Faith actors, including women and youth of faith, can play critical roles within their communities, as mediators, insider traditional and faith mediators, and through organizing community intra and inter-faith dialogues. The first ever Africa Women of Faith Conference in Ethiopia brought together women faith leaders from across Africa with an aim of enabling them to bridge the gap between policymakers and their daily practice. The women of Faith through the conference strengthened mutual cooperation, and promoted interfaith action and gender equality through dialogue.  

The Women of Faith Conference drew women faith leaders from across the region supported by Mensen met een Missie, JISRA, Africa Council of Religious Leaders, Inter-Religious Council of Kenya and Ethiopian Interfaith Forum for Development Dialogue and Action (EIFDDA).  The women leaders were from various countries including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritius, Zambia, DRC, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Guinea and Cameroon. The 5-day gathering held several engagements such as training Africa Women of Faith on advocacy, mediation, and engagement with the Africa Union and also featured Lobbying and Advocacy training for the WoFN. The training consisted of facilitated and interactive in-person exchanges combining expert inputs, discussions, exercises, videos, peer-to-peer exchanges, and relevant case studies. Many African countries lack effective policy frameworks to make #FoRB especially on women and gender. The Women of Faith Networks provide a good entry point for advocacy towards increased representation of women in decision-making processes at the community, local, national and international level that advance #FoRB.

Kenya was represented by the Chairlady of Mombasa Women of Faith, Shamsa Abubakar and Kwale Women of Faith, Chairlady, Sharon Mungai. Through the JISRA program in Mombasa, Kwale and Nairobi  supported by Mensen met een Missie the women networks have been at the forefront in addressing Freedom of Religion and Belief. gender equality and FoRB intersect in many ways with its violations affecting women differently from men, example hidden violators, sexual violence, forced marriages, extreme social control, and honor bearers. The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya in collaboration with Mensen met een Missie through the Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action program enhances  women skills to enable them have a key role in lobbying for pertinent issues in the community including #FoRB.

Visit to the African Union

In 2021 the Women of Faith presented an Aide Memoir on ‘Building Partnership for Transformation’ to the AU as a result of consultations held by the Afican Women of Faith. During this visit Kenya was represented by the Kwale Women of Faith Chairlady – Sharon Mungai (EAK); Mombasa Women of Faith Chairlady -Shamsa Abubakar (SUPKEM) and Kenya Women of Faith Chairlady – Phyllis Kamau (NCCK). During the Conference the Africa Women Of Faith were hosted at the African Union where they held consultative discussions with representatives from Conflict management Directorate (PAPS); Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD); Governance and Conflict Prevent Directorate (PAPS); Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) and Human Rights Division (PAPS) on their reflections on their experiences, milestones, and challenges in advancing gender equity and Freedom of Religion and Belief in their local contexts. They explored and presented various ways of collaboration to enhance their role in advocating for pertinent issues in their communities.

Standing Up Against FGM

During the period of the conference a Fatwah was issued by the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC) to reverse the Policy of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), by upgrading Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) from Sunnah (a recommended practice) to Wajib (obligatory). The African Women of Faith Network released a statement condemning the Fatwah as they stand firmly against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as this also contradicts national and international laws and promotes a severe violation of human rights.

‘We condemn this act of human right violation and Gender Based Violation that is done under the cover of religion.”

They called on reverse of the Fatwah:

“We call on religious leaders and the EIASC to immediately revise the recent decree and align their stance with the protection of human rights. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is not a religious requirement and should never be endorsed or performed by health practitioners.”

They also urged all stakeholders:

“We urge all stakeholders, including religious and community leaders, policymakers, and the international community, to intensify efforts to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). We must continue raising awareness about the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), strengthen the implementation of laws against it, and hold perpetrators accountable.

They emphasized that together, all communities must work to end this practice and protect the dignity and well-being of every girl and woman, not only in Ethiopia, but in our African Continent.

The JISRA program stimulates positive forces within and between religious communities for more peaceful and inclusive societies. It pays special attention to increasing the role of women and youth in setting the vision and solutions to advancing FoRB and promoting youth and women’s participation in decision-making fora. The Kenya Women of Faith joined the rest of the African Women of Faith Network to visit Babul Keyer, an NGO charity organization which is designed to intervene on reduction of hunger among undeserved community and also create work opportunity for poor people in Ethiopia. The Babul Keyer center which is run by women is feeding over 5000 people daily and training young women in skills to empower them economically. Its mission is to improve the living conditions of socially and economically disadvantaged persons in urban of Ethiopia.

As the conference came to an end the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya committed to collaborations and partnerships with other stakeholders by the Women of Faith to advance the objectives of FoRB through the JISRA project.

The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya is committed to harnessing the power of religious communities to advance areas of justice, peace, and security in Africa. ‘Understanding the role of faith in advancing one’s leadership can influence decision-making in peace building.’  – The IRCK Executive Director, Abdirahman Ismael who is a member of the African Union Interfaith Dialogue Forum Steering Committee accompanied the African Women of Faith delegation.

By Mary Ndulili