and livelihoods. By equipping youth, women, and widows with skills, access to microfinance, and pathways to employment, DRF transforms dependency into dignity.

Objectives:

1. Showcase scalable models of job creation and poverty reduction through education, training, and micro-loans.
2. Promote women’s empowerment, particularly widows and female-headed households.
3. Share lessons on linking skills development with labor market opportunities in fragile contexts.
4. Foster partnerships to expand micro-finance and vocational training.

Expected Outcomes:

1. Exchange of best practices in skills, education, and job creation.
2. Identification of replication opportunities for DRF’s models.
3. Policy recommendations on integrating community-driven solutions.
4. Building new partnerships for youth and women’s empowerment.

Summit Alignment: Poverty eradication, productive employment, social integration, gender equality, youth participation, and resilience in post-conflict contexts.

Speaker: Mr. Seyed Ali Ghazvini, President, Development and Relief Foundation (DRF)

Concept Note B: Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

https://hyc.tzuchi.org.sg/

Faith plays a pivotal role in shaping just and sustainable futures. With 80% of the world’s population identifying with a faith tradition, faith-based organizations (FBOs) hold deep moral authority to drive change.

This presentation highlights how FBOs foster multi-stakeholder cooperation, mobilize resources, and promote sustainable lifestyles. Examples of interfaith, community-led innovations will illustrate how cultural values and holistic approaches support marginalized communities, promote environmental awareness, and build resilience.

Concept Note C: Sikh Human Rights Group (SHRG)

https://shrg.ngo/

Title: Community Solutions to Poverty, Social Inclusion, and Integration

This session will spotlight community-driven and faith-inspired innovations in social protection. Sikh traditions of Langar kitchens, offering inclusive, sustainable meals for all, will be highlighted alongside global civil society initiatives, such as China’s “Smiling Children Program” and the Silk Road People-to-People Connectivity project.

Breakout discussions will explore how to adapt such models to diverse contexts, leading to policy recommendations for embedding community-solidarity approaches into universal social protection frameworks.

Focus: Poverty eradication, social inclusion, interfaith collaboration, and participatory governance — advancing both the Copenhagen commitments and the 2030 Agenda.

Speakers

(To be announced soon)