Faith organizations* learn UN mechanisms for promoting the inclusion of women
The participation of faith actors who advocate for women’s rights will be decisive in ensuring the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said the director of the UN Women Geneva Coordination Office during a training on women’s human rights, which was led by five faith organizations, including the Lutheran World Federation.
Christine Löwe of the UN Women Geneva Coordination Office said that faith organizations can contribute to gender equality and the implementation of the SDGs because they are in a “unique position” that allows them to take on the challenge of addressing patriarchal structures and acting against discrimination on the grounds of gender. Eighty percent of the world’s population identifies with some religion.
Faith actors who advocate for women’s rights are able to show how religion can be a tool of liberation, – Christine Löwe, UN Women Geneva Coordination Office
“It is therefore extremely important to identify and strengthen faith actors who advocate for women’s rights. Their presence illustrates how religion can be a tool of liberation.”
“Identifying the religious barriers to women’s rights, as well as building bridges between civil society and the development goals, is of decisive importance in the implementation and further development of “Agenda 2030” (i.e. the SDGs). Involving faith organizations will help with the implementation of the SDGs, where gender equality is both a goal and a fundamental principle.”
However, several steps must be taken. Löwe said that the work of faith leaders who advocate for women’s rights, and of organizations, must be strengthened, women must develop their skills in interpreting religious doctrine, and cooperation must be fostered between faith-based and secular women’s rights advocacy groups.
Religion has a central role
The “Training in advocacy for women’s human rights” took place in Geneva, at the Ecumenical Centre. It was organized by the Lutheran World Federation, the World Council of Churches, the Church of Sweden, “FinnChurchAid” and “Mission 21”.
On 6 July 2018, the group participated in the work of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which continued for almost the whole of July and produced “shadow” reports.
“By improving the capacity of faith-based organizations [hereinafter – FBOs] to raise local advocacy cases on the global stage, especially through CEDAW and the UN periodic review of the human rights situation in member states, we can help FBOs engage in civil society activities that reject harmful and discriminatory practices,” said the LWF Secretary for Women in Church and Society, Rev. Dr. Elaine Neuenfeldt. “We can build bridges between churches and local FBOs with global advocacy mechanisms.”
Amélie Barras, a professor at York University in Canada, presented her research on why and how FBOs cooperate with the UN and its human rights mechanisms.
“On the one hand, it is important for us to see to it that the work of the UN is made accessible to the groups and congregations that participate in local processes, so that they understand that it is important to work at the international level. On the other hand, we also want to highlight that FBOs can make an important contribution to the UN mechanisms through the broad reach of their field of work, as well as through their ability to represent the unrepresented voices at the UN.”
Geneva, Switzerland
5/07/2018.
* faith organizations (in English); the full name of the term is faith-based organizations, which LLSTA decided to render as “ticībā balstītas organizācijas” [faith-based organizations], observing the distinction between organizations that operate according to the principles of faith and religious organizations, which are often congregations.
** feminist faith actors (in English), which includes both women and men, and which we therefore rendered as “ticīgo (pārstāvji), kas aizstāv sieviešu tiesības” [faith actors who advocate for women’s rights].
Source: Lutheran World Federation news