In September, the WEA Geneva Office had the pleasure to welcome Ms. Ngozi Edmond, Head of Advocacy and Humanitarian Affairs for the Nigeria Evangelical Fellowship (NEF), and Rev. Samuel Munyiri, Anglican Priest from Kenya collaborating with the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) in the context of the Global Children’s Forum.
Edmond and Munyiri came for a two-week advocacy experience during the UN Human Rights Council 60th session. This was an opportunity for them to meet with diplomats, UN experts, NGO representatives, and participate in the various sessions and events of the Council.
“The goals of this program are to build capacity in our national and regional alliances for more effective advocacy,” reflects Dr. Janet Epp Buckingham, Director of the WEA Geneva Office to the UN. “Having a hands-on experience of the UN in action, and seeing how the WEA engages with its processes, is the best way to understand how our work coordinates with advocacy at the national level.”
Ms. Edmond’s experience at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva has equipped her with valuable insights and knowledge on global human rights challenges, accountability, and sustainable development. “I’ll leverage this expertise to enhance our advocacy work with Nigeria Evangelical Fellowship, promoting human rights and sustainable development in Africa,” Edmond said. “This experience will enable us to better address pressing issues, foster international cooperation, and advocate for policies that protect and promote human rights, ultimately benefiting our constituency in Africa.”
Speaking up for their own country
Both of our guests had the opportunity to actively participate in our advocacy efforts through the reading of oral statements before the UN Member States in the Assembly Hall, an historical room inaugurated in 1937, at the time of the League of Nations. This included Ms. Edmond being able to make a statement about the increasing violence affecting Christians in Nigeria.
“Not all civil society organizations have the luxury of bringing someone from the field to talk about what is happening in their country,” said Markus Hofer, WEA Communications and Advocacy Officer to the UN. “We are very grateful that Ngozi was able to come and expose before the Human Rights Council the atrocities and humanitarian crisis that are taking place in her country, overwhelmingly affecting Christians,” Hofer added.
Watch the video of the oral statement read by Ngozi Edmond here: https://un.worldea.org/wea-and-csi-urge-nigeria-to-take-immediate-and-concrete-measures-against-growing-violence-in-the-country/
Rev. Munyiri shared his gratitude for having been able to enjoy such an experience in Geneva. “It’s been a joy seeing people from different places thinking about life and people,” he said, “and this has reminded me that human rights is a way of serving God, and I leave [Geneva] with a great desire to see everybody living a dignified life that God intended.”
Re.v Munyiri had the privilege to visit the Permanent Mission to the UN of his own country, Kenya, and meet with H.E. Ms. Fancy Chepkemoi Too, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations in Geneva.
The cordial meeting was an opportunity to share with H.E. Ms. Too a statement on behalf of the WEA and the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, noting the government’s openness in receiving feedback from civil society and faith communities, and calling upon the Government of Kenya to secure the rights of all Kenyans, including freedom of religion, the right to life, and the right to a healthy environment.
Reflecting on the role of Christians in Africa, Rev. Munyiri stated that “the strength of the African church will not be measured by numbers alone, but by the courage to stand where human rights and the gospel meet.”
WEA’s advocacy efforts during the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council
Our team in Geneva also had the opportunity to intervene in other debates during this Human Rights Council session, including oral statements on Sri Lanka, Sweden, Spain, Türkiye, and on the worst forms of child labour. The WEA also submitted a written statement about the on-going violence and discrimination faced by religious minorities in India.
An opportunity to partner with us!
WEA’s UN offices in Geneva and New York need to increase capacity to respond to the advocacy requests from our global evangelical constituency. If you are interested in becoming a partner and supporting our advocacy work, please contact us.
For donations, please visit www.worldea.org/donate where you may choose the option of donating to Global Advocacy.
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