Bahá'í social action

Bahá'í social action

Bahá'ís believe that spiritual life goes hand in hand with the practical life. They see social and economic development projects as an expression of faith in action.

So Bahá'ís are much involved in projects to improve the world, but their projects always intend moral, spiritual and social improvement as well as helping people improve their physical condition.

By fully integrating spiritual principles into community development activities, ideas, values and practical measures emerge that promote self-reliance and safeguard human dignity.

In this way, patterns of dependency are avoided and conditions of inequality are progressively eliminated.

Consultation

Bahá'í projects are never operated in a one-way manner in which the rich and benevolent help out the needy.

All Bahá'í projects are done with the participation of the community that they are working with. Collective grass-roots decision-making is vital so that the project belongs to the community.

The very act of involving the whole community in making decisions about development projects often brings about change in the community - for example, in the status of women who may have been excluded from other decision-making in their community.

Participation enables projects to be more accurately tailored to the needs and skills of the community involved.

It also prepares the community to take over the project as it develops. In this way Bahá'í projects promote self-sufficiency and eliminate dependency.

Find out more

• Bahá'í beliefs about unity and equality