African Faith Leaders’ Summit on the Post 2015 Development Agenda

GNRC Members from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda attended the African Faith Leaders’ Summit on the Post 2015 Development Agenda and called for special consideration of childrens rights in the Post 2015 Development Agenda. The Summit whose theme was Enhancing Faith Communities’ engagement on the post 2015 Development Agenda was held at the Common wealth Resort Munyonyo Kampala Uganda from the 30th June – 2nd July.

The Summit (1st and 2nd July)

The pre-summit event focused on the importance of participation by ‘those affected’ gave Women, Youth, Persons with Disability, Children and those living with HIV/AIDs an opportunity to engage and share on issues that have and/or are affecting them within their various groups and demographic.

Senator Harold Kipchumba who is a Polio and Immunization Goodwill Ambassador from the Ministry of health in Kenya, Ms. Elizabeth Mwase the Programs Manager for GNRC Tanzania and Stacy Ndung’u, GNRC Communications Officer; represented the Global Network of Religions for Children during this meeting.

The Summit (1st and 2nd July)
  
The Summit was attended by representatives from Arigatou International – Nairobi, Global Network of Religions for Children, Interfaith Initiative to End Child Poverty, African Council of Religious Leaders, Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar; All Africa Council of Churches; Organization of African Instituted Churches; Hindu Council of Africa; Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa; Union of Muslim Councils of Central, Eastern and Southern Africa; the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’i; Arigatou International, Nairobi; Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa; and the Association of the Evangelicals of Africa allowed various Faith Leaders and more than 24 organizations from across the continent.

The President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who was the guest of honour graced the occasion and shared his strong appreciation of those organizations that have included the interfaith aspect. He emphasised on the importance of the value of ‘loving your neighbour as you love yourself’.
 
                   

In his remarks to the summit, Dr. Mustafa Y. Ali, Secretary General of the GNRC stated that “the next goals—the Sustainable Development Goals, should be firmly anchored on social justice and values. It is vitally important that they are people-centered, and address development in a manner that the next generations will not suffer from present excesses. Children’s needs should particularly be at the center of the Sustainable Development Goals.”
 
The outcome of the Summit was an African Faith Communities’ Position Paper on the Post-2015 Development Framework inspired by the African Faith Communities’ Vision of Integral Human Development, and a Common Platform and plan of Action for Engagement at national, regional and International levels.

The follow-up programme of action will present African Faith Leaders with the opportunity to engage African governments and market institutions to embrace policies and practices that promote economic and social emancipation and good governance on the African continent.
                                                            Rev. Nicta Lubaale (left) and Rev. Fred Nyabera of the Steering Committee
Arigatou International played a key role in the planning and organization of the Summit, with Rev. Fred Nyabera, IIECP Director serving as Secretary to the Steering Committee.