Faith leaders urge US President Biden to end embargo against the Cuban people
In a 15 October letter to US president Joe Biden, ACT Alliance General Secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria joined the World Council of Churches, Council of Churches in Cuba, and other faith-based groups in urging an end to nearly 60 years of embargo against the Cuban people, who are facing an appalling humanitarian situation.
“The Obama administration, with your support, sought to rethink the policy and pursue re-engagement with Cuba, by relaxing sanctions, allowing direct flights between the two countries, and easing restrictions on US citizens traveling to and doing business in Cuba,” the letter reads.
“The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the problems in Cuba,” the letter continues. “We ask you to take a bold choice and end the embargo against the Cuban people.”
The letter also calls for eliminating the cap on remittance and reactivating non-family remittances, allowing Cubans abroad to better support their own families and communities.
“We strongly believe that there are other ways to engage with the Cuban authorities to discuss and overcome disagreements on issues and legacies, without affecting the people who want to live in human dignity,” the letter concludes.
Kenyan pastoralists learned to prevent the spread of COVID-19 with the support of ACT members. Photo: P. Kwamboka/LWF
“2020 will go down in history for the global pandemic, but also as proof of human kindness and determination,” says Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, ACT Alliance General Secretary, in his foreword to the ACT Alliance 2020 Annual Report.
“COVID-19 highlighted existing vulnerabilities and affected hard-won socio-economic progress.” Rudelmar says. “Yet we also saw governments and organisations collaborate to contain COVID-19 and work towards reopening the world in a more just and inclusive way.”
ACT Alliance and its members quickly adapted to the reality of COVID-19, calling for vaccine equity and working closely with civil society, the UN and other partners. Members shared strategies in virtual meetings on how to reduce COVID-19’s impact on their work. These activities, and many others, are more fully described in the Annual Report.
“2020, for me, was also a year of hope,” says Rudelmar. “People selflessly extended their support to friends and strangers alike.”
In 2020 ACT also celebrated its 10th anniversary. Since 2010, our members have made ACT the largest Protestant and Orthodox network of churches and agencies engaged in humanitarian, development and advocacy work.
Read more in the Annual Report, available for download here.
Part of the solution: Africa’s Multistakeholder Dialogues
“Africa is rising – we are planting trees, we are restoring eco-systems, we are embracing solar energy, we are creating green jobs. We must commit to doing more of all of these. We are innovative – we don’t have to be victims. We are part of the solution.” With these words Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, Anglican Archbishop of Capetown, South Africa, rallied participants at the opening of mid-August’s virtual Africa Multistakeholder Dialogues (MSD). Archbishop Thabo is also ACT Alliance’s Eminent Faith Leader on Climate Justice.
The Africa MSD drew 94 ACT Alliance members, government representatives and members of think tanks from countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa and Zimbabwe. It was an opportunity to look at “how we plan to build systems that will enable us to live with climate change impacts,” says Julius Mbatia, ACT Alliance’s Global Climate Justice Programme Manager, based in Nairobi. “It was significant that this was an African-led group,” he adds.
Participants appreciated the in-depth discussions and explanations of Nationally Determined Contributions. The role of gender and youth in climate justice were part of the dialogues. “This [event] was eye-opening in terms of gender’s relationship to climate change,” said Maureen Magak of YWCA Kenya. Robin Mwanga, a youth participant, noted the same about learning more of youth’s importance in the struggle for climate justice.
Participants drafted a Declaration at the end of the dialogue. They committed to promoting a green recovery as part of Africa’s response to the impact of COVID-19. “Developed countries must invest in multiple sectors and think broadly of growth and development, including social security and safety nets,” says Julius. “We must transform our leadership in Africa to plan much better.” This will also require to systemic changes within African institutions.
Participants will also advocate for more accountability in the current global financing. “The financing should be accountable and transparent, whether it comes from government or the private sector,” says Julius. “And all finance that drives development should include climate change considerations.”
Participants agreed that multistakeholder partnerships would help Africa recover from COVID-19 and climate crisis impacts. Participants also validated the ecumenical and moral reasoning that those most affected by the climate crisis should be able to thrive. Linked to this, discussions at the global level should have a justice perspective and focus on what is just for those who are most vulnerable and most affected by the climate crisis.
Participants look forward to continuing to work together for climate justice. “We are only closing the Zoom links,” said Elizabeth Kiisigha Zimba, ACT Alliance Regional Representative for Africa, “the engagement continues.”
Bad news for the climate, times three
ACT Alliance at the Climate March at COP 25, the previous UN climate conference. COP 26 is this November 1-12.
Three recent climate reports point to the major climate challenges facing the world. The future looks dark, but there is still hope and opportunities for action. I would like to share my recommendations on what needs to be done, but first a look at the three reports.
In early August, the UN Climate Panel released the latest research on global warming. It has already been well covered in the media. It points out that climate change will have very serious consequences in the coming decades, and that countries must drastically increase their ambition to reduce it.
On Friday, September 17, two new reports were released showing how the countries of the world are trying to deal with these challenges. One report came from the UN Climate Secretariat, UNFCCC. They have looked at the climate plans that the countries of the world have drawn up and it does not look good. If all the plans come to fruition, global temperatures will rise by 2.7 degrees. Both the Paris Agreement and the researchers point out that the temperature should not rise by more than 1.5 degrees.
But 2.7 degrees is only possible if developing countries receive the climate support that the rich countries have promised. Unfortunately, the third report, from the OECD, shows that the rich countries are not living up to that part of the agreement. This means that developing countries will find it difficult to implement their climate plans, and then the temperature will rise even more.
In short, it looks really, really bad.
But there is still hope, and it is the first report, by climate scientists, that shows the way. It points out that it is still possible to reach the 1.5 degree goal and to deal with the climate crisis.
Here are my four recommendations for what to do:
All countries, and especially rich countries, must once again look at their climate plans and see where it is possible to increase ambition. Every instrument must be in play and must work quickly.
Climate support for developing countries must be increased. This means more money to ensure that developing countries can prioritize both mitigation and adaptation work.
We must focus more on climate adaptation. Climate scientists have emphasized that even with the most positive climate scenarios, the challenges will be great, not least for poor and vulnerable countries. Without climate adaptation, we risk seeing hunger, conflict and migration increase.
Even though politicians have a special responsibility, they cannot solve the climate crisis alone. Everyone has to make a contribution. Companies, organizations, individual families and each person can make a difference. We must all therefore consider what we can do for the climate.
The three reports are scary reading, but there is still hope. I hope all governments in the coming months take the climate more seriously, and act. When we move to the upcoming UN climate summit, COP26, we need world leaders to step up and show leadership.
Mattias Söderberg is Senior advocacy advisor for DanChurchAid and is co-chair of the ACT Alliance Climate Justice Reference Group.
ACT announces Goodwill Ambassadors
ACT Alliance is pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. Dr. Cornelia Füllkrug-Weitzel and Dr. Humberto Martin Shikiya as ACT Goodwill Ambassadors. Each brings a wealth of experience to these newly created positions.
Appointed following the invitation of ACT’s Secretary General Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, the ACT Goodwill Ambassadors will spotlight critical issues affecting our planet and its people. Both have been deeply involved in the life of the Alliance and are at the top of their field with talents and achievements that have made them household names.
ACT’s Goodwill Ambassadors will raise awareness and mobilize support among their already broad audiences to help ACT fight climate change, promote peace, human security and gender justice, and realize the Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr. Cornelia Füllkrug-Weitzel, ACT Goodwill Ambassador for Climate Justice
“I feel honored to be nominated as ACT Goodwill Ambassador,” says Prof. Dr. Cornelia Füllkrug-Weitzel, pastor and political scientist.
Dr. Füllkrug-Weitzel brings more than 20 years’ experience on governing bodies of the ACT “family” (ACT International, ACT Development, ACT Alliance, and ACT EU) and was the Moderator of the ACT Alliance Governing Board from 2010 to 2014. “The ACT family – with its specialised knowledge of the issues and with the political experience of its members – plays a strong part in the advocacy work of the ecumenical family,” she says.
Dr. Füllkrug-Weitzel was President of ACT Alliance member Brot für die Welt from 2000 until February 2021 and active in the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).
“One of my major concerns in the last decade has been climate justice,” says Dr. Füllkrug-Weitzel. “I have met communities all over the world and seen the devastating effects of climate-related disasters on their livelihoods, their communities, their identity and their culture.”
As ACT Alliance Goodwill Ambassador for Climate Justice, she will support ACT’s advocacy on climate justice in relation to Agenda 2030 and the Sendai Framework for Action of DRR and the UNFCCC, with a focus on the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
“As one ecumenical family we have a huge opportunity to magnify the voices of the most excluded communities and people and bring the hope and ethical convictions of the churches to fruition,” she says.
Dr. Füllkrug-Weitzel is also a member of the German Council for Sustainable Development, the Sustainable Development Goals Commission of the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Development and Peace Foundation (sef:).
Dr. Humberto Martin Shikiya, Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainable Development
Photo: Marcello Schneider/WCC
Dr. Humberto Martin Shikiya of Buenos Aires, Argentina, brings his academic background in economics and international cooperation to his current role as the Secretary General of Qonakuy, a network of Latin American and Caribbean Protestant and Evangelical universities working towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“It is a privilege to serve ACT Alliance and collaborate with its vision and strategic objectives for climate justice in the midst of a world of scandalous social, economic, gender, ethnic and other inequalities,” says Dr. Shikiya. “Transformational development puts people at the center of dignity, alongside caring for all of God’s creation. Full access to human rights is essential in these critical times.”
Dr. Shikaya is a co-founder of CREAS (the Regional Ecumenical Advisory and Service Center) and currently vice president of Argentina’s CREAS. He has been a member of ACT Alliance’s Executive Committee and ACT’s Membership and Nominations Committee.
As ACT Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainable Development, Dr. Shikaya will support ACT’s advocacy to counter inequality and economic injustice in alignment with the UN’s 2030 Agenda and the underlying principles of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Building Back Better in Haiti
A house built by ACT members in Haiti still standing after the August 2021 earthquake. Photo: ACT Haiti Forum
As the ACT Haiti Forum have worked to bring life-saving relief to communities impacted by the August 14 earthquake, they uncovered some excellent news about the work done by ACT members after the Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
ACT members constructed about 100 houses for families who lost their homes in the hurricane and repaired more than a thousand, and as needs assessment teams have visited those communities, they have found that every house that they visited which was built and repaired by ACT members is still standing and looks to be structurally sound.
“We are really proud that we did a really good job in this situation,” said Prospery Raymond, the convenor of the ACT Haiti Forum. “All the houses that we have seen since the earthquake that we built are still standing.”
“Some neighbours went to those houses, and put their children in those houses, because they felt safe in them in the first days after the earthquake,” he continued. “They were confident in those houses. They became points of safety for the community in those first days.”
The ACT Forum is already working hard to support the communities impacted by the August 14 quake, and plans to use the same housing design for rebuilding strong homes that they used after Hurricane Matthew.
“As we have a good model already, that has received certification from the state and aligned with local customs, that means that as soon as we have the resources, we can move forward rebuild faster- the construction will be better.”
In addition to having an engineer design stronger houses, the ACT reconstruction took advantage of a few other things: they made sure strong foundations were built for the houses, which was unusual in the area at the time. They also worked with families to find the best place on their property to build the home, and used international standards in the mix of cement and sand used to make the materials. All of these factors helped to produce houses which remained standing after the powerful earthquake in August.
The ACT Haiti Forum is already distributing shelter and hygiene kits, and is providing safe water to communities.
More information on the ACT response can be found in the ACT Appeal here.
“The situation is still very critical,” Prospery concluded. “There are more than 800,000 people living in very difficult situations. People are living outside their houses, in the rain, because their houses are cracked and collapsed. We need some support in order to help those people to survive this difficult situation. We will provide support with transparency and respecting the tradition and local customs.”
To donate to support ACT’s work in Haiti to help families and communities to build back better, please inform the Director of Operations, Nancy Etté and Head of Humanitarian Affairs, Niall O’Rourke with a copy to the Finance Officer, Marjorie Schmidt.
ACT Alliance issues statement on vaccine justice
LWF staff taking refugee’s temperature at the reception centre Kakuma refugee camp. Vaccine justice demands that everyone have access to the COVID-19 vaccine regardless of their location or affluence.
“We believe that the global community can and must do more to save lives, improve the well-being of all human beings, promote peace and ensure the realization of all human rights,” reads a statement from ACT Alliance on vaccine justice.
Over the months of May and June, and with the help of the global Vaccine Working Group, ACT Alliance successfully hosted six regional consultations on vaccine equity, namely an Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin American and the Caribbean and North American consultation, including a European consultation/round-up. As a result of that, we have been able to learn from members working on vaccine equity at the different levels and regions. The main messages arising out of this conversation are enshrined in the ACT Alliance Vaccine Equity Brief.
Similarly, and as a follow up to the discussions that took place in May and June, ACT Alliance developed a statement that shows our support for WHO’s efforts around a treaty on pandemic preparedness and response. This statement was produced with the endorsement and input of the global Vaccine Working Group and is linked to the work being done by the Africa Advocacy Working Committee. ACT members and coordinators, at all levels, are interested to mobilize stakeholders and enhance political will around a legally binding treaty that is widely supported by institutions, that is enforceable, and ultimately, that saves lives.
Some of the key aspects of ACT’s statement include the recognition that vaccines are public goods, and must be treated as such. “There is a need for political will to deal with vaccines as public goods that are at the benefit of all not of a chosen few,” the statement reads.
Further, ACT calls on governments and multilateral institutions to, among other things, ensure that everyone has access to COVID-19 vaccines, leaving no one behind. “Share vaccine doses and financial resources to ensure everyone everywhere has immediate access to vaccines, and guarantee affordable prices, fair allocation and prioritization while also committing at least 5% of overall supply to equitable vaccine distribution and investing in public health systems and social protection systems that tackle the social determinants of health.”
ACT also urges the 194 members of the WHO to “immediately adopt the decision to create a new international treaty on pandemics at its special session to be held in November 2021, in order to hold governments accountable to their decisions and actions around pandemics.”
CEDAW – 40 years as a superhero of women’s human rights
You probably know the phrase “Women’s Rights are Human Rights”, one of the favourite slogans of the feminist movement in the 80s and 90s. It is perhaps most notably known from Hilary Rodham Clinton’s landmark speech at the Beijing Conference 1995. It may have been a radical move by Clinton to use that slogan at that point in time, but women’s rights had already been integrated as one of the core international human rights treaties in 1979 by the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) by the United Nation’s General Assembly. And on this day 40 years ago, the 3rd of September 1981, the treaty entered into force as an international treaty. This is definitely worth celebrating!
Today the CEDAW convention is one of the nine core international human rights treaties and has been ratified by 189 states, making it one of the most widely ratified international human rights treaties. At the same time, this superhero of women’s human rights is also the international human rights treaty with the most reservations. Isn’t it ironic?
Time to celebrate progress made and continue to push forward
I think it’s worth taking a moment and reflecting on the notion that women’s rights are human rights in the light of the current push back. The notion could certainly not be taken for granted at the time of the adoption of the CEDAW convention. Sadly, the same can be said now. Admittingly, many things have happened in terms of gender equality since 1979 or 1981, but we have also seen some real push back.
We see it everywhere. In different countries around the world, new bills are introduced to “protect the family”. Anti-rights actors are mobilising on the global arenas to stop progressive and inclusive language in agreed conclusions and resolutions. While in ecumenical conversations some persons and churches are starting to question the use of the term gender justice which has been used in the ecumenical movement for decades.
The content of the convention is still highly relevant today. Only 25% of all national parliamentarians are women (article 7 on political and public life), over 50 countries around the world have nationality laws that discriminate on the basis of sex (article 9 on nationality), it is estimated that 12 million women may have been unable to access family planning services due to the COVID-pandemic (article 12 on health services incl family planning), nearly 40% of all states still have laws that constrain women’s decision to join and remain in the work force (article 11 on employment), only 45% of mothers with newborns receive a maternity benefit (article 11 on employment), and in 23 countries the marriage age is under 18 and in 116 countries it’s 18 years but with exceptions – which means allowing for child marriage (article 16 on marriage and family matters). The list can go on and on.
Family law is one area of legislation that is crucial for the fulfilment of women’s rights. It regulates matters such as women’s legal status before, during or after marriage, the legal age of marriage, domestic violence, marital rape, custody of children, inheritance as well as ownership of land and property. It covers several rights set out in the CEDAW convention, particularly article 15 on equality before the law and article 16 on marriage and family relations (the CEDAW Committee has further elaborated on family law in its general recommendation No 21). Article 16 is the most reserved article of all UN human rights treaties and researchers Basak Cali and Mariana Montoya describe the article as “a ‘lighting rod’ for religion-based reservations”.
Family law is also an area of legislation that religious authorities tend to have significant influence or direct power over. Many countries recognize parallel religious authority over marriage and family matters through religious family law as well as through religious court jurisdiction over such matters. This means for instance that religious leaders and institutions have direct power over issues such as legal age of marriage and whether men and women have equal rights to own and inherit property, issues that are covered in CEDAW art 16. Under Christian family laws, there are often unequal grounds for divorce (making it easier – but not necessarily easy – for men to divorce). Domestic violence is extremely seldom considered as grounds for divorce or annulment.
Faith actors are and can play a crucial role through advocacy in their own religious communities to promote legislative and normative change as well as through shadow reporting to the CEDAW committee regarding discriminatory religious legislation, norms or practices. And perhaps just as important in this time of polarisation, through showcasing positive examples of how these can be changed. One example is the work of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) to adopt a gender equal family law.*
To achieve real change in the lives of women and girls around the world, we must work for legal reform as well as address destructive norms that keep people, you and me, from realising our full potential. And the CEDAW convention is a great tool to push for change. It is really a superhero for human rights.
Joanna Lilja
Joanna Lilja is Deputy Policy Director and Policy Adviser for Gender Justice and Equality at Act Church of Sweden. Joanna also serves on the ACT Alliance Gender Justice Reference Group, and chairs the Gender Policy and Advocacy Task Group.
* Read more about how faith based actors can use CEDAW to hold states accountable and the work of the ELCJHL in Affirming Women’s Human Rights, 2019. You can also listen to Scarlet Bishara, judge in the ELCJHL’s Ecclesiastical court, sharing the experiences of the church in this recording of the CSW65 event Equality in Family Law: Committing to Reform.
LAC Multi-Stakeholder Dialogues lead to climate justice action
“This is not about climate. It’s about our life, our future. And you are destroying our future.” Steve Private, an Indigenous youth from Peru, is making a powerful challenge to participants in ACT Alliance’s May 2021 Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on climate change. “We must change our approach in how we address the climate.” The series of dialogues was initiated by ACT Alliance in Latin America and the Caribbean (ACT Alliance LAC) in collaboration with the LWF (Lutheran World Federation) Action for Justice – Climate Justice unit.
“We started this approach 4 or 5 years ago,” says Carlos Rauda, ACT Alliance LAC’s Regional Representative. “ACT and LWF had invited climate justice experts from the region to share scientific knowledge on topics like greenhouse gasses with the LAC forums.” At that first training the experts pointed to the power of churches’ advocacy, based on moral authority and strong community connections. “They said that churches could raise their voices and tell leaders how they are failing us,” says Carlos. The scientists and academics offered to share their knowledge with ACT Alliance LAC members.
Four virtual sessions
“Churches and faith-based organizations are deeply committed to climate justice in the region,” says Elena Cedillo, LWF’s Action for Justice Program Executive, who coordinated the dialogues with ACT LAC. “During this process they agreed on the next steps for advocacy at the national and regional levels. Working together is the only way to tackle the climate impacts.”
“Dialogues to Increase Climate Action,” as they were called, were designed to meet members’ common desire to move from knowledge to action. The first dialogue was open to all interested ACT members and drew 150 participants. Participating forums included Cuba, Peru, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Argentina. In the second dialogue 60 people met by country with experts to identify and discuss key issues. In the third dialogue 70 participants, including many churches and faith-based organizations, explored the national forums’ common issues and regional synergies. The fourth dialogue took place a month later with 80 participants who reviewed their plans with scientific experts.
Action results
In the final dialogue the forums committed to specific country actions to be completed before November’s COP 26. ACT El Salvador Forum members will meet with their country’s COP 26 climate negotiators to discuss the negotiators’ agenda on financial loss and damage. The impact of climate change on migration and food security are also important to the forum and the region. ACT Peru Forum members will lobby their government to incorporate biodiversity in its Amazon restoration strategy and protect environmental activists.
Finally, dialogue participants will develop a regional plan next year which will include advocacy, capacity building and dialogues on climate justice with academics and research centres.
Season of Creation launches September 1
Each year, ACT Alliance members join other Christians around the world to pray, act and advocate for our common home, Earth, by celebrating the ecumenical Season of Creation.
The Season of Creation begins on September 1, the Day of Prayer for Creation, and ends on October 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. This year’s theme, “A home for all? Renewing the Oikos (home) of God,” is symbolized by Abraham’s tent, and is a call to care for all creation as an act of radical hospitality.
An ecumenical online prayer service on Wednesday, September 1 will mark the beginning of the Season.
Climate Justice
“This year is a critical moment to leverage ambitious targets and momentum on implementation in the international negotiations,” the authors note in the Season of Creation Celebration Guide. Two United Nations meetings fall just after the Season of Creation ends: COP 15 on biodiversity, October 11-24; and COP 26 on climate change in Glasgow UK, November 1-12. ACT Alliance and its members have been working on Climate Justice and preparing for COP 26.
The Guide suggests getting involved in Pray and Act for Climate Justice, which is circulating a petition of climate justice demands to be presented to world leaders at COP 26. You may consider including promotion of the petition in your Season of Creation celebrations as a concrete activity geared to COP 26.
How to participate
The Guide also contains resources for faith communities. There are resources for an ecumenical prayer service; ideas for a Creation walk or pilgrimage; and suggestions for sustainable initiatives at both the personal and institutional level. Everyone is invited to pitch a tent at their local church as a “sign of hospitality for all who are excluded.”
A special Resources tab on the Season of Creation website features worship resources organized by denomination. Some include bulletin inserts, social media cards and other ways of promoting Season of Creation celebrations locally.
Follow ACT Alliance Twitter and Facebook accounts for the latest news about the Season of Creation.
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The content of the convention is still highly relevant today. 
Each year, ACT Alliance members join other Christians around the world to pray, act and advocate for our common home, Earth, by celebrating the ecumenical 
