Displaying 1 - 20 of 1062

WCC Gender Justice Reference Group meets in Zimbabwe

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Gender Justice Reference Group met in Harare, Zimbabwe from 7-12 December, marking its first in-person gathering. Hosted by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, the meeting brought together church leaders, theologians, and gender justice advocates to reflect on the critical importance of gender justice in the life and mission of the church.

WCC makes pilgrimage to Cape Coast and Elmina castles in Ghana

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Reference Group on Overcoming Racism, Xenophobia, Casteism, and all other forms of Discrimination, went on a pilgrimage to historic castles in Elmina and Cape Coast, in Ghana—a visit that exposed the magnitude of sinful injustice perpetuated by European empires and kingdoms on Africans for centuries and whose legacies continue to afflict Africans and people of African Descent around the world. 

WCC Gender Justice Reference Group to convene in Zimbabwe

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Gender Justice Reference Group will convene in Harare, Zimbabwe from 7-12 December. The group, meeting face-to-face for the first time, was created to dismantle gender inequalities and promote justice and reconciliation.

Love, Justice, and Reproductive Health

A Framework for Churches
Alexa Dava

Christ’s call to love our neighbours as ourselves includes ensuring that all have access to the resources needed to live and flourish. And yet, societal barriers to reproductive health prevent many individuals from accessing necessary care. Love, Justice and Reproductive Health: A Framework for Churches invites churches to consider reproductive health from a perspective rooted in Christ’s love. It introduces key areas and addresses prevalent disparities within reproductive health outcomes. The framework encourages churches to act on this issue, providing programmatic suggestions for them to embody Christ’s love and justice within their own contexts.

Please send comments and questions to [email protected]
The author, Rev Alexa Dava is ordained with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and serves as project officer for Human Dignity and Reproductive Health at the WCC.

United and Uniting Churches: Two Messages

Faith and Order Papers, Series 2, n. 225

Taken together, these two messages from international consultations, sponsored by the World Council of Churches, provide a valuable entry point for reflection on the self-understanding and mission of United and Uniting Churches in today’s world.
I. Going the Second Mile: A message of the 8th Consultation of United and Uniting Churches. Johannesburg, 29 October–5 November 2008
II. Living in Tents: A Message of the 9th Consultation of United and Uniting Churches. Chennai, 25 November–2 December 2015.
Two appendices provide documentary information about Faith and Order publications concerning United and Uniting Churches.

TUMEWEZA

Compendium of Good Practices for Ensuring Disability-Inclusive Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Gender-Based Violence Services in United Republic of Tanzania

The Tumeweza compendium iss a vital resource for ensuring disability-inclusive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender-based violence (GBV) services in the United Republic of Tanzania. It highlights the significant strides made towards improving accessibility and inclusivity in healthcare services, particularly through the efforts at Selian Lutheran Hospital and Nkinga Referral Hospital. The lessons learned from these initiatives provide a roadmap for other health facilities to follow, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with organizations of persons with disabilities, government stakeholders, and faith-based organizations.
While the progress is commendable, there are still gaps that need to be addressed to fully realize inclusive healthcare services for women and girls with disabilities. These include improving infrastructure, enhancing communication between healthcare providers and patients with disabilities, and creating specific policies and procedures that ensure the dignity and autonomy of all individuals. The compendium underscores the necessity of continuous training, accessible information systems, and advocacy at all levels to ensure that no one is left behind.
Moving forward, it is essential for health facilities, policymakers, and development partners to prioritize the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all healthcare-related initiatives. By addressing the existing gaps and building on the good practices outlined in this compendium, Tanzania can continue to lead in the promotion of disability-inclusive SRHR and GBV services in the region and globally, ensuring that every woman and girl has the right to safe, accessible, and respectful healthcare.

Seminar addresses decolonising the Bible

A seminar entitled The word of God is living and active: Decolonising the Bible in the midst of colonial legacies and idolatrous powers” was cohosted on 18-24 November, by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and University of the Western Cape.

Living Planet Monitor, Volume 1, Issue 1, Nov. 2024

Southern and Eastern Africa

This first issue of the Living Planet Monitor aims to monitor our commitment to sustainable food systems, conservation of land, ecological biodiversity, and water justice in Africa The Living Planet Monitor will give you an overview of the situation in a particular continent by monitoring indicators on food security, water resources, land use, and climate resilience. It is a key instrument for faith communities to stay informed on the current situation, share good practices and projects led by church-based organizations, and give hope and courage to transform the situation.

Taking Action Against Tech-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence

Toolkit for Trainers and Advocates

Copublication of WACC and WCC.

The Toolkit equips trainers and advocates to plan and facilitate training sessions on monitoring misogyny on social media.

Taking Action Against Tech-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence outlines key concepts, with practical exercises, to raise participants’ awareness of gender cyberviolence. It presents the tools needed to conduct social media monitoring, report on the results, and plan further monitoring.

The toolkit is divided into five sections that facilitators can use to structure training sessions:

  • Today’s media landscape
  • Impact of tech-facilitated gender-based violence
  • Methodology of social media monitoring
  • Social media monitoring in practice
  • Action plan for participants