5 exciting highlights from a youth delegate
Focus on West Africa
Fiona Connelly.
PHOTO: Christian Y. Bundu/Christian Aid
An innovative project led by the ACT Sierra Leone Forum has seen more than 200 men and boys become gender justice changemakers. Promoting Gender Transformative Approaches in Sierra Leone through Positive Masculinity addresses violence against women and girls and was developed with ACT’s Gender Justice programme.
Evidence shows that men and boys must be active allies in the struggle for gender equality, transforming harmful gender norms and promoting positive behaviours. The changemakers mentor and train other men and boys to advance gender equality in their communities and advocate for gender-balanced decision-making at local and national levels.
Using a faith-based, community-driven approach, the project promotes the positive aspects of masculinity and aims for long-term behavioural change. The changemakers’ training includes working with women and girls to develop and practice inclusive, equitable, and sustainable approaches to gender justice. These address the needs and rights of all individuals across the gender spectrum.
Gendered challenges
Gender-specific challenges Sierra Leone women face include:
These issues are not limited to Sierra Leone and can be found in several African and other countries.
Transformations
The project has led to the following transformations:
ACT Sierra Leone Forum accompaniment important
The ACT Sierra Leone Forum has accompanied the male changemakers throughout, providing evidence for communities that the project is having the desired effect. Gender transformative masculinity has been discussed in the media and in awareness raising programs, encouraging public discussion of policies to promote gender equality.
A collaborative programme
Developed with ACT’s Gender Justice programme, the project involved ACT member Christian Aid and the Christian Council of Sierra Leone, the Side-By-Side Movement for Gender Justice, the Ministry of Gender and the National Movement for Emancipation and Progress (NaMEP).
A path for the future
By addressing the root causes of gender inequality and engaging men as agents of change, this project will help create a more inclusive Sierra Leone.
By Fiona Connelly, from Daisy Yator’s interview with Ms.Keziah Kargo, Christian Council of Sierra Leone General Secretary. Thank you to ACT Alliance Gender Justice staff Rachel Tavernor for additional information. A shorter version of this article appeared in the ACT Alliance Annual Report 2023.
ACT Palestine Forum (APF) welcomes the historic resolution in the UN General Assembly’s emergency session on the 18th of September 2024, demanding Israel “brings to an end without delay its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory… and do so no later than 12 months,” and “comply without delay with all its legal obligations under international law.” This resolution affirms the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) Advisory opinion as requested under resolution A/RES/77/247 that was issued on 30th of December 2022.1
The resolution, passed with a majority of 124 votes, 43 abstentions, and 14 votes against it2, reflects the international community’s commitment to peace and human rights for the Palestinian people. We view this decision as a crucial step towards ending the decades-long injustice endured by Palestinians. The resolution is also a powerful call for Israel to end its illegal occupation, halt all new settlements constructions, remove parts of the wall it has built and evacuate all settlers from the occupied State of Palestine, including those in Jerusalem.
We believe that this resolution has the potential to strengthen the efforts towards achieving a just and lasting solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict and it emphasizes the necessity of adherence to international law and human rights standards. We call upon the international community to take concrete actions to ensure the implementation of the resolution to ensure the protection of human rights.
We urge all concerned parties to commit seriously to a peaceful and sustainable resolution of the conflict. We call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and an end of all forms of violence against Palestinians by settlers and the Israeli army in the West Bank.
APF also urges all members of the ACT Alliance and the churches, particularly those active in the countries that voted against the resolution, to continue advocating with politicians and decision-makers to support the right of Palestinians to self-determination. Their support is essential to building a future of peace and justice for all peoples in the region, the Holy Land, and the world.
At APF, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting the Palestinian people in their pursuit of their legitimate rights and we commit to providing humanitarian assistance and aid to all those affected by this conflict to be able to live in freedom, dignity and justice.
We call upon all people around the world to stand by this resolution and support it by all possible means. We also underscore how the Security Council resolutions and the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice constitute additional legal and moral frameworks that must be upheld. This is essential for ensuring the realization of Palestinian rights and the end of the occupation, and upholding a global commitment to an international order based on the rule of law and international law.
ACT Alliance is deeply concerned about the escalating violence in Lebanon. Lebanon has been under constant bombing since September 23, 2024. On the 28th of September, Beirut had witnessed more than 85 raids in one night. As the situation in Lebanon deteriorates, we urge immediate international support to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis. The magnitude of this emergency calls for immediate assistance. The people of Lebanon are already enduring immense hardship and cannot wait any longer.
We call upon the international community to take action to:
We call on all ACT Members to:
We express our strong condemnation of the repeated violations of IHL principles, particularly concerning the ongoing targeting of civilians, the media and humanitarian workers. Upholding IHL is of paramount importance, and all parties involved in the conflict must adhere to the fundamental obligation to distinguish between civilians and combatants at all times. The protection of civilians must remain a priority, and compliance with IHL is essential to reduce suffering and preserve human dignity during armed conflict.
The Current Situation in Lebanon
Up until the 8th of October 2024 as per Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), It is estimated that 990 shelters are hosting 181,700 Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs). These numbers don’t take into consideration the estimated 1.2 million people who are residing with families and friends, or those who are on the streets as they cannot find a shelter to go to. The toll on civilians, especially the most vulnerable populations such as children, women, the elderly, and people with disabilities, is devastating as they had to leave their homes and find shelter under bridges and in tunnels to find protection from bombings.
Numbers Reflecting the Crisis
A Call for Global Solidarity
We call on the international community to act now. Lebanon cannot bear the burden of this crisis alone. All of Lebanon is affected. A cessation of hostilities and a protection of civilians is essential and more urgent than ever. The humanitarian response must be scaled up to provide urgent assistance, restore dignity, and protect lives.
We stand united in our commitment to uphold human dignity and human rights, and we call on all states and civil society to join us.
Download the full statement here
“The cries of our children will echo for generations if the world does not act now.”
This is what ACT Alliance and Caritas Internationalis were told by a local faith leader in Sudan in advance of the UN General Assembly, taking place in New York this week. The crisis in Sudan is growing ever more alarming and the numbers of people affected by the conflict and impending famine are staggering, with over 10 million now displaced.
ACT and Caritas prepared a joint statement for a UNGA high level side event entitled “The Cost of Inaction: Urgent and Collective Support to Scale Up the Humanitarian Response in Sudan and the Region.” In the statement, ACT and Caritas raise three points:
The statement calls on “Governments at UNGA to take every diplomatic action possible to end this catastrophe, and to unlock support to the local first responders.”
Read the full statement here.
Read the joint ACT/Caritas appeal for humanitarian relief in Sudan here.
“For ACT Alliance, 2023 was marked by significant achievements, partnerships, and collaborative efforts that underscored our commitment to building a more sustainable and just future for all,” says ACT General Secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria. “Faced with increasing social and political polarization and shifting narratives, ACT’s commitment to human rights, inclusion and justice remained unwavering.”
The 2023 issue of the ACT Alliance Annual Report features a spotlight on West Africa, highlighting an innovative Gender Justice and member collaboration called Transforming Masculinity. There are also updates on ACT’s Climate Justice, Migration and Displacement, and Emergency Preparedness and Humanitarian Response programmes, as well as news on the work of Forums, the audited reports and the growing list of ACT members around the world.
We hope you enjoy this celebration of the work of the alliance.
The 2023 Annual Report can be downloaded in English, French or Spanish at the links below.
The passage on September 22, 2024 of the Pact for the Future at the United Nations was a moment for celebration as the world looks to address global crises, new and emerging issues, accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals and reinvigorate multilateralism.
Once the applause died down, the question on many people’s minds became “Now what? How do we implement this Pact in the world of 2024 and beyond?”
This will be the challenge. The world now is very different than it was when the SDGs were adopted as a political framework. Rising fundamentalisms, polarization, and the erosion of values of inclusion and justice in favour of individualism and discrimination have left the world with seemingly much less appetite for ambition.
“When they were adopted, the SDGs had broad-based support within countries, in civil society, and allowed many countries to advance the agendas of the goals. In contrast, many of the underlying values that should underpin the implementation of the Pact for the Future- climate justice, gender justice, inclusion- are being eroded around the world, even within many faith institutions,” said Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, general secretary of ACT Alliance.
Faith actors should be leaders in the moral aspects of the Pact, but too many faith actors espouse inclusion but exclude others based on their gender or sexual orientation, or their national origins.
“Now is the time for faith leaders to stand up for the key values that will enable us to live into the Pact for the Future. Solidarity and justice should be what we live as well as what we say,” said de Faria.
The Pact for the Future may lack the vision or accountability mechanisms the world hoped for, but the door is now open for increased ambition as the appetite for the values and results of the Pact increase in nations and the public. There is a big opportunity for the world to move forward, when it is ready.
“I call for the full moral engagement of governments, faith actors, civil society, and the whole of society to advance the Pact for the Future, rooted in compassion, solidarity, justice, inclusion and justice. Together we can bring about a better world, a better future,” de Faria concluded.
As world leaders converge on New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly, the spotlight should be on a critical aspect of the climate crisis: finance. While the talks in New York are not a formal climate summit, the discussions taking place this week are pivotal for our planet’s future.
This year’s climate debate centres on funding, a departure from previous negotiations that focused on emission reduction, adaptation efforts, and addressing climate-related loss and damage. The shift recognizes a fundamental truth: without adequate financial backing, even the most ambitious climate decisions will remain mere words on paper.
Ministers attending the UN General Assembly are engaging in high-level discussions, both formal and informal, as parties push their positions forward in anticipation of COP29 in November. These meetings present a crucial opportunity to increase climate ambition and commit to mobilizing larger amounts of climate finance.
The urgency of scaling up climate finance cannot be overstated. It is the key that unlocks effective climate action across all fronts. From enabling developing countries to transition to clean energy to funding crucial adaptation measures in vulnerable communities, finance is the lifeblood of global climate efforts.
World leaders must recognize that the climate crisis demands more than just promises – it requires concrete financial commitments. The discussions in New York should pave the way for substantial increases in climate funding, setting the stage for meaningful progress at COP29.
As these leaders return home from the General Assembly, it is imperative that their words translate into action. The commitments made in New York must be reflected in national policies, budget allocations, and international cooperation efforts.
The clock is ticking on climate change, and the world cannot afford further delays. It’s time for world leaders to find their wallets and provide the funding needed to tackle this global crisis head-on. The future of our planet depends on the decisions and commitments made today.
Mattias Söderberg is co-chair of the ACT Alliance Climate Justice Reference Group and Chief Advocacy Advisor for DanChurchAid.
