ACT Palestine Forum statement: APF Condemnation of the escalation of violence at Jenin Refugee Camp
The ACT Palestine Forum issued a statement on July 4, 2023, condemning the escalation of violence at the Jenin Refugee Camp which has left at least 8 people dead and 50 injured.
“We emphasize that the protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law should be paramount in any conflict,” the statement reads. “The excessive use of force against civilians, including children and the elderly is deeply concerning and unacceptable.”
The ACT Palestine forum “call[s] the international community and related parties, including the United Nations, regional and international organizations to react immediately without delay to address the situation and for immediate cessation of hostilities that ensure the safety of all civilians including those living in refugee camps and its surrounding.”
Fatores de Risco e Prevenção de Crimes Atrozes: Reflexões sobre a Visita da Assessora Especial da ONU ao Brasil
English version below
Fatores de Risco e Prevenção de Crimes Atrozes: Reflexões sobre a Visita da Assessora Especial da ONU ao Brasil
Cibele Kuss, Enéias Rosa, Romi Bencke e Marianna Leite
UN Under-Secretary General and Special Adviser on Genocide Prevention, Alice Wairimu Nderitu (left) and Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, general secretary of ACT Alliance speaking with Romi Bencke from CONIC/FEACT and Mãe Bahiana, a faith leader of a terreiro in Brasília. Photo: Marianna Leite/ACT
Histórico:
Em 2020, o Fórum Ecumenico ACT Brasil (FEACT) foram convidados pela Secretaria Geral de ACT Alliance para um diálogo com a Subsecretária Geral da ONU e Assessora Especial em Prevenção ao Genocídio, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, sobre os fatores de risco e grave contexto de violações de direitos humanos no Brasil. A seguir, foi apresentada uma nota técnica elaborada pelo Fórum com apresentação de casos emblemáticos de violências contra os povos indígenas no Rio Grande do Sul e Mato Grosso do Sul, chacinas contra a juventude negra no Rio de Janeiro, casos de violências contra as mulheres e povos de terreiro afetados pelo fundamentalismo religioso.
Em abril de 2022, com assessoria do Escritório das Nações Unidas, coordenadas pelo Fórum e pela Articulação para o Monitoramento dos Direitos Humanos no Brasil (AMDH), foram realizadas duas oficinas sobre fatores de risco e prevenção ao genocídio, uma no Pará e outra no Rio de Janeiro, que contou com a participação de mais de 60 organizações e coletivos da sociedade civil, indicando nos relatórios o pedido para uma visita ao Brasil da assessora especial em 2023.
A Visita e o Papel da Sociedade Civil:
Além dessas oficinas, durante a 51º de Sessão do Conselho de Direitos Humanos da ONU, a ACT Alliance e o escritório da assessora especial – UN OSAPG – realizaram um evento paralelo sobre a prevenção de crimes atrozes no Brasil. A assessora especial fez o discurso de abertura deste evento. As atividades contribuíram para colocar o tema em pauta e identificar as fragilidades e ausências de políticas públicas capazes de prevenir genocídios e crimes contra a humanidade no Brasil.
As organizações e movimentos envolvidos se apropriaram do “Mecanismo” de Prevenção do Genocídio e Responsabilidade de Proteger e reforçaram a urgência da visita do Escritório de Prevenção do Genocídio e Responsabilidade de Proteger em 2023. Como consequência, em virtude do convite do governo do Brasil, através do Ministério de Direitos Humanos e Cidadania, o Secretariado da ACT Alliance, o FEACT e a AMDH tiveram a honra de articular a co-coordenação do componente da sociedade civil durante a visita oficial da assessora especial ao país entre 1 e 12 de maio de 2023. A visita começou com uma consulta a representantes de organizações estratégicas da sociedade civil em Brasília, no dia 2 de maio, que procurou focar na questão da confluência de fundamentalismos e discursos de ódio como impulsionadores dos fatores de risco.
Avaliação da Sociedade Civil sobre os Ganhos para a Situação dos Povos Indígenas:
No dia 8 de maio, a assessora especial se reuniu em Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, com cerca de 80 representantes de ao menos 36 organizações da sociedade civil e organizações indígenas. Entre elas, representante dos povos Kaiowá, Ñandeva, Chiquitano, Karipuna e Ava-Guarani, quilombola, organizações de direitos humanos e religiosas. Também fizeram parte representantes do Ministério Público Federal, a Defensoria Pública da União e do Estado, representantes de juízes e universidades.
Todos tinham em comum dar consciência à assessora especial da gravidade da situação dos povos indígenas, em especial os que vivem fora da Amazônia, e particularmente relatar os crimes contra a humanidade perpetrados contra os Ñandeva e os Kaiowá no Mato Grosso do Sul. A maior parte destes representantes apresentaram desde sua atuação, análises sobre as múltiplas violências que atingem estes povos e os motivos e dados, pelos quais são submetidos a uma violência sistêmica, sistemática e intencional. Demonstrando que tal situação tem por causa principal à falta de acesso destes povos aos seus territórios tradicionais e toda desumanidade que decorre desta situação. Como assassinatos, suicídios, criminalização, mortalidade infantil, violência contra as mulheres, racismo entre outras violações.
Avaliação da Sociedade Civil sobre os Ganhos para a Situação de Pessoas Afrodescendentes:
No Rio de Janeiro, Alice Wairimu Nderitu encontrou mães e familiares de vítimas de violência institucional. Um grande contingente de mulheres negras, moradoras de favelas, que vivem um luto perpétuo e buscam justiça, memória e reparação para seus filhos, maridos, irmãos vítimas de homicídios decorrentes de intervenção policial. Vale lembrar que, apenas em 2022, as polícias do Rio de Janeiro mataram 1.327 pessoas, isso representa 29,7% de todas as mortes violentas do estado. Uma verdadeira epidemia e a face mais escancarada do genocídio negro. Em 2021, 87,3% dos mortos pela polícia no Rio eram negros.
Na ocasião, a assessora especial também ouviu comunidades de terreiros, coletivos de favelas, organizações religiosas e de direitos humanos. As intervenções desvelaram o racismo institucional, especialmente contra as pessoas negras, e as várias formas que o Estado brasileiro utiliza para eliminar sua população não-branca, que se manifesta através da violência contra os corpos negros e uma cidadania incompleta, através da negação de direitos básicos.
Propostas de Encaminhamentos:
Ao final da visita, houve uma roda de imprensa e a publicação de uma forte declaração da assessora especial sobre a conclusão de visita ao Brasil. A declaração já especifica recomendações para o governo e para a sociedade civil como, por exemplo, a garantia de investimento para FUNAI, novas medidas de apoio aos povos indígenas e afrodescendentes aprimoradas, contínuas e sustentáveis e o combate independente e imparcial à impunidade, principalmente entre as forças de segurança que cometeram graves violações contra indígenas e afrodescendentes brasileiros.
A ACT Alliance, o FEACT e a AMDH notam uma enorme gratidão ao engajamento humano e intenso da assessora especial durante a visita, à equipe do UN OSAPG e ONU Brasil, ao Ministério de Direitos Humanos e Cidadania por facilitar a visita oficial bem como todos os outros atores estatais envolvidos e aos movimentos sociais e organizações de sociedade civil que organizaram e/or participaram das atividades. Diante de nossa avaliação interna, destacamos o seguinte:
O desejo de coordenar um evento perante a 53 sessão do Conselho de Direitos Humanos para maximizar o diálogo entre a assessora especial, o governo e sociedade civil sobre fatores de risco.
A importância de incidir junto ao Conselho de Segurança da ONU sobre fatores de risco para com base na lições oferecidas pelo contexto do Brasil.
Risk Factors and Prevention of Atrocious Crimes: Reflections on the Visit of the UN Special Adviser to Brazil
Cibele Kuss, Enéias Rosa, Romi Bencke and Marianna Leite
Background:
In 2020, the Ecumenical Forum ACT Brazil (FEACT) was invited by the Secretariat of ACT Alliance for a dialogue with the UN Under-Secretary General and Special Adviser on Genocide Prevention, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, on the risk factors and serious context of violations of human rights in Brazil. Subsequent to that, a technical note prepared by the Forum was presented with the reference to emblematic cases of violence against indigenous peoples in Rio Grande do Sul and Mato Grosso do Sul, massacres against black youth in Rio de Janeiro, cases of violence against women and terreiro peoples affected by religious fundamentalism.
In April 2022, with advice from the United Nations Office, coordinated by the Forum and by the Articulation for the Monitoring of Human Rights in Brazil (AMDH), two workshops were held on risk factors and prevention of genocide, one in Pará and the other in Rio de Janeiro, which had the participation of more than 60 civil society organizations and collectives, indicating in the reports the request for a visit to Brazil by the special advisor in 2023.
The Visit and the Role of Civil Society:
In addition to these workshops, during the 51st Session of the UN Human Rights Council, the ACT Alliance and the office of the special advisor – UN OSAPG – held a side event on the prevention of atrocity crimes in Brazil. The special advisor gave the opening speech at this event. The activities contributed to putting the topic on the agenda and identifying the weaknesses and absences of public policies capable of preventing genocides and crimes against humanity in Brazil.
The organizations and movements involved took ownership of the “Mechanism” for Genocide Prevention and Responsibility to Protect and reinforced the urgency of the visit of the Office for Genocide Prevention and Responsibility to Protect in 2023. After the official invitation by the government, through the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship, the ACT Alliance Secretariat, FEACT and AMDH were honored to articulate the co-coordination of the civil society component during the official visit of the special advisor to the country, between May 1st and 12th, 2023. The visit began with a consultation with representatives of strategic civil society organizations in Brasilia, on May 2, which sought to focus on the issue of the confluence of fundamentalisms and hate speech as drivers of risk factors.
Civil Society Assessment of Gains for the Status of Indigenous Peoples:
On May 8, the special advisor met in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, with around 80 representatives from at least 36 civil society organizations and indigenous organizations. Among them were representatives of the Kaiowá, Ñandeva, Chiquitano, Karipuna and Ava-Guarani peoples, quilombola, human rights and religious organizations. There were also representatives of the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office of the Union and the State, representatives from the association of judges and from universities also took part.
They all had in common the intent of making the special advisor aware of the seriousness of the situation of indigenous peoples, especially those who live outside the Amazon, and particularly reporting on the crimes against humanity perpetrated against the Ñandeva and Kaiowá in Mato Grosso do Sul. Most of these representatives presented data and analyses related the multiple violences that these peoples are subjected to, which are systemic, systematic and intentional. The idea was to demonstrate that this situation is mainly due to the lack of access of these peoples to their traditional territories and all the inhumanity that results from this situation. Some examples included murders, suicides, criminalization, infant mortality, violence against women, and racism, among other violations.
Civil Society Assessment of Gains for the Situation of People of African Descent:
In Rio de Janeiro, Alice Wairimu Nderitu met mothers and relatives of victims of institutional violence. A large contingent of Afro-descendent women, residents of favelas, who live in perpetual mourning and seek justice, memory and reparation for their children, husbands, brothers, victims of homicides resulting from police intervention. It is worth remembering that, in 2022 alone, the police in Rio de Janeiro killed 1,327 people, which represents 29.7% of all violent deaths in the state. A true epidemic and the most open face of black genocide. In 2021, 87.3% of those killed by the police in Rio were black.
The interventions revealed institutional racism, especially against Afro-descendents, and the various methods that the Brazilian State uses to eliminate its non-white population, which manifests itself through violence against black bodies and incomplete citizenship, and through the denial of basic rights.
Proposals for Next Steps:
At the end of the visit, there was a press conference and the publication of a strong statement by the special advisor on the conclusion of the visit to Brazil. The declaration already specifies recommendations for the government and civil society such as, for example, the guarantee of investment for FUNAI, new measures to support indigenous peoples and people of African descent that are improved, continuous and sustainable, and the independent and impartial fight against impunity, mainly among the security forces that committed serious violations against Brazilian indigenous and Afro-descendant people.
The ACT Alliance, FEACT and AMDH note our enormous gratitude for the human and intense engagement of the special advisor during the visit, the UN OSAPG and UN Brazil team, the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship for facilitating the official visit as well as all the other state actors involved and the social movements and civil society organizations that organized and/or participated in the activities. In view of our internal assessment, we highlight the following:
The desire to coordinate an event before the 53rd session of the Human Rights Council to maximize the dialogue between the special advisor, the government and civil society on risk factors.
The importance of influencing the UN Security Council on risk factors based on the lessons offered by the context of Brazil.
The creation of a process for deepening the risk factors of the UN OSAPG on the gender perspective.
The need to deepen the proposal to bring together the ‘mothers of victims of slaughters’ of Brazil with other mothers and partnerships from other contexts/countries.
For more information:
Marianna Leite, Gerente Global de Incidência e Política da ACT Alliance, marianna.leite@actalliance.org
During solidarity visit to Türkiye, ACT and WCC witness great needs yet great collaboration: “the churches are all working together”
Visiting communities in southern Türkiye from 4-6 April 2023, the delegation met with churches in Mersin, Iskenderun, and Antioch, including communities in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, Latin Catholics and others.
After returning from a solidarity visit to Türkiye, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay and ACT Alliance general secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria appear in a video interview speaking about what they saw, how churches are working together, and their unique reflections on their visit—held 4-6 April—took place during western Holy Week.
Accompanied by Laki Vingas, archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and former elected representative of minority foundations in Türkiye, they visited Mersin, Iskenderun, and Antioch.
“The WCC and ACT Alliance’s presence in these particular places indicate that we care, we are concerned about what has taken place, and we want to find out how we can actually be of assistance,” said Pillay. “I might also stress that it was important for us to do this together.”
Both Pillay and Bueno de Faria said that they were very sad to see the devastation and damage left by the quake, which killed over 45,000 people in Türkiye alone. There is grave need related to the lack of food, water, and healthcare, and many first responders continue to work under extremely aggravated circumstances.
“What stood out to me first was the powerful impact of the earthquake on the infrastructure and the life of the people,” said Bueno de Faria, who is a survivor of earthquakes in Central America in 2001. “Comparing what I saw in Türkiye, it was shocking to see what people faced and the stories about how people were affected directly or indirectly and also communities as a whole.”
Watch the full interview
Bueno de Faria said that ACT Alliance is responding to the humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable both in Türkiye and Syria through ACT’s appeal, which has raised almost $8.5M to date. Churches play a vital role in humanitarian response as they are integrated in the communities, able to provide key needs assessment data to responders, and food, shelter, cash assistance, psychosocial support, and much more direct aid to affected families.
Pillay and Bueno de Faria met many people with uncertain futures and are concerned—particularly in Antioch—that people will not return, and the historic city will lose its lively Christian presence.
“Much time and effort is going to be put into the reconstruction of people’s homes and churches and buildings, and so forth,” assured Pillay. “One of the great things happening at the moment, from what we have seen, is the great ecumenical collaboration. The churches are all working together.”
Being in Türkiye during Holy Week was an important time for reflection, Pillay concluded.
“I could reflect on the suffering of Jesus and then reflect on the suffering of people who have been displaced from their homes and their livelihoods, and where the earthquake has robbed them of their continuity of life,” he said.
ACT Alliance, WCC delegation on solidarity visit to Türkiye
Visiting communities in southern Türkiye from 4-6 April 2023, the delegation met with churches in Mersin, Iskenderun, and Antioch, including communities in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, Latin Catholics and others. Photo: WCC/ACT
A delegation from the World Council of Churches and ACT Alliance is visiting Türkiye this week, expressing solidarity and support for churches on the ground responding to grave needs in the wake of the 6 February earthquake.
Visiting communities in southern Türkiye from 4-6 April, the delegation met with churches in Mersin, Iskenderun, and Antioch, including communities in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, Latin Catholics and others.
“The visit is tremendously symbolic during western Holy Week, and during the last week of Great Lent in the eastern calendar,” said WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay. “It is really sad to see the devastation and damage brought about by the earthquake in Türkiye. Apart from the destruction of buildings, homes, properties and churches are the emotional and psychological scars endured by many people who have lost loved ones and almost everything.”
Pillay said: “We visited Mersin, Iskenderun, and Antioch. I was deeply broken to see most of Antioch totally destroyed and now very empty. Church leaders are very concerned about the diminishing numbers of Christians in Türkiye and now whether Christians will return to this land that has so much of biblical history.” He added “We pray that they would be able to continue to sustain a lively Christian presence in this very historic city.”
“The greatest need right now is to provide housing for the displaced people and funding to rebuild the destroyed cities,” underlined Pillay. “The churches are trying to build temporary houses for people and seek assistance.”
In the wake of the earthquake, there is grave need related to the lack of food, water, and healthcare, and many first responders continue to work under extremely aggravated circumstances.
The quake in Türkiye and Syria caused enormous destruction in terms of both lives and property: in Türkiye alone, 45 thousand people died under the over 230,000 collapsed buildings, 1.7 million were forced into tents, nearly 3 million were made homeless, and the livelihoods of some 9 million people were severely affected.
ACT Alliance general secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria said: “In the aftermath of the earthquake, churches did what they have always done—opened their doors, their hearts, and their hands to help their neighbours who were affected by this tragic event.”
Bueno de Faria added, “During this visit, we have seen the commitment of the churches to this work, to continuing to serve those impacted by the earthquake in the spirit of ecumenical diakonia.” He concluded, “The need of international financial support is critical, as the reconstruction will take time and will be costly.”
ACT Alliance partners and many other churches across the world have raised funds and sent humanitarian experts to conduct assessments and prepare relief, many closely cooperating with local partner organizations in the region.
According to an ACT Alliance situation report, the priority needs of earthquake-affected people are rehabilitation and repair of damaged homes, mental health and psychosocial support, food assistance, hygiene and dignity kits, shelter, water, sanitation, food, and cash assistance.
Many children continue to exhibit signs of distress, and there remains a significant need for psychosocial support services, recreational activities, child-friendly spaces, medical aid, and services for people with disabilities and the elderly.
Pillay concluded, “We encourage the WCC members and others to offer continued prayers and support for the people in Türkiye and other parts of the world affected by earthquakes and disasters. During this time of Easter, we are reminded that the suffering servant is with the suffering people of God on earth. May the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ, give us hope and peace in these troubled and difficult times. In Christ is our hope!”
The WCC-ACT delegation is comprised of Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, general secretary, World Council of Churches; Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, general secretary, ACT Alliance; and Laki Vingas, archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and former elected representative of minority foundations in Türkiye.
ACT’s revised Syria 2023 appeal, which includes the earthquake response, can be found here.
The WCC’s article on the appeal can be found here.
Ukraine: one year later
One year ago today Russia invaded Ukraine and unleashed a horrific humanitarian crisis that is still having a heavy toll on the civilian populations of Ukraine. The international conflict forced millions of women, men, girls and boys to run for their lives and seek refuge in neighbouring countries or become internally displaced.
Freezing temperatures, fear and atrocious attacks on civilian infrastructures is what Ukrainian families had to face daily since the beginning of the hostilities. But they have not been left alone.
Millions of Ukrainian refugees have been helped, consoled and welcomed everywhere. The way we moved into action together is uplifting. However, we must not forget that many are the crises that are unfolding globally and we should find the courage and resources to mobilise as fast and as strongly as we did in Ukraine.
It is possible and it is necessary.
We have produced a report that summarises all the efforts made to protect and support Ukrainian civilians in the past year. You can download this report below. ACT Alliance is grateful to its members who have been investing their skills, staff, resources and time in helping humanity.
We truly are Hope in Action!
ACT members bringing life-saving aid to Syria
GOPA-DERD’s team emergency response by distributing food items, winterization kits and medicine to those affected by the earthquake in Aleppo, Hama and Latakia. Photo: GOPA-DERD
Immediately after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck in the early hours of the morning on February 6, ACT members began to conduct rapid needs assessments in Syria and Turkey. They also began to provide life-saving aid including food, medicine, and warm blankets, mattresses and pyjamas to families who lost everything to the devastating quake even as search and rescue efforts continue to free survivors from the rubble.
“People are staying out of their homes,” reports Samer Laham of the Middle East Council of Churches. “They are afraid of aftershocks destroying the buildings that are still standing.”
Sara Savva of The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East- Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development (GOPA-DERD) continues, “Lots of buildings have not yet collapsed, but they are not stable. Families are sleeping in the streets, in cars if they have them, with friends and family, or in shelters.”
As the numbers of people killed, injured and displaced by the earthquake grow, so too does the support from ACT members. As of February 8, seven ACT members are involved in response or are conducting needs assessments. These include:
MECC
MECC reports that 232 sites have been offered as shelters in Aleppo since the quake, including church halls, mosques, schools and municipal halls. MECC is providing mattresses and blankets, as well as hot meals, to affected families, and is working to secure additional supplies to meet the needs.
They report that there is a lack of availability of some key items in Aleppo, so they are being transported from Damascus.
“The key need currently is food baskets,” reports Ghassan Chahine of MECC. “We need canned and pre-made food, as people cannot cook at the moment.”
GOPA-DERD
GOPA-DERD is performing assessments in Aleppo, Hama and Latakia, and has been distributing a variety of items to families in need including winterization kits (blankets, pyjamas and mattresses), ready to eat meals and food kits to those in shelters and to those outside of them as well, kitchen kits to shelters to help them prepare meals for the families living there, battery chargers, hygiene and dignity kits, and medical supplies to hospitals and the shelters.
GOPA-DERD is sending engineering teams to examine buildings to make sure they are safe for people to return to. They are also preparing to provide emergency psychosocial support in the coming weeks.
GOPA-DERD is looking to scale up their response as soon as possible.
Christian Aid
Christian Aid is working in northwest Syria in non-government controlled areas. One of their Syrian partners has started distributing pre-positioned winterization kits in western rural Aleppo and Idleb. Another is distributing child protection and winterization kits, setting up child friendly spaces, and supporting family reunification.
Swiss Church Aid (HEKS)
HEKS is supporting families living in schools and shelters with in-kind support. They are developing a medium to long term intervention which is likely to be focused on providing multi-purpose cash support to affected families. They are performing their assessment from Damascus, working with the Syrian government’s relevant ministries.
FCA
Fin Church Aid is providing winterization kits to 2000 families in shelters in Aleppo, as well as hygiene and dignity kits. They are undertaking assessments in Aleppo and Hama and will continue to develop their response.
Hungarian Interchurch Aid
Hungarian Interchurch Aid, with its local partner Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), is currently developing a response plan providing emergency food and non-food items (NFIs) to the people affected by the earthquake in Aleppo. The implementation will be overseen by HIA’s office in Erbil and supported by the Budapest HQ. HIA has also opened its helpline to collect donations and, depending on the available funds, is planning a medium to long-term intervention.
LWF and DKH
The Lutheran World Federation and Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe are both doing needs assessments with their local partners and developing their response plans, which will be available soon.
Support ACT’s work
The Alert for ACT’s response can be found here. The ACT Syria Forum is revising its 2023 appeal to include the earthquake response, and that document will be available shortly.
To support ACT’s work, please contact Niall O’Rourke, Head of Humanitarian Affairs and George Majaj, Humanitarian Programme Advisor for MENA.
ACT members responding to urgent needs after earthquake in Syria and Turkey
GOPA-DERD staff looking at the damage from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey on Feb 6, 2023. GOPA-DERD is providing food, blankets, and medical supplies to impacted households. Photo: GOPA-DERD
ACT members began responding to humanitarian needs shortly after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck in the early hours of February 6 near the border between Turkey and Syria. Over 1800 have been killed and thousands more injured, with those numbers expected to rise as work is undertaken to rescue survivors trapped under rubble.
As the scale of the disaster continues to be discovered, ACT members are checking in with their own staff teams, conducting rapid needs assessments, and already working to provide life-saving supplies to impacted people.
ACT member The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East- Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development (GOPA-DERD) is providing food, winterization (blankets and mattresses) and medical aid in affected communities in Aleppo, Hama, Latakia.
The Middle East Council of Churches, also an ACT member, posted a statement today stating that “…all the Churches in the Middle East have put their resources at the disposal of the affected and displaced people due to the earthquake, since the first moments of the disaster…” and that “The Churches in the Middle East, which always supports their people, will spare no effort in doing all they can to relieve their pain and lead them towards prosperity and progress.”
Plans are underway from other ACT members to supply winterization materials, ambulances, and other needed supplies as the extent of the need is known.
ACT members will continue to respond to this disaster. To support ACT’s work, please contact Niall O’Rourke, head of humanitarian affairs and George Majaj, humanitarian programme advisor for MENA.
New Multi-Faith/Multi-Sector Alliance for Climate Action (MFSA) to launch at COP27
An innovative new alliance, the Multi-Faith/Multi-Sector Alliance for Climate Action (MFSA) will be formally launched at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh this Wednesday, November
ACT stunt drawing attention to gender justice asks at COP27. Photo: Albin Hillert/LWF.
16 at 14:00 Cairo time. For those at COP27, the event is at the IFRC Pavilion- Blue zone (beside UNFCCC and Egypt Pavilion). Those at a distance can join online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHKbYD_TtmM
The Alliance will be a neutral bridge between existing multi-faith actors and their coalitions, and key secular actors (including governments, multilateral organizations, the private sector, civil society organizations, and media). The goal is to explore and advance collaboration on specific areas for climate action. It is not intended to replace existing networks and coalitions, but rather to elevate and add value to existing initiatives.
MFSA will bring together key groups with specific projects which need support and engagement. Its strength will come from the diversity of events, projects and leadership it brings together. The expectation is that different groups will offer different foci for discussion, meetings, partnerships and practical projects.
MFSA will amplify ongoing secular initiatives by engaging faith networks in the following ways:
Systematically engaging faith-related media on climate issues
Framing and publicising the values parameters of investment funds to leverage public capital with the assets of religious institutions
Supporting the Global Energy Access Initiative by engaging faith networks through a faith sensitive communications campaign
Supporting the mobilisation of women and youth leaders in achieving carbon emissions goals through by engaging women faith leaders and their networks.
MFSA is currently engaged in the following projects:
A Faith-based Just Climate Transition Fund led by FaithInvest in collaboration with the Climate Investment Funds of the World Bank,
A Clean Energy Access communications and advocacy campaign led by Global Alliance for Clean Energy Access, Greenfaith and Faith for Earth,
Project Dandelion, a Women and Youth led global campaign to meet the carbon emissions target, led by Mary Robinson, with Religions for Peace Women of Faith Network
A fourth project, a unique cross-cutting programme actively researching the huge reach of faith-based media is also underway.
Speakers at the launch will include:
Mr. Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, ACT Alliance
Ms. Pacifica F. Achieng Ogola, Government of Kenya
Ms. Jean Duff, Partnership for Faith and Development (video)
Ms. Amanda Burrell, Al Jazeera (video)
Prof. Dr. Azza Karam, Religions for Peace
Rev. James Bhagwan, Pacific Conference of Churches (video)
The following speakers will address the Alliance’s current initiatives:
Faith-based Just Climate Transition Fund
Ms. Mafalda Duarte, Climate Investment Funds, World Bank
Mr. Martin Palmer, FaithInvest
Joint Clean Energy Access Communications and Advocacy Campaign
Ms. Sandae, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, the Rockefeller Foundation
Rev. Fletcher Harper, GreenFaith
Women and Youth led Global Campaign to Meet the Carbon Emissions Target
Ms. Mary Robinson, Climate Justice Institute
Mr. Iyad Abumoghli of the UN Environment Programme will give the closing remarks.
COP27 Blog: ACT Ethiopia Forum tackles patriarchy and the climate crisis
Ethiopia: Members of the Tesfa (‘hope’) self-help group for women, which undertakes community banking to raise women’s economic status and independence. PHOTO: Albin Hillert/LWF
“Ethiopia is a patriarchal society,” says Dawit Beza, coordinator of the ACT Ethiopia Forum (AEF) and staff with Norwegian Church Aid. “We have very bad gender-based violence.”
The combination of a patriarchal society and the impact of the climate crisis in Ethiopia has meant that the burden of the climate crisis falls disproportionately on rural women and girls. “They are highly affected,” says Bikila Abeya of AEF member EECMY-DAASSC.
“Collecting water and firewood is 100 percent the responsibility of women and girls,” says Dawit. “Because of deforestation, because the water table is dwindling, the burden on women is much higher.” Where it once took 20 minutes for a woman or girl to fetch water, it might now take an hour.
Agriculture
In Ethiopia, the main source of livelihood is agriculture. Because of climate change, rain patterns have changed, the temperature is rising, and the moisture of the soil has decreased, leading to lower agricultural productivity.
“Women are the ones who are responsible to feed their family,” says Bikila. “They are also the ones with very low opportunity for non-agricultural incomes.” While women may occasionally participate in small-scale businesses such as selling crafts, whenever agricultural productivity decreases, their livelihood options also decrease.
Education
Lower agricultural production combined with patriarchy affects girls’ educational opportunities. “Women are the less educated ones in Ethiopia,” says Bikila. “Education is mainly meant for men.” When lower agricultural productivity leads to lower household incomes, the family withdraws female children from school, prioritising the education of boys.
Without an education, women rarely participate in formal employment. “Women are the ones who shoulder the burden of the climate change impact,” says Bikila. “That’s why we say climate change disproportionately affects women.”
Integrating Gender Justice and Climate Justice in Ethiopia
“Climate change and gender justice are really inseparable,” says Bikila. The ACT Ethiopia Forum recently completed a major study exploring how to integrate gender justice into its climate justice work and that of various levels of the Ethiopian government. The report, Ethiopia: Nuances of the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan and its policy recommendations have been presented to Ethiopian government officials.
The ACT Ethiopia Forum has been engaged in building the capacity of its members on the basic principles of gender justice. “We have a male-dominant society, and people don’t understand these issues. It’s about translating, helping people to understand,” says Dawit. “We want to translate gender justice into the activities of the members.”
“In all the interventions we are planning, gender justice is very, very important,” he adds. “We’re just at the beginning. I am very optimistic our work will bring some visible change.”
This article is taken from a longer ACT interview with Bikila Abeya and Dawit Beza in December 2021, following COP26. A short version of the interview is here: https://actalliance.org/act-news/its-good-to-swim-together-act-ethiopia-delegates-reflect-on-cop26/
Opportunity for members: Webinar on CHS Self-Assessment
The ACT Alliance quality and accountability team invites all ACT Alliance members, especially the local and national members, to join a webinar, organised in collaboration with the CHS Alliance, to increase their understanding of the CHS self-assessment tool.
The webinar is intended for all ACT members’ staff, especially for senior management, programme managers, and those having a role in monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning within the organisation.
At the end of the webinar, participants will be able to describe the CHS Verification Framework and conduct a CHS self-assessment following a step-by-step methodology.
Participants will also be able to listen to the experience of CHS Alliance and ACT Alliance’s members who have already completed the CHS verification process.
The Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS) sets out the essential elements of principled accountable and high-quality aid. ACT members engaged in the humanitarian response are required to apply the Core Humanitarian Standard in the design and implementation of the humanitarian response.
