ACT News - Page 28 of 101

Nepal: How technology has gained a prominent role in this pandemic

COVID has had an impact on all of us. Here Bharati Ojha*, a young university graduate from Nepal, starting to work for DanChurchAid (DCA) in February 2021 reflects on the impact of COVID-19 on her own life. Her story touches on the “Digital divide” and “youth” – topics which will be discussed at the upcoming ACT General Assembly from November 29to December 3, 2021.

“After graduation, as I was in search of a job, I decided to visit my hometown and spend some time with my family. A weeklong trip I planned however changed, and I ended up staying there for over a year due to the lockdown because of the COVID-19 cases rising.

As a recent graduate, I was full of enthusiasm, ready to work, showcase my skills and talents in the real world but life had different plans for me. Not just me, but the whole world was going through a lockdown and chaos. Everything changed for us, from our lifestyles to our working styles.

Working modes and mediums were changing and everyone was learning new ways to adapt. Physical work styles shifted to virtual means, and getting a job became a real challenge as many jobs were cut. I also applied in many organisations, but got no response which demotivated me and I was very frustrated.

One fine day, I received a call from the DCA office where I had applied and got notified that I was shortlisted for the role of Programme Associate. I was thrilled and decided I would do my best in the interview. Little did I know that I would have to give the written test along with an interview online. I was so skeptical at first when I heard it was all going to be online because it would be my first such experience. Even though I had good knowledge of using the internet and technology, I was nervous about possible issues like the internet and electricity, so I did a couple of mock tests as well.

Challenges of working online
Gratefully, it all went well, and I was offered the role which I accepted with great exhilaration. Now I attend numerous meetings and workshops online and I realise how the times have changed for all of us. The same me who was anxious about online mediums is now working from home using virtual technology.

Recently, while attending the Half-yearly Review and Reflection Workshop of DCA, I was worried about how it would go, but I was stunned that with more than 115 participants organised virtually through Microsoft Teams for 3 days, it all went smoothly, and very well. Participants from different parts of the country who were presenting about DCA partnership and work on the ground took part and presented excellently. There were variations among the participants in terms of age and technological knowledge, and there were small technical glitches, but they were supported by others and resolved immediately. For most of us this was certainly the first time attending a virtual meeting as big as this. However, I realised that we are all learning, and the technology has shrunk the world and made it so easy for us in many ways. For the most part, the objective of the workshop was met, that was what mattered the most.

Many project activities that were to be done physically were hampered by this pandemic. They are now being replaced by virtual means like online meetings with the local government, with stakeholders at a national level and even in rural areas, virtual advocacy activities, and initiatives, awareness-raising through various online modes, voice messages, conducting online workshops, virtual support through help desks, consultation by telephone, etc. All this has made me realise that technology has played a crucial part in this pandemic to connect people and reach out to them, which has helped people to enhance knowledge and practice of virtual technology and I feel that this will be valuable and crucial in the days to come.

Necessity is the mother of invention
As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. I am pretty sure many of us would not have known about these virtual technologies and modes if it was not for the demand of time and situation. People who had not used a computer or mobile phone their entire lives are now using virtual means, different apps, and technology which reveals that we can all adapt to changes and learn even in the most challenging times. This COVID-19 setting had a deep impact and brought so much confusion into our lives; however, we can take this innovative growth like a silver lining on a dark cloud. This experience will remain with me forever as I am impressed, influenced, and inspired by the dedication and hard work of people towards their work, and has given me faith that everything can be learned and achieved if one sets their mind to goals and accomplishments. I am very grateful that technology has bettered our lives and helped us reach out to vulnerable people even in difficult times like this, which will remain a memorable part of history and especially in our lives.”

*Bharati Ojha is a 26-year-old DCA Programme Associate in Nepal from Inaruwa, a developing municipality in the Eastern part of the country. She graduated with a Master of Science in Environmental Science at the Tribhuwan University of Kathmandu. During her education and internships, Bharati did have the opportunity to work on the computer.

In Nepal, mainly youth in urban areas are experienced in working on computers. As technology is rapidly developing however, those over 50 seem to have difficulties in using the online technology and computers. Similarly, youth in rural areas have limited access to computers as buying a computer is expensive and they are of limited use in those areas. People mostly prefer to buy mobile phones nowadays which can be used for various other applications.

In general, the network in upcountry Nepal is improving but is still inconsistent and unreliable. The lights go off at times, and the internet network gets poor at times as well. But despite the challenges, technology has made the pandemic easier to deal with everywhere in the world.

(Photo: DanChurchAid)

Haiti needs to find the light again

The earthquake which hit Haiti on Saturday 14th August 2021 was stronger than the 2010 one that devastated the nation’s capital Port-au-Prince. The Haiti Forum has been very active ever since. However, the earthquake is only one of many emergencies in the country. ACT Forum Convenor Prospéry Raymond describes the current situation, three months after the devastating quake.

“If ACT-members want to support Haiti, this is the best time to do it. There is a big gap between the needs and what we would like to do. The impact of our work is effective and positively reducing the suffering of the most vulnerable people,” emphasises ACT Forum Haiti’s Co-Convenor Prospéry Raymond. “We are optimistic for the future and bring light to as many people as we can”, he continues.

Haiti has seen crisis after crisis on all levels in the past months and years. The earthquake in August took place in midst of a political, social, security and economic crisis. It happened just one month after the assassination of the President. At the moment, there is an interim Prime Minister in charge. “Haiti urgently needs more assistance, as the persons most affected by the situation are the most vulnerable and poor people”, underlines Raymond.

Fuel shortage creates major disturbances

Public life at the moment is restricted by a petrol shortage which worsens the economic situation and disturbs everyday life. The ACT Office – just like the banks – is currently only open three days a week, and field trips haven’t been possible in the past weeks. There are shortages in many areas, and the situation in general is complex and volatile.

However, a positive is that there are relatively few cases of COVID, despite many people not wearing masks and not wanting to get vaccinated, as they believe that good food and the sun will prevent them from getting infected. Haiti has received 500,000 vaccination doses from COVAX, but only 25,000 out of 12 million Haitians are fully inoculated.

Survivor and community-led crisis response

ACT’s appeal submitting members Service Chrétien d´Haïti, Christian Aid, Church World Service, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH), Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and World Renew, together with their local partners, follow a survivor and community-led response (SCLR) approach, meaning that they are helping the community to find their own solutions.

LWF and NCA render assistance to repair water springs and create water solutions, DKH provides shelter kits to hundreds of families, and other members support families with dry food – meeting the needs identified by the communities, always with the SCLR approach. Some organisations focus on a quick response, others take more time and concentrate on rehabilitation. “With the ACT appeal, we will work on WASH, shelters, repair schools, fix the water systems at some schools and hospitals. On the other hand, we support the agricultural sector to get access to proper seeds and tools so that the farmers can plant and harvest in the future. We expect not to reach the target amount of the appeal and so we downsized the projects. But even then, we will still be in need of more funds for the program. We tried to apply as much as possible of what we learnt from the past”, the Co-Convenor explains.

According to Prospéry Raymond, funds are required especially for housing and disaster risk reduction (DRR). The houses built by ACT-members in 2016 after Hurricane Matthew proved to be very earthquake-resistant and well adapted to local conditions.

Priorities of the Haiti Forum

While ACT’s forum members after the earthquake met once a week, they returned to monthly meetings in October. “We still try to learn what are the priorities, to better coordinate between ourselves, to learn from other organisations and to reduce waste”, says Prospéry Raymond, underlining how important it is to learn what the communities really want. What works for one community might not work for the other.

Raymond asks churches not only to support the appeal as much as possible, but also to continue to pray for Haiti. While the situation is very difficult, he tries to stay positive. “Haitians need to find the light – the light within themselves to solve their own problems and to work together to solve day-to-day issues like the petrol crisis”, Prospéry Raymond states.

Details on ACT’s activities can be found in the Appeal.

Featured photo: Christian Aid staff using the SCLR approach in the South of Haiti (photo Christian Aid)

Faith leaders: More must be done to achieve climate justice after COP26

After two intense weeks of negotiations, civil society action, discussion and prayer, COP26 has come to an end. ACT Alliance and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) have followed the summit closely. We feel that there is still a lot that must be done to achieve climate justice, particularly for communities in the Global South. They face the worst effects of climate change and have done the least to contribute to it.

As people of faith, committed to care for creation and work for climate justice and the dignity of all, we are disappointed by the results from COP26 in Glasgow. What has been negotiated does not go far enough in offering concrete solutions to the climate crisis. Without details and actions, promises are empty.

We welcome the launch of the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA). In addition, individual countries, such as Scotland and Denmark, have made commitments to significantly increase their funding to the Global South for climate finance, which is one of our major concerns. We believe this is a good step forward and look forward to seeing the actions taken by the members of BOGA, and also to seeing other nations join in this key commitment.

However, the world urgently needs more ambition and more concerted action to achieve climate justice and keep global warming at 1.5C or below.

As people of faith, we are disappointed but not disheartened by the lack of results from COP26. As partners in the ecumenical movement, we will continue to care for creation, work for climate justice, and stand with the most vulnerable. We call on churches worldwide to keep raising their voices for creation and for climate justice.

We must act now. Creation is not for sale.

“In order to ‘Keep 1.5 Alive’, the world must phase out fossil fuel production and consumption as fast as possible. Limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C is vital in order to lessen the impacts of climate change on the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world, particularly women and girls who are the most affected by climate induced disasters,” said Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary of ACT Alliance.

“We have been inspired by the relentless call for climate justice by faith actors and civil society. We must keep the momentum and continue to call for bold action by all actors at all levels. This is the big crisis of our time, and there is no time to lose. Its consequences will affect future generations all over the world,” said Rev. Anne Burghardt, General Secretary of LWF.

“Since it is Code Red now we call all private, social, economic and private actors to come up with ambitious and concrete actions to manage the climate crisis together,“ said Prof. Cornelia Füllkrug-Weitzel, ACT Alliance’s Goodwill Ambassador for Climate Justice.

“COP26 was a missed opportunity to take significant steps towards addressing the climate crisis and protecting the most vulnerable,” said Isaiah Toroitich, Head of Global Advocacy for LWF.

ACT Alliance

ACT Alliance is a global protestant and orthodox faith-based coalition organised in national and regional forums operating in more than 120 countries. Through its more than 140 members, ACT Alliance works on climate justice, humanitarian aid, gender justice, migration and displacement, and peace and security to support local communities.

ACT Alliance’s goal is to promote a locally-led and coordinated approach to advocacy, humanitarian and developmental issues.

LWF

The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of 148 churches in the Lutheran tradition, representing over 77 million Christians in 99 countries. As a communion, LWF advocates for the human rights and dignity of all. At COP26, LWF has focused on strengthening climate action and advocacy at all levels. Young people are vital agents of change and form the greater part of the LWF’s delegation to COP26.

Media contacts

Simon Chambers

Director of Communication, ACT Alliance

simon.chambers@actalliance.org

+1- 416-435-0972

Rev. Arni Svanur Danielsson

Head of Communication, The Lutheran World Federation

arni.danielsson@lutheranworld.org

+41 22 791 6367

Faith community urgent call for action at COP26

Interfaith prayer for COP26, Glasgow. Photo: Albin Hillert/LWF.

Time is running out. As the COP26 negotiations reach a critical moment, members of the global faith community, led by our sisters and brothers from the Global South, call for urgent and ambitious action to deliver justice for the most vulnerable people and communities.

Where the current negotiation texts are failing:

The current texts remain worryingly unbalanced. While there is progress on mitigation, it is shocking that there is limited reference to action needed to address increasing climate impacts.
Simply referencing Loss and Damage (L&D) in the draft decision text without identifying any concrete action is offensive and immoral. The current text not only fails to deliver a separate mechanism to deliver action on Loss and Damage, it also does not provide any realistic path to new finance.
The texts on finance fail to provide confidence that the overdue pledge of $100 billion a year in support for poorer countries will be delivered. The commitment on adaptation, as part of that finance pledge, falls significantly short.The current text does not address the fact that most public finance comes in loans, which are adding to the burden of debt for climate-vulnerable countries, nor the challenges on access.

The action we now need

World leaders must now step up and deliver a clear, actionable text that strengthens previous agreements and puts those living on the frontline of the climate crisis at its heart.

We call on world leaders at COP26 to preserve all of God’s Creation by:

Recognising the urgency of this crisis, including language in the text that encourages all countries, but especially major emitters, to come forward annually at each COP with new ambition announcements that exceed their current NDC targets.
Calling for all Parties to address L&D through mobilising a separate and additional funding stream separate to finance for mitigation and adaptation; making L&D a permanent COP agenda item; and ensuring appropriate capacity and finance to support the full operationalization of the Santiago Network by COP27.
Richer governments fulfilling their promises and delivering the $100 billion promised for 2020 and every year up to 2025. This must be a 50/50 split between mitigation and adaptation, must be in the form of grants and not loans, and address access issues so the finance reaches those who need it most.

Signatories•

Fr Ioan Sauca, Acting General Secretary, The World Council of Churches
Rev. Anne Burghardt, General Secretary, Lutheran World Federation
Bishop Thomas Schirrmacher, Secretary General, World Evangelical Alliance
Shahin Ashraf, Head of Global Advocacy, Islamic Relief Worldwide
Fidon Mwombeki, General Secretary, All Africa Council of Churches
Susanna Mattingly, Acting General Secretary Friends World Committee for Consultation
Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary, ACT Alliance
Junghee Min, Secretary-general, Interreligious Climate and Ecology Network
Valeriane Bernard, Brahma Kumari World Spiritual University UN representative
Jack Palmer-White, Anglican Communion’s Representative to the UN
Aytzim: Ecological Judaism
Sanat Kumar Barua, General Secretary, Atisha Dipankar Peace Trust Bangladesh
Sustainable Action for Nature (SAN)
Kenneth Nana Amoateng, Abibinsroma Foundation, Ghana
Mark MacDonald, National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop Canada
Revd James Shri Bhagwan, General Secretary Pacific Conference of Churches
Council of Anglican Provinces Africa
Metropolitan Serafim Kykotis, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa
Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Linda Nicholls, Archbishop of Canada
Jim, Lord Wallace of Tankerness, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Quakers in Britain
Jude Levermore, Head of Mission, The Methodist Church in Britain
Fred Milligan, Presbyterians for Earth Care
Joy Kennedy, Canadian Interfaith Fast for the Climate
Christopher Harper, Bishop of Saskatoon, Canada
Adam Halkett, Bishop Diocese of Saskatchewan, Canada
John Arnold, Bishop of Salford
Bishop Stephen Wright, Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham
Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich
Olivia Graham, Bishop of Reading
Revd Dr Matthew Cobb•Cannon Giles Goddard, Co-Founder Faith for the Climate

Climate Adaptation in Zimbabwe [COP26 Post]

ACT members discuss how farmers in Zimbabwe adapt to climate change in their lives and their work.

Ethiopia’s droughts and floods due to climate change [COP26 Blog]

Climate change poses a huge challenge to Ethiopia and its people. One of the world’s most drought-prone countries, Ethiopia is faced with increasingly unpredictable rains, and in some years the complete failure of seasonal rains – occurrences that are linked to climate change. Ethiopia is a country with large differences across regions, which is reflected in the country’s climate vulnerability. The lowlands are

In Ethiopia, climate-related flooding destroys homes and livelihoods in the highlands.

This, combined with an increasing population and conflict, leads to greater food insecurity in some areas.

Ethiopia is experiencing extreme weather variability with some areas experiencing drought, while others are impacted by flooding. Heavy rainfall is likely to occur in parts of eastern, southern, south-eastern, and southwestern Ethiopia.

According to the National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC), seasonal flooding has so far affected 470,163 people, of whom some 301,284 people are displaced in Somali, Oromia, Afar, SNNP, Dire Dawa and Harari. The situation is particularly severe in the Somali region where more than 79 per cent of the flood-affected and displaced people are located.

Floods have fully damaged the main bridges between Hudet and Negelle and between Mubarak and Filtu, Somali region. The floods also inundated planted crops and vegetables in Hudet and Mubarak woredas (the third administrative level in Ethiopia), Dawa zone. Similarly, 2,118 livestock deaths, the loss of 8,840 hectares of cropland and damage to 79 water pumps, and the destruction of road infrastructure were reported in Dollo Ado and Bokolmanyo woredas. Similar losses of livelihood and infrastructure are also reported in Moyale and Kadaduma woredas.

An increase in food commodity prices has already been reported due to poor terms of trade in the flood-affected woredas, exacerbating the already soaring market prices resulting from COVID-19 restrictions. In Oromia, floods displaced more than 63,000 people, and damaged houses and public infrastructure, including schools and health facilities, across 17 kebeles (similar to wards) in Gelana woreda. Similarly, 57 houses were damaged, 151 hectares of cropland destroyed, and 21 goats killed in Liben woreda, Guji zone. Communities in Bale and Borena zones also suffered flood damages and livelihood loss.

The Government of Ethiopia, humanitarian partners and communities are currently providing lifesaving assistance to the flood-affected and displaced people in most of these areas, albeit with limitations. Additional resources are urgently required to address unmet food and non-food needs, including emergency shelter and non-food items (ES/NFI), health and WASH services as well as early recovery support.

Dawit Beza is the ACT Ethiopia Forum Coordinator and works with Norwegian Church Aid Ethiopia. He has an MSc in Watershed Management. Dawit has been an ACT Alliance delegate at COP26 this week.

The Final Days of COP26 [COP26 news]

ACT Alliance’s Goodwill Ambassador for Climate Justice, Prof. Cornelia Fullkrug-Weitzel, is speaking at COP26 about some of the needs for the final decisions at this conference to reflect true climate justice. (Click the arrow on the left side of the bottom bar to watch the video).

Climate crisis adds to water shortages and tensions in MENA region [COP26 Blog]

“El Hassake is thirsty” lamented the pastor of a Church in North East Syria. In her daily Facebook posts she shares pictures of thirsty

Climate change impacts mean that children in the Middle East will spend more time fetching increasingly scarce water. PHOTO: Paul Jeffrey/ACT

children either queuing to fill dirty plastic canisters with a few drops of water, or sitting miserably on pavements in the summer heat looking drowsy and unwashed.

Water shortages are a persistent problem in the Middle East and North Africa. It has intensified in the past ten years due to the rise in temperatures. Cities such as Baghdad, Kuwait and Muscat have recently witnessed record-breaking temperatures. Experts are predicting a 4-degree temperature increase for the region by the end of the 21st century – twice the global average. This will make parts of the region uninhabitable.

This alarming change is not only expressing itself in heart-breaking images of thirsty children across the Middle East. It has also contributed to a number of developing and nascent conflicts. The intense pressure on agriculture and crops and the scarcity of water started driving populations out of rural farming areas and into already crowded urban centres in the 2000s. Climate-induced economic despair compounded other existing problems such as poverty, unemployment and social tensions. It has expressed itself in violent responses to the scarcity of resources.

We have seen this most clearly in countries like Syria and Iraq. Various groups have controlled the dams that provide drinking water, electricity, and irrigation along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Millions of people who depend upon this water for survival have been left to deal with desertification and increasing drought. Climate change threatens to make these once gushing rivers disappear.

This situation is aggravated by the fact that nearly every country in the region from Egypt to Iran shares water resources with a neighbor. The dispute over the Nile River illustrates the tension. As Ethiopia builds the Grand Renaissance Dam to alleviate its power shortage, it threatens to decrease by a quarter the water flow into Egypt. This will deprive around 100 million people of a vital water supply. This already tense situation is worsened by the disruption that climate change is causing to the flow of the Nile.

All these countries suffer from unstable regimes and governments that are unable to face the challenges ahead. The situation in Lebanon is a case in point, where a fragile system is breaking down in the face of climate threats. As Lebanon experiences one of the worst economic crises in the world its ability to provide power and manage resources is highly impeded. This has severe repercussions for treating and pumping water, causing 70 per cent of the population to face a critical water shortage. This is particularly true in areas where there is a high concentration of Syrian refugees, as in the North and the Bekaa valley where water demand has far exceeded availability. The economic collapse has meant that for a large portion of the population alternative clean water sources have become unaffordable.

More and more children and adults will be yearning for a drop of water if the rise in temperature is not soon mitigated. A vulnerable region such as the Middle East with its compounded problems needs speedy action for survival!

Rev. Dr. Rima Nasrallah is Chair of the Ecojustice committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).

There is no climate justice without gender justice [Media release COP26]

November 9, 2021

There is no climate justice without gender justice

“Speeches and agreements are not enough to ensure gender justice. Words must be followed by action,” says Birgitte Qvist-Sørensen, ACT Alliance Moderator. “Gender inclusion cannot be just an exercise of ticking boxes; it needs be turned into robust

action that fosters both women’s agency and gender equality.”

Gender has long been an integrated element in the climate debate. Despite decisions and work plans, we have not seen necessary transformative change. The lack of female leadership can be noted at the UN climate talks, where men still dominate both in numbers, and in discussions and negotiations. It can also be noted in the implementation of climate-related projects, where gender concerns are not always addressed. Some climate solutions even run the risk of reinforcing patriarchal norms.

The Nordic countries claim to be frontrunners on both climate and gender policies and they have also, to varying degrees, taken initiatives to ensure that gender is mainstreamed in climate-related projects. For these reasons, members of ACT Alliance in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland decided to assess the integration of gender in Nordic climate finance.

The report on their assessment is called From Words to Action: Lessons from Nordic Efforts to Integrate Gender Equality in Climate-Related Development Finance. It enumerates a number of useful and interesting results, including both best practices and challenges where the work can improve. For instance, adaptation projects have a larger focus on gender than mitigation projects. And while many projects include a gender analysis, they lack concrete activities to ensure that gender concerns are considered in the implementation of the project.

“We know that women and girls are more impacted by climate change. We must be serious about mainstreaming gender in all climate solutions,” says Rudelmar de Faria, ACT Alliance General Secretary. “Gender equality cannot just be words on paper nor can it be siloed into a completely separate discussion.”

For interviews or more information, please contact:

Finland: Niko Humalisto, niko.humalisto@felm.org, +358 40 757 40 36

Sweden: Margareta Koltai, margareta.koltai@svenskakyrkan.se, +46702073149

Denmark: Mattias Söderberg, msd@dca.dk, phone +45 29 70 06 09

Follow the Action in the COP26 Blue Zone today [COP26 Media Release]

November 9, 2021

Today Gender will be an important part of the COP26 agenda.

For strong visuals and knowledgeable quotes/points you can use in your stories on Gender, join ACT Alliance, Christian Aid and members of other faith-based organisations for an action in the Blue Zone.

We’ll have visuals and stories to illustrate how important a gender perspective is in achieving climate justice, especially for Global South women and girls in all their diversity. By demonstrating how difficult it is for Global South women to be heard at COP26 negotiations, and by telling their stories, we’ll show why it is:

Urgent to focus on gender justice and climate change at COP26
Important to promote women’s leadership on climate change, and to
Ensure gender is mainstreamed in all COP26 outcomes, and
Guarantee that the Gender Action Plan is implemented in ways that are transformative and intersectional

When: Tuesday, November 9, 2:00 pm.

Where: Zone D, between pavilion 4C and 4D

Interviews are available with:

Fionna Smyth, Head of Global Policy and Advocacy, Christian Aid
Patriciah Roy Akulloh, Uganda. ACT Alliance Climate Justice Reference Group Co-chair
Dawit Beza Demissie, Ethiopia. ACT Alliance

MEDIA CONTACT: Simon Chambers, ACT Alliance, +44 7423 277 440