Women Launch Inter-Faith Campaign for a Healthy Africa
May 31st, 2005 by sfuqua
Many initiatives were born or carried farther forward at the Second
Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa Summit, which took place in
Johannesburg, South Africa, in late April. Personally, I found the story of
the "Mother's Cry for a Healthy Africa" the most compelling
of these — calling for African women to "unite against
war." Please read on for the full story; broader coverage of the event
can be found at
Christian Today.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa/GENEVA, 23 April 2005 (LWI) –Women
participants in an inter-faith summit near Johannesburg, sent a powerful
message of reconciliation and reconstruction in the launch of a symbolic
“Mother’s Cry for a Healthy Africa.”
The “mother’s cry” presented in a dramatic display of
poetry, recitation of holy writings and dance on April 22 marked the
beginning of an inter-faith campaign that seeks to support programs targeted
at healing and counseling of post-war victims. The campaign was based on the
outcome of a “Mothers and Daughters Pre-summit,” attended by over
100 women drawn from all over Africa, April 18-20.
The launch in the context of the Second Inter-Faith Action for Peace in
Africa (IFAPA) Summit taking place April 21-25, began with a colorful
procession by the women. They carried placards expressing some of the
challenges that they face including “AIDS,”
“Conflict,” “FGM [female genital mutilation],”
“Poverty” and “Violence.”
“African women should unite against war…. Everybody has to be
concerned because peace is for the common good,” an emotional Ms Dandi
Lou Amanan pleaded shortly after women and men participants sang, “We
shall overcome.” Amanan is a former social worker with the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in conflicted-affected areas and
founder of Vision and Action of African Women Against Wars in Ivory
Coast.
In their statement of solidarity, the women leaders acknowledged that men
and women alike have been perpetrators and victims of violent conflicts and
wars in Africa. Such conflicts, they regretted, had destroyed the spiritual,
economic, social and political well being of Africa.
Their statement included an affirmation that women are the cornerstone of
social harmonization and the integration of African societies, and thus could
not be excluded from issues that deal with peace and security. They noted
that the intervention of inter-faith women in peace building would introduce
a dimension that would help lead to comprehensive and sustainable peace in
Africa.
They further undertook to launch an African women’s inter-faith
network, appoint regional or country liaison persons between local
communities and IFAPA as well as establish an Internet-based forum through
which they could share their different experiences.
Joining the women in the “Mother’s Cry for a Healthy
Africa” inter-faith campaign was Dr Brigalia Bam, chairperson of the
Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa. Addressing the IFAPA
summit earlier on, Bam encouraged women to use women’s movements to
influence decision-making about key issues that touch on their well being and
that of the entire society.
The Second IFAPA summit brings together over 240 participants from all
over Africa, as well as observers from Europe and North America. There are
eight faith communities represented at the summit namely, African Traditional
Religion, Baha’i, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and
Rastafarian. The theme of the summit is “Working Together for Peace in
Africa.” The event is coordinated by the Lutheran World Federation and
hosted by the National Religious Leaders Forum of South Africa.
I am going to South Africa this summer and will be in Johannesburg at the beginning and end of a 5 week trip. I would love to be in touch with the URI women who are Working Together for Peace in Africa.