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Escorted by a Czech volunteer (in the high-visibility vest), refugees approach the border into Croatia near the Serbian village of Berkasovo. Photo: Paul Jeffrey

Human Rights Day 2015

Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December

It is a day which affirms the inherit dignities and freedoms that each individual is afforded as a basic right. However, it is also a day to draw attention to the millions of people around the world who live in constant fear and suffer a myriad of indignities simply because they are caught within the crossfire of sectarian, political or economic strife.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of two International Covenants on Human Rights. The themes for this year's Human Rights Day revolve around rights and freedoms -- freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

The LWF and Human Rights Day

In light of the themes hightlighted for this year, the LWF chooses to focus on how acts of terrorism, particular in Syria, strip individuals of their basic and inherent human rights.

In a joint statement by LWF President Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan and General Secretary Rev. Dr Martin Junge, the Lutheran leaders express their "grave concern over the current actions to counter terrorism as they unfold today in Syria." They state that the world is trapped in a vicious circle of violence that engenders even more violence and call upon political and religious leaders to consider the roles of inter-cultural and inter-religious engagement as means for promoting conflict resolution. They emphasize the need to resort to internationally binding legal intruments to enhance peace building, and urge the protection of all victims of violence and persecution.

Read Joint Statement

Get Involved

Use your voice via social media using the following hashtag

#HumanRightsDay

Interact with us on:

- Twitter

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Using the UPR to Improve the Human Rights Situation in Mozambique

Panelists: Dr Alice Mabote, Founding Member, Human Rights League, Mozambique; Dr Sousa Gonçalves Shelle, Head of Strategic Planning Department, Human Rights League, Mozambique; Mr Nordine Gonçalo Ferrão, Advocacy Officer, LWF, Mozambique; Ms Angela dos Santos Jorge,

Founding Member, Women Development Association, Mozambique; Mr Abdurremane Lino de Almeida, Minister of Justice and Constitutional and Religious Affairs

Moderator: Michael French, Global RBA Programs, LWF World Service

Organized by the LWF, Geneva

Co-sponsored by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)

A young boy pumps water from well and into his watering can in Chad. Photo: LWF/C. KÃ¤stner

World Water Day 2016

Celebrating World Water Day

World Water Day on 22 March represents a day to celebrate water and how access to it makes a difference in the lives of everyone around the globe.

In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly designated 22 March as the first World Water Day. Now, this event is celebrated around the world, emphasizing a different issue every year. This year is "Better water, Better jobs", spotlighting the 1.5 billion people who work in water-related jobs, and how the quality and quantity of water can transform the lives of workers, societies and economies.

LWF shares stories from around the world that focus on the people who work in water-related jobs, specifically those who ensure water's safe delivery to to the people for whom this precious resource is most vital.

Watch Video

Get Involved

Use your voice via social media using the following hashtags

Interact with us on:

- Twitter
- Facebook

Water after the earthquake

LWF repairs water supply systems in Nepal

Department for World Service Read more

Drilling deep to bring water to refugees from Burundi

World Water Day 2016

Department for World Service Read more

The Guardians of Clean Water

How Borehole Committees Regulate Water Supply in Uganda

Department for World Service Read more

Uganda: Water for Adjumani

LWF Installs Solar Pumps to Improve Water Supply

Department for World Service Read more

Life-Saving Water for South Sudanese Refugees

LWF Reconstructing Boreholes in Uganda

Department for World Service Read more

Uganda: Boreholes for Education

Schools Profit from LWF Motorized Water System

Department for World Service

Training on Women’s Human Rights Advocacy for Faith-based Organizations

The training will lean upon professionals and experienced staff and upon participatory methodologies to enable participants to:

Increase the effectiveness of their work by getting acquainted with UN mechanisms such as the Committee and the CEDAW Convention. Participation at the 67th CEDAW session in Geneva and workshops for drafting shadow reports during the training will enable participants better to use this mechanism.
Design local advocacy actions that reduce women and girls' vulnerability by adequately addressing issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Explore successful strategies to relate to lay and religious leaders, authorities and other civil society actors.
Articulate strategies to promote the crucial role of women in building peace and security in contexts of conflict/post-conflict, political or civil instability.

Partners

Finn Church Aid, Mission 21, Swiss Peace, World YWCA, World Council of Churches, Church of Sweden.

Language

English with interpretation available in Spanish.

Schedule

Download the schedule

Children from southern Africa take part in an AIDS project run by the Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa. Photo: LUCSA/Paula Powell

Workshop on gender and child rights - Africa

In order to confront poverty in Africa, we need to address the perceptions of women and children that are held by men, as well as the practice of violence itself. Anything that violates the rights of women and children needs to be dealt with. Lasting change can only take place when both men and women discuss the problem and resolve to eliminate violence and when children are fully protected from violence.

This workshop aims to engage participants in discussion about the connection between poverty, gender justice and the rights of children. It will include a theological and social-economic basis for developing a comprehensive approach towards eradicating poverty.

Held in collaboration with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi. Partners include Bread for the World, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa, the National Smallholder Farmers' Association of Malawi, ECOLIFE Tanzania, Sonke Gender Justice (SA).

This event connects the work of LWF member churches to gender and child rights issues articulated in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (see LWF Council resolution on SDGs).

Africa subsite

Agenda

Peacebuilding from Below: The Role of Local Civil Society in South Sudan

This is the topic of an event jointly organized by the Inclusive Peace and Transition Initiative (IPTI), the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the World Council of Churches (WCC) and Finn Church Aid (FCA).

Peacebuilding is generally perceived as the task of state actors, political parties and international bodies. Therefore, the role of local communities, traditional authorities and tribal elders, women and youth, and faith-based groups is often overlooked. However, throughout South Sudan’s protracted civil wars, civil society has been a central peacebuilding actor. It has advocated for peace, facilitated dialogues and protected citizens against violence. This event seeks to shed light on the peacebuilding contributions of unsung peace agents and grassroots civil society.

Program

Words of Introduction

Rev. Dr. Martin Junge, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation

Moderator

Dr. Thania Paffenholz, Director of the Inclusive Peace and Transition Initiative at The Graduate Institute

Panellists

Fr. James Oyet Latansio, General Secretary of South Sudan Council of Churches, FBOs representative at Addis Ababa Peace talk
Ms. Teohna Williams, Conflict Advisor on South Sudan
Mr. Joseph Amanya, Acting Executive Director of the Human Rights Development Organization and Coordinator of the Transitional Justice Working Group
Mr. Matthias Wevelsiep, Right to Peace Senior Advisor of Finn Church Aid

The Rights of Refugees and IDPs in the East and Horn of Africa

The LWF is pleased to co-host a discussion about the rights of refugees and interally displaced people in the east and horn of Africa.

Nations of the region play generous host to some of the largest numbers of refugees and IDPs globally. Numerous crises caused by either natural circumstances or human intervention have led to population displacement in Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Host countries face the continued challenge of caring for survivors of long-term protracted crises, in addition to those arriving in recent influxes. Speakers will provide an overview of the situation faced by refugees and IDPs, highlighting best practices, as well as major gaps and challenges.

Moderator:

Mr Ralston Deffenbaugh, Assistant General Secretary for International Affairs and Human Rights, LWF

Panelists:

Ms Ann Encontre, Deputy Director in the Regional Bureau for Africa, covering the East and Horn of Africa region, UNHCR
Ambassador Ben Lukwiya, Deputy Permanent Representative, Mission of Uganda
Mr Geremew Ayalew, Charge d’affairs, Mission of Ethiopia
Ms Sophie Gebreyes, Country Representative, LWF – World Service Ethiopia
Mr Lokiru Matendo Yohana, Regional Program Coordinator for East and Horn of Africa, LWF – World Service

Download Event Flyer

Aerial view of the City of Geneva. Photo: Alexsy M. Creative Commons

Peacebuilding - Consolidation de la paix

Geneva will host celebrations of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation on 3-4 November 2016. On this special occasion, the World Council of Churches with the Protestant Church of Geneva (EPG), the International Museum of the Reformation (MIR) and in collaboration with the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches (FEPS), are pleased to invite you to attend a panel discussion on initiatives and the role of Geneva as “Peace Capital” of the world.

Please join us for this important event:

When: 3 November 20:00 – 21:00, followed by an aperitif

Where: Ecumenical Centre, 150 route de Ferney, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland

With the participation of the general public and:

Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary World Council of Churches.
Ms Marilena Viviani, Director Geneva Liaison Office UNICEF Public Partnerships Division, UNICEF.
Ralston Deffenbaugh, Assistant General Secretary for International Affairs and Human Rights, Lutheran World Federation (LWF).
Rev Fr Heikki Huttunen, General Secretary, Conference of European Churches -
Mr Philip Thanis, Director of Development and Communication, World Council of Reformed Churches (WCRC)
Mr Sharan Srinivas Director of Research and Advocacy, Right Livelihood Award Foundation

Moderation: Mr. Jan Dirk Herbermann, United Nations, President of the Association of Correspondents Accredited to the United Nations (ACANU)

Host: The World Council of Churches

Interpretation: Interpretation available from English into French

Information contact: please contact Lara Epiney Takache – [email protected]

Watch Live Stream

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Participants to the conference. Photo: LWF/I. Benesch

Faith-based engagement in conflict transformation

Faith-based engagement in conflict transformation. The role of religious actors in peace building

Faith-based actors can bring about a significant reduction in the level of conflict and contribute to its prevention. Embedded in their environment, they are well-positioned to respond to the needs and concerns of people in conflict. They bring social capital in that they are able to link and build bridges between people and groups — vital assets in changing the nature of conflicts.

This consultation brings together conflict transformation practitioners from select countries, with experts in peace research and policy. In view of the upcoming elections in Zimbabwe, it seems appropriate that participants share experiences of past, present and potential future conflict situations in their countries.

The conference seeks to:

- identify ways in which local religious communities, faith-based organizations and peace-building institutions can work together towards conflict prevention and bring about change

- examine the role of religion in conflict and peace building by analyzing experiences from the field and examining peace-building policy discourse

- facilitate the exchange of information and shared learning between peace-building institutions, academic researchers and practitioners in the field

- come up with guidelines for ways in which religious actors can work together to bring about conflict change

The conference is being organized in cooperation with the Zimbabwe Council of Churches

A child quenches his thirst from a water tap installed by LWF and HURADEC in Pattitar, Nepal. Photo: LWF/ M. Timsina

World Water Day 2017

Celebrating World Water Day

World Water Day on 22 March represents a day to celebrate water and how access to it makes a difference in the lives of everyone around the globe.

In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly designated 22 March as the first World Water Day. Now, this event is celebrated around the world, emphasizing a different issue every year. LWF shares stories from around the world that focus on the right and the need to clean water. From Nepal, we share how repairing water systems was - and is - a crucial part of the reconstruction work after the earthquake. In the Central American drought corridor, climate change and a lack of water is affecting the livelihood of millions in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. The story and a playlist of videos give an impression of what it means for the local farmers and indigenous communities.