Christian organizations representing 2.8 billion people—about one-third of the world’s population—have released a statement on the dire situation of migrants and refugees in Europe, and they are demanding a more compassionate approach.

“Solidarity should be the guiding principle governing migration and particularly refugee reception,” the statement says. “We expect the EU to reject the discourse and politics of fear and deterrence, and to adopt a principled stance and compassionate practice based on the fundamental values on which the EU is founded.”

The organizations issued the statement in advance of the EU Commission’s presentation of its new Migration Pact on 23 September.

“We have but one precious human family within which we are entrusted with caring for one other,” said World Council of Churches interim general secretary Fr Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca. “Every nation’s asylum policies must reflect this sense of caring and trust as a shared journey, a solemn responsibility and a common witness. We have high expectations of the EU Commission’s presentation of its new pact on migration and asylum on 23 September.”

Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, general secretary of the ACT Alliance, noted that the tragic fire in Moria “was a poignant reminder of the entirely predictable and avoidable consequences of an EU asylum and migration policy that puts the integrity of borders over that of human lives, and favours populism over dignity and humanity. We expect better from Europe and its leaders. It’s time to change course.”

Dr Jørgen Skov Sørensen, general secretary of the Conference of European Churches, stated: “Churches and Christian communities throughout Europe are witnessing the disturbing situation with migrants and refugees in the region, especially following recent developments in the Moria camp. The human consequences of the situation are of deep concern to us.”

“We call upon all our member churches and indeed all people of faith to commit to prayer, taking on our role as messengers of courage and hope. In whatever way possible, we must continue and strengthen our joint efforts in giving hope to the vulnerable in a hopeless situation,” he said.

Dr Torsten Moritz, general secretary of the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe, reflected that, over the last years and, most tragically, two weeks ago with the fire at the Moria camp, we have witnessed the awful consequences of the current EU migration policy. “A policy which tries to keep refugees and migrants at the border, push them back there or return them at any price,” said Moritz. “The new asylum and migration pact can’t be more of the same.”

Moritz added that the EU needs an honest and courageous new start, in which it accepts its own responsibility rather than denying it. “That makes it necessary to create safe passages, offer decent reception and a welcoming society and look at how Europe continues to create reasons for displacement,” he said. “Churches continue to stand ready to support the EU and its member states if it really is willing for such a fresh start.”

Rev. Dr Chris Ferguson, general secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, said that the situation of those seeking refuge and asylum in Greece and elsewhere is symptomatic of the deeper roots of colonialism and imperialism that have exploited people and resources for profit. “As people of faith we stand with the migrant, the refugee, those seeking asylum and call for hospitality and welcome,” he said. “We believe that our calling is to work continually for justice for all the oppressed.”

The Evangelical Church of Greece has been actively responding to the refugee situation since its very beginning and continues to support the refugees in multiple ways. They “urge the ecumenical church along with the international community to act decisively in offering relief and reinforcements to Greece, best serving both the needs of the ‘Moria refugees’ as well as those of the indigenous people of Lesvos, by accepting and accommodating many of the refugees who have already been granted asylum in their countries,” said Rev. Dimitris Boukis, secretary of the Executive Committee of the General Synod of the Evangelical Church of Greece.

Martina Wasserloos, president of the World Communion of Reformed Churches in Europe, expressed her happiness about this common initiative to urge European authorities to take, at last, responsibility for human dignity and life.

“As the World Communion of Reformed Churches in Europe, we are facing the hardship of migrants,” she said. “We are convinced and confess in the face of refugees, we see the image of God. As churches, we offer help to overcome this crisis in manifold ways, but we expect as well benevolent and humanitarian solutions from those who have to take political decisions.”

Within the Anglican Communion, people are called in the Five Marks of Mission to “respond to human need by loving service…transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation,” noted Most Rev. Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, secretary-general of the Anglican Communion. “Across our world, millions of women, men, and children need to feel this faith in action within their lives, as they flee conflict and violence, and seek to escape from the devastating effects of poverty and climate,” he said. “This demands a more intentional collective response in which the churches and other faith communities—including the Anglican Communion—are ready to take their place.”

The World Methodist Council has identified radical hospitality and advocacy on behalf of “the stranger” as a central theme for the years 2016-2021, reflected Bishop Ivan Abrahams, general secretary of the council. “We continue to work together with everyone, everywhere in accompanying migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers sharing their tears, hopes, and dreams for sustainable life and livelihood,” he said.

For Rev. Dr Martin Junge, general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, this is an opportunity for European countries to grow in mutual solidarity. “They can lead by example in welcoming and protecting the stranger by upholding international obligations.”

He said that “one of the first tasks of the LWF, like the European Union, was to respond to the needs of European refugees after the Second World War. Our member churches worldwide stood in solidarity with the millions that were displaced in Europe. Multilateralism, compassion, and service are at the heart of LWF’s humanitarian work with displaced people worldwide. We must not forget that refugees lose many things when they flee, but never their human rights.”

The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity shared reflections on a message from Pope Francis. “In his message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees to be observed in the Catholic Church next Sunday 27 September 2020, Pope Francis states: ‘Situations of conflict and humanitarian emergencies, aggravated by climate change, are increasing the numbers of displaced persons and affecting people already living in a state of dire poverty. Many of the countries experiencing these situations lack adequate structures for meeting the needs of the displaced.’ He urges public authorities, churches, and all of us to welcome, protect, promote and integrate displaced persons. As Christians, we urge the European Union country members to develop and implement equitable and just solutions respecting human dignity and human rights.”

The European Region of the World Association for Christian Communication also voiced support for the statement, as well, emphasizing the need to counter hate speech against migrants and refugees, especially in social media.

“Our public discourse, particularly in social media and via media agencies, must respect the human dignity of migrants and refugees,” said Dr Stephen Brown, president of the Europe regional association of the World Association for Christian Communication. “At the same time, media professionals need to ensure balanced coverage of migrants and refugees, avoiding stereotypical portrayals and oversimplification.”

The statement is co-signed by the ACT Alliance, the Anglican Communion, the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe, the Conference of European Churches, the European Region of the World Association for Christian Communication, the Evangelical Church of Greece, the Integration Center for Migrant Workers – Ecumenical Refugee Program, Non Profit Organisation of the Church of Greece, the Lutheran World Federation, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity , the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the World Communion of Reformed Churches (European Region), the World Council of Churches and the World Methodist Council.

Read the full statement of 22 September 2020

Photo gallery: Churches’ work supporting refugees in Europe

Social media package

ACT joins global religious leaders urge end to “broken state of European migration” (ACT press release of 22 September 2020)

Archbishop of Athens and All Greece: “Welcoming the stranger is an integral part of Christian heritage” (WCC press release of 21 September 2020)

Media contacts

ACT Alliance
Simon Chambers
Director of Communications, ACT Alliance
Skype : simon.chambers1
Mobile : +1-416-435-0972
simon.chambers@actalliance.org

Anglican Communion
Jack Palmer-White
Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Tel: +44 (0)20 7313 3938
jack.palmer-white@anglicancommunion.org

Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe, Conference of European Churches
Naveen Qayyum
Communications Officer, Conference of European Churches
Tel +32 2 234 68 37
Email naveen@cek-kek.be
Rue Joseph II, 174 – 1000 Brussels

European Region of the World Association for Christian Communication
Stephen Brown
Email: sgbrown.wacceurope@gmail.com
Mobile : +33-6 61 84 11 80

Evangelical Church of Greece
Paris Papageorgiou
parispapageorgiou@yahoo.gr

Holy See press office
Via della Conciliazione 54, 00120 Vatican City
Phone: +39 (0) 6 698 45600
Fax: +39 (0) 6 686 8810
info@salastampa.va

Lutheran World Federation
Rev. Arni Svanur Danielsson
Head of Communication
Email arni.danielsson@lutheranworld.org
Mobile +41 78 929 9686

World Communion of Reformed Churches
Philip Tanis
Executive Secretary for Communications & Operations
philip.tanis@wcrc.eu

World Communion of Reformed Churches Europe
Martina Wasserloos
mwasserloos@gmx.net
0049 1772146934

World Council of Churches
Marianne Ejdersten, WCC Communication director
+41 79 507 6363
+41 22  791 60 18
Email mej@wcc-coe.org

World Methodist Council
Michaela Hannah
Communications
World Methodist Museum Coordinator
Contact: communications@worldmethodistcouncil.org

This blog post has previously appeared on Religion and Diplomacy

By Ruth Watson ~

A new toolkit published by ACT Alliance EU, Caritas Europa, EU-CORD and Islamic Relief Worldwide gives EU decision-makersand civil society a concise practical tool to encourage engagement with local religious leaders and faith communities in humanitarian, development and peace response. It has been produced in the context ofpandemic response and looks ahead to the post-recovery phase. Yet its considerations apply broadly across programming sectors: from addressing conflict and fragility to defence of civil liberties.

Why another resource on faith actors?

A large proportion of development and humanitarian assistance and peacebuilding programming sponsored by the EU and Member States’ focusses on countries and regions where faith and belief play a large part in shaping customs, practices and frameworks of well-being.

Global epidemics such as Zika and Ebola and the World Humanitarian Summit of 2016 inspired action to improve the quality of partnerships with and funding to local civil society and affected communities high on the agenda. The importance of engaging with religious leaders and faith communities specifically came into sharp relief when errors made by international NGOs in the West Africa Ebola crisis hit media headlines and brought the issue into the focus of humanitarians and leading academics. By failing to involve faith actors in the response, the epidemic mushroomed as unsafe burial and behavioural practices continued and hard to access communities remained out of reach of international efforts.

In recent years NGOs, the EU and agencies of multi-lateral organisations have made uneven progress. The World Health Organisation and UNICEF accelerated engagement with faith actors in the COVID-19 response by creating advisory bodies and written guidance recognising the central role of faith actors. While the EU has made strides in recent years in projects to engage on the issue of Freedom of Religion or Belief, and has piloted approaches for locally-led response, the EU response to COVID-19 lacked deliberate recognition of the role, support, recognition and involvement of religious leaders and faith communities.

Our new Toolkit aims to both raise awareness and expand traditional perceptions of the role played by religious leaders and communities of different faiths beyond the often-recognised history as key service providers for health and education: from defence of civil liberties in lockdown measures to protection of vulnerable groups including women, the disabled and the hard to reach.

Of increasing urgency in the context of pandemic crisis and ongoing global impacts of climate change are the contributions to resilience. We highlight a wealth of actions across faith groups including Buddhist networks and the Caritas network. Moreover, the holistic frameworks of resilience used by many religious leaders and faith communities provide valuable insights for policy makers and NGOs seeking to shift toward people and community-centred programming: that is, frameworks that capture factors such as socio-economic conditions an understanding of wellbeing, identity and belonging.

A maze with no exit?

While we value and raise awareness of these important aspects of the role played by faith actors, we recognise the highly complex and sensitive challenges in many operational contexts which betray simplistic engagement with faith actors. For many policy makers and in-country NGO programmers there is reluctance to engage religious leaders due to concerns that they are drivers of gender inequalities and abuses, have partisan affiliations which may compromise neutrality and impartiality, and in fragile contexts may be drivers of tensions along religious lines.

The Toolkit draws on programmes and research from contexts worldwide to provide positive ways to engage as well as considerations for addressing these challenges where appropriate. We consistently found that interviewees and research endorse regular dialogue, creation of committees inclusive and led by women and youth, and facilitation of peer-to-peer exchanges as important ways for actors to establish common ground, expectations, interests and limitations.

Literacy of the religious dynamics

We encourage policy stakeholders and agencies to also reflect internally on their own literacy of the frameworks of understanding, beliefs and values of the communities they seek to support and collaborate with. Civil society reporting highlighted in the toolkit demonstrates the possibility to address harmful practices which on the surface appear to be rooted in religion, but on closer analysis result from cultural customs and norms either developed recently or passed through generations. Being able to discern between culture and religion, which become tightly intertwined, can open avenues for dialogue and opportunities for common ground.

Expanding existing approaches

The ongoing dialogue, identification of appropriate actors and mapping exercises endorsed in the toolkit require time. For genuine partnership and collaboration with communities, trust is key. Giving religious leaders and communities a leading role in identifying and communicating their own needs and having a stake in response will entail flexible time frames and investment in developing those relations. In short, we must incorporate longer-term thinking into project-based approaches.

ACT Alliance is one of a dozen global and regional religious organizations released an advocacy statement on the situation of migrants and refugees in Europe that defines their calling as Christians to “welcome the stranger,” and urges the creation of a world in which “we become human together.”

“Solidarity should be the guiding principle governing migration and particularly refugee reception,” the statement says. “We expect the EU to reject the discourse and politics of fear and deterrence, and to adopt a principled stance and compassionate practice based on the fundamental values on which the EU is founded.”

The organisations have issued the statement in advance of the EU Commission’s presentation of its new Migration Pact on 23 September.

“Our organizations represent churches throughout Europe and globally as well as church-based agencies particularly concerned with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers,” the statement reads. “As Christian organizations, we are deeply committed to the inviolable dignity of the human person created in the image of God, as well as to the concepts of the common good, of global solidarity and of the promotion of a society that welcomes strangers, cares for those fleeing danger, and protects the vulnerable.”

The statement refers to the recent fire at the Moria camp, which left 13,000 migrants without a home.

“The events of the night of 8 September 2020 in the Moria camp and during the following days have once again exposed the fundamentally broken state of European migration and asylum policy and the suffering it has created,” the statement says, pointing to “the desperation of people seeking protection who have often been forced to live for years in inhumane conditions, the anger and frustration of locals who feel that Europe has left them alone with the challenge of reception and care, the current response has addressed the symptoms of a greater problem but not the actual cause, and a reaction by the EU which expresses sympathy but shows a profound lack of responsibility and no real commitment to helping those in need of protection as well as the Greek state and the local population hosting them.”  

COVID-19 has exacerbated already inhumane living conditions for migrants, the statement notes. “COVID-19 and its consequences have in many places rendered the already difficult situation in these countries and for the displaced populations they host even more precarious: be it due to inadequate hygiene in these facilities or the dramatic cuts of food rations and other assistance available to them,” the statement reads. “Widespread restrictions on internal and cross-border movement in the wake of the pandemic have further reduced people’s access to protection. In addition, the economic survival of many people on the move, as well as their hosts, has been imperiled by lockdowns and related measures, which have hit those employed in the informal sector particularly hard, and have had a disproportionate effect on women and their livelihoods.”

The religious organizations commit themselves to “advocating for a more dignified approach to the reception, protection, and care of people on the move.” It states that “churches and church-based agencies have been and will be proactive in offering a compassionate welcome, and promoting social integration and a just and peaceful living together, in Greece and the whole of Europe and beyond.”

The statement also addresses the public discourse in which “migrants and refugees are often the focus for hate speech in social media, as well as distorted and dehumanizing portrayals in the media” and calls for media to “respect the human dignity of migrants and refugees, ensure balanced coverage of their stories, engage with migrants and refugees and enable them to tell their own stories, and to avoid stereotypical, negative expressions, as well as victimization and oversimplification.”

“We also share the conviction that the core values of the European Union regarding human dignity and respect for human rights must be reflected in its day-to-day politics,” the statement says.

The statement is co-signed by the ACT Alliance, the Anglican Communion, the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe, the Conference of European Churches, the Evangelical Church of Greece, the Integration Center for Migrant Workers – Ecumenical Refugee Program, Non Profit Organisation of the Church of Greece, the Lutheran World Federation, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, the European Region of the World Association of Christian Communication, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the World Communion of Reformed Churches (European Region), the World Council of Churches and the World Methodist Council.

Read the full statement of 22 September 2020

Photo gallery: Churches’ work supporting refugees in Europe

Social media package

Media Contact:
Simon Chambers, Director of Communications
Email: simon.chambers@actalliance.org
Tel: +1 416 435 0972

ACT Alliance has signed on to the Unity Statement for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights in the Philippines.

Keep Watch and Bear Witness with the Filipino People

#DefendCivilLiberties #StopTheKillings

“When all the prisoners of the land are crushed under foot, when human rights are perverted in the presence of the Most High, when one’s case is subverted – does the Lord not see it?”

 (Lamentations 3:34-36, NRSV)

We are Church people from around the world, responding to the call to stand with the Filipino people in light of the deteriorating situation of civil liberties and human rights in the Philippines. Filipinos have been under quarantine and various forms of “lockdown” for more than six months. They are a witness to a militarized response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has unraveled lingering social inequalities and has further deepened economic misery in the country.  The 45 percent of the Philippine workforce is now unemployed.  The worrisome heightening of human rights violations and intensifying curtailment of civil liberties are unduly facilitated by restrictions put upon democratic discourse, including legitimate assemblies to express grievances, in a civil space so severely shrunk.

We are alarmed by the passage into law of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, which poses serious threats on civil liberties. This law runs counter to the Bill of Rights clearly enshrined in the Philippine Constitution and to obligations arising from international human rights instruments and mechanisms that Philippines has acceded to.  This law practically legitimizes unlawful arrests and detentions, thereby undermining due process of law and equal protection of the law that are guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution.  Compounding the concern about this law are reports that retired military generals have been positioned within the civilian bureaucracy to wield this draconian law, instrumentalizing it to  impinge on the exercise of free speech, thought, religious belief and association, as well as other civil and political rights.

The proliferation of extrajudicial killings, including the killing of thousands of people under a so-called “war on drugs”[1], is reprehensible. We are concerned that a general climate of impunity has been synergized with the Philippine president’s unabashed incitement to violence and regular calls for state forces to punish legitimate dissent by the citizenry.  At least 6,000 killings have been reported by the Philippine police as a result of their drug operations.  Human rights organizations provide a larger figure, calculating that approximately 27,000 people including children have been killed, with casualties resulting from widespread ‘vigilante’ killings, discovery of dead bodies, and executions from what are described as resistance to police arrest[2].  Extrajudicial killings of “suspected rebels” are categorized and alleged as shoot-outs in the dead of night, while multiple witness testimonies report these as execution-style operations.  The human rights group Karapatan has documented more than 300 political killings, including scores of rural farmers and indigenous peoples, workers, environmental defenders, lawyers, human rights activists, and church people.  The Philippine Commission on Human Rights remains saddled with the investigation of 89 cases of deaths of human rights activists dating back to 2017.

We call for an end to these killings.  We stand with the Filipino citizenry in denouncing state impunity and the wanton display of violence and brutality by state forces. We affirm that due process of law and the equal protection of the law are constitutive of a just and democratic governance and guarantees protections arising from both domestic and international laws that the Philippines have sworn to abide by.

Continuing violations of human rights under COVID-19 pandemic quarantines in the Philippines accentuate the urgent need for intensified accompaniment and solidarity from Church formations and people of goodwill within and outside the Philippines.  A few of the present maneuvers to repress the Filipino people include the intimidation and trumped-up charges leveled against the political opposition, peoples organizations, journalists, government critics, peace advocates, and human rights defenders; the closure of a  major media outfit; “red-tagging” of activists, including church people and churches[3]; attacks on indigenous communities and their schools; and threats to workers humanitarian aid groups and agencies.

Civil rights are deprived further with the unhealthy overcrowding and dismal situation of Philippine prisons, bulging to as high as five times their capacity. Widespread hunger and joblessness, and inadequate provision of and access to health services and care, thereby putting at greater risk populations that have been made more vulnerable by at least a triple of pandemics—those of COVID-19, endemic poverty, and climate change that have assaulted the health and integrity of the people, their land and livelihoods, and the planet.

Therefore, in continuation of our historic commitment as faith-based bodies within the wider ecumenical community worldwide to peace, justice and the integrity of creation, we hereby join to keep watch and bear witness to the hopes and struggles of the Filipino people.

We continue to raise the alarm on the disturbing proliferation of killings, human rights violations and attacks on civil liberties in the Philippines.  We commit ourselves to bear witness in word and indeed, by advocating and educating about these commitments in our own countries, with our governments and diplomats, and in our agencies and work places.  We will aid in broadening international support for and solidarity with the Filipino people. Their call for the Philippine government to uphold human rights, provide reparations to victims of state abuses, seek peace, and enact justice are equally our call. In particular, we support the recommendations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, including recommendations from at least two dozens of UN human rights experts for the UN Human Rights Council to “establish an on-the-ground independent, impartial investigation into human rights violations in the Philippines”.[4]

We will continue to uphold God’s gift of human dignity in the Philippines and everywhere, working with human rights defenders, and maximizing all venues and platforms to put a spotlight on those who violate and undermine human rights so that they are called to face justice and account for their transgressions.

May the liberating God be with us in this commitment and in our continuing quest for peace based on justice and the integrity of peoples and their lands.

We will bear witness, and we will keep watch.

Signed by (as of September 17, 2020):

ACT Alliance

Anglican Church of Canada*

Christian Conference of Asia

Council for World Mission

Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ

International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines

Kairos: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives

National Council of Churches in Australia

National Council of Churches in Korea

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA**

Presbyterian Church USA

United Society Partners in the Gospel, UK

United Church of Canada

United Evangelical Mission

Uniting Church in Australia

United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society***

United Methodist Church – General Board of Global Ministries

Uniting World

World Communion of Reformed Churches

World Student Christian Federation

* The Most Rev. Linda Nicholls, Primate; The Most Rev. Mark MacDonald, National Anglican Indigenous Archbishop (Anglican Church of Canada)

**Jim Winkler, General Secretary and President (National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA)

*** Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe, General Secretary (United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society)

[1] https://globalnation.inquirer.net/188186/unhrc-report-near-impunity-in-ph-drug-war-killings-tokhang-must-end

[2] https://rappler.com/nation/children-killed-duterte-drug-war-philippines-report

[3] The National Council of Churches in the Philippines and its members and associate members like the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, United Church of Christ in the Philippines and the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines have been labelled by state security forces and government agencies as “front organizations of communist terrorist groups”. Some church leaders, members of the clergy and lay leaders are also “red-tagged” including those from the United Methodist Church and the Roman Catholic Church.

[4] See the High Commissioner’s report here: https://bit.ly/3jHsawQ , and the recommendations of UN human rights experts at https://bit.ly/2EPgDNv

The Statement is available for download here.

ACT Alliance has joined over 170 peacebuilding organizations in issuing an urgent call to action for peace. The statement points out that responses to the COVID-19 crisis that increase violence, injustice and exclusion will increase human suffering and deepen development losses. A focus on peace, justice and inclusion must be at the heart of the response to COVID-19.

The statement, released at the opening of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, calls on governments and the international community to: mainstream peace in the response to COVID-19; prioritize inclusion in analysis and action; make space for building peace; and reaffirm multilateralism and international norms as a safeguard for the most vulnerable.

The full statement can be read here.

The 18^th of September is International Equal Pay Day which symbolizes how far still have to go to guarantee women earn the same as men. According to the UN, ‘[a]cross all regions, women are paid less than men, with the gender pay gap estimated at 23 per cent globally’. Evidence shows that Equal Pay Day is about much more than just pay. For example, World Bank’s Women Business and the Law 2020 report states that we still have laws and regulations imposing job restrictions on women which go beyond the gender wage gap. Not only. I argue that we should even go one step further by recognising that toxic sexist work culture is also responsible for the slow progress on gender equality. That is, while fighting for equal pay, we must make sure we acknowledge and fundamentally change unequal power structures to ensure equality in all senses when it comes to the workplace.

Let’s put this into a concrete picture. More than 10 years ago, when I was working for a prestigious law firm, had been there for over 3 years and had raving reviews from colleagues, I was told that someone else was being hired for my role because, and I here quote, they ‘simply preferred working with a man’. They (or rather He) added quite abrasively: ‘It’s not personal’. How on earth that is not personal? Telling me I was discriminated against for the mere fact of being a woman? Being able to tell me that and get away with it because you are a white middle class privileged man? Or perhaps disregarding good professional performance to create your very own ‘boys club’?

That incident could have crushed my self-esteem and erased my prospects of actually putting my skills to good use. Instead, I quit that job two days later and decided that my mission would be preventing similar issues from happening. Unfortunately, that was not the only time I was discriminated against and certainly it will not be the last. God knows how much I work (and overwork) to prove that I am just as good as the people being deemed ‘suitable’ by the system (which of course changes depending on the setting you are in). But, the reality is that when I look back I am actually grateful. That was a defining moment. It sparkled my love (unapologetic and fully committed love) for human rights and gender equality; it gave me the courage to actually pursue a new career track in spite of my family’s resistance; and it gave me the opportunity to learn and meet many other feminist activists that devote(d) their whole life to changing our inherently patriarchal and racist system. 

I speak from a perspective now which I simply could not have done back then. In fact, I was only able to share this history with my parents and siblings last year. This is the first time I actually write about it. The first time I spoke about this openly was at the beginning of 2020 when a group of young girls asked me about my career path during a CSW 64 discussion. I have met my past co-workers (who where well aware of what had taken place) several times but they never mentioned the incident directly or reached out to me with a word of encouragement. I don’t blame them. The system demands silence as it only awards those that circumscribe by its rules. That must change!

Last month, when someone asked me if I had suffered discrimination in my recent past, I answered fully but felt like crying as I did it. It is soul crushing to think that we still live in a world where people thrive by having power over other people; by creating artificial socially constructed categories to benefit from your oppression. I never accepted the status quo but also know that not everyone has the privilege of options. I had that privilege and think it is my obligation to use it strategically. I would urge others in similar positions to do the same. This is of course not a novel call to action, it is a personal plea. Many social movements such as #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter highlighted the discriminatory face of our ‘normal’. If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything is that the moment to change things is right now!

My bottom line is: Fight discriminatory systems…whatever it is that you face and whatever they discriminate against. Fight it! If you feel you can’t fight it, take a stand. Make it clear that you are not complicit with it. And then define what that means to you rather than being defined by it. Take the power from those trying to have power over you. That in itself is a radical thing to do.

A luta continua!

ACT Alliance joins Civil Society around the world to call for a Global Fund for Social Protection to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and to build a better future.

Despite agreements on the fundamental human rights of all people to social protection and health, over two-thirds of the world’s population are still denied the right to comprehensive social protection. This is especially concerning as the number of people without protection as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic increases. For example, as a result of COVID-19, the number of people that are food insecure is projected to double to a quarter of a billion this year.

“We, civil society and faith-based organizations, trade unions and members of the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors, in view of the global harm from the COVID-19 pandemic, call on governments worldwide to ensure – through national and global solidarity – that national social protection floors are made available to all people with the help of a Global Fund for Social Protection,” reads the Civil Society Call.

The Call explains that national floors of social protection can help to ensure that no one is left behind by securing universal access to essential health care and basic income security. 

“Social protection systems can help to reduce and prevent poverty, counter inequality, and can unleash the creativity and productive capacity of people,” reads the Call.

Signatories to the Civil Society Call also recognize that while the financing of social protection systems falls to national budgets, some countries will require technical support and co-financing from the international community.

The Call further outlines the envisioned governance structure of the board, potential financing sources and notes that the Fund would operate under the principles of accountability, transparency and participation.

The full Civil Society Call is available here.

ACT Alliance joins various humanitarian and development organizations calling on Heads of State and Government ahead of UNGA 75 to make bold and ambitious decisions to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and put nature and ecosystems on a path to recovery by 2030.

ACT Alliance members around the world are witnessing the various ways that the rapid loss of nature, ecosystems, and biodiversity are threatening our environment, health, diets, development, social equity and human rights. 

The Call to Action states, “Biodiversity is essential not only for poverty and inequality eradication but also for social justice and human rights, including the rights to food, water, human health and a healthy environment.”

The Call to Action further reads:

We must take action now to set nature, ecosystems and societies on the path to recovery, to build a safe, healthy and equitable future for people and the planet. Together, we can reset our relationship with nature and secure a resilient carbon-neutral, nature-positive world.

We call on the Heads of State ahead of UNGA75 to make bold and ambitious decisions to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and put nature and ecosystems on a path to recovery by 2030 by:

1. 1. Embracing a green, sustainable and just post-COVID19 recovery, protecting and regenerating nature as a sustainable foundation for a healthy and just society, and equitable economy, in line with WHO Manifesto.
   2. Transitioning to sustainable carbon-conscious agriculture, fisheries and forestry by harnessing agro-ecology, food sovereignty and alternative livelihoods. Eliminating subsidies harmful to nature, climate and health, without compromising on food security and nutrition for all.
   3. Strengthening resilience to climate change and environmental degradation of the poor and vulnerable. Ensuring fair and equitable distribution of and access to natural resources as a condition for social and gender equality while investing in public services that ease the burden of care for all in society.
   4. Halting the loss of and restoring natural habitats, while applying a human rights-based approach and respecting indigenous people and local communities’ human, land, water and tenure roles and rights.
   5. Ensuring that the benefits from biodiversity, including healthy and nutritious diets and fresh water are equitably shared by all people.

The full Call to Action is available for download here.

In September 2018 the UN IATF established the Multi-faith Advisory Council (MFAC), an informal and voluntary entity which consists of 45 religious leaders and heads of faith-based organizations (FBOs).  The composition reflects the diversity of religions, regional and national presence, and covers different thematic areas that mirror the UN’s mandate. In 2019 Rudelmar Bueno de Faria was elected co-chair of this body.

ACT Alliance joins the other members of the MFAC to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the UN.

Watch the trailer below

The World Council of Churches (WCC), ACT Alliance and the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) present their condolences to all Lebanese people who lost their loved ones in the catastrophic explosion that ripped through the heart of Beirut on 4 August 2020.  We stand in solidarity with the bereaved, the injured, the

displaced and the suffering.

On behalf of the international ecumenical community, ACT Alliance is launching an appeal as part of the international humanitarian response to this disaster, and we join in calling on the international community for a comprehensive humanitarian mechanism of coordination and collaboration with Lebanese civil society.

We recognize and lift up the swift and effective actions taken by Lebanese civil society to respond and to alleviate the suffering of those affected. The civil society response to the disaster is a significant sign of hope, strengthening people’s capacity to overcome this enormous crisis and to restore hope in the society for the future of the nation.

Together, WCC ACT Alliance and MECC emphasize the following elements as crucial for a sustainable recovery:

1. There must be real accountability for this disaster, through an independent investigation. We call on the international community, through the UN, to ensure that the causes of this disaster are investigated and established by a credible independent process, that those responsible are brought to justice, and that impunity is avoided.
2. While immediate humanitarian assistance is essential and fundamental, ensuring long-term resilience is crucial for Lebanon’s sustainable recovery from multiple shocks – bringing together humanitarian, development and peace and human security components in a comprehensive systemic approach. The explosion and its consequences compound a deep pre-existing economic and social crisis, with 50% of Lebanese people living under the poverty line and 400,000 suffering displacement. A comprehensive, detailed and sustained engagement is required to ensure lasting positive impact.
3. WCC, ACT Alliance and MECC join in calling on all their members and partners to galvanize their resources – human, financial, communication/technical and spiritual – to support the Lebanese people to overcome this profound crisis.
4. WCC and ACT Alliance affirm and support the role and response of the Middle East Council of Churches, the Lebanon ACT Appeal, and all initiatives faith-based organizations and churches take to respond to not only to the humanitarian needs of the Lebanese people but also spiritual needs through trauma-healing interventions and counseling.

This is a critical and historical existential moment for Lebanon – a haven for religious and social diversity in the Middle East – and as such, we are all concerned and called upon to help ensure Lebanon’s survival. With all the tragedies and challenges of its past and present, Lebanon stands as a sign and symbol of living together in diversity.  The people of Lebanon deserve our support to survive and endure, and to regain hope for their future.

MIDDLE EAST COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

Dr. Souraya Bechealany   | Secretary General 

WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES       

Rev.Prof. Ioan Sauca   | Acting Secretary General 

ACT ALLIANCE            

Rudelmar Bueno De Faria | Secretary General

Download the statement in English here

Download the statement in Arabic here