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INTRODUCTION

CHURCHES’ VOICE ON HUMAN RIGHTS TRAINING ON SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL RIGHTS IN THE EUROMEDITERRANEAN REGION 30 th Oct. – 1 st Nov. 2013 Palermo, Italy.

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INTRODUCTION

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  1. CHURCHES’ VOICE ON HUMAN RIGHTSTRAINING ON SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL RIGHTS IN THE EUROMEDITERRANEAN REGION30th Oct. – 1st Nov. 2013Palermo, Italy

  2. VIOLATION OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL RIGHTS IN THE EUROMED REGION – MAKING PEOPLE FLEE – WHAT COULD CHURCHES DO?Vivi Akakpo, Executive Secretary,Women and MigrationAll Africa Conference of Churches

  3. INTRODUCTION • In the last two days or so, we have been speaking about Violations of Social, Economic and Cultural Rights. Myattempt in thispresentation is to focuss on possible actions by churches in order to reduce a bit those violations. I willalsogivesomeexamples of good practices thatcouldbeemulated and improved.

  4. WHAT CAN CHURCHES DO? • Despite the complexity of the situation about the violations of Social, Economic and Cultural Rights in the EuroMed Region, churches have been working for the promotion of these rights. I see three levels of action where they could improve on their interventions:

  5. LEVELS OF ACTION BY CHURCHES • Local/National • Institutional/Organisational • International

  6. LOCAL / NATIONAL • Churches will work together with CSOs dealing with Social, Economic and Cultural Rights and build strategic partnership with them; • Study the available Legal Instruments on CESCR and make them accessible to members;

  7. LOCAL / NATIONAL (Cont…1) • Speak out on violations of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR) with a specialemphasis on Women & children; • Participate in the elaboration of shadow reports; • Advocate for the respect of the rights and know where to turn to in case of violations.

  8. LOCAL / NATIONAL (Cont…2) • Lobby the national governments on the ESCR and their violation; • IncludeHumanRights in the curriculum of schools and seminarieswhereit is not done; • Buildrelationshipswith churches fromeachside of the EuroMedRegion.

  9. INSTITUTIONAL/ORGANISATIONAL • Building the capacity of Member churches on issues pertaining to Social, Economic and Cultural Rights; • Advocating for theserights and lobbying governments; • Raising the alarmwhenthere is violation of theserights;

  10. INSTITUTIONAL/ORGANISATIONAL (Cont…1) • Making available the different Legal Instruments protecting Social, Economic and Cultural Rights in the EuroMed Region; • Encouraging individual Member churches to study national Legal Instruments related to ESCR.

  11. The AACC has an observer statuswith the African Union and has opened an Office in AddisAbeba to be the voice of African Churches throughAdvocacy and extensive sharing. • I mentioned the visit of a WCC-AACC Team to Israelrelated to migrants trapped in the SinaiDesert. The report of thisvisitwillobviously serve as an advocacytoolat the AU about the violation of the ICESCR in thatregion.

  12. INTERNATIONAL • Collaboration with Ecumenical Organisations/AgenciesdealingwithHumanRights and CESCR (WCC, CEC, CCME, Bread for the World…) In June 2008, at the eve of France Presidency of the European Union, the Church and Society Commission of CEC facilitated a visit of African and European Church Leaders with the

  13. INTERNATIONAL LEVEL (Cont…1) • French Government to discuss challenges betweenEuropean and African Relations on Globalisation, Migration, Climate Change and Peace building amongother issues.

  14. INTERNATIONAL (Cont…2) • The AACC is trying to worktogetherwith CCME on deportations of undocumented migrants from Europe to Africa. It is still a difficultprocess but we are working on it. • The AACC took an active part in the World Council of Churches (WCC) process of the Church of the Stranger. Moreover,itsMember Churches benefitedfromdifferent trainings and exposures in the migration field by the WCC.

  15. CONCLUSION • The diaconal and justice work churches have been doing is commendable. • In an era of new forms of challenges facing the EuroMed Region, churches will need to be proactive in reading the signs of time by engaging their governments early enough.

  16. CONCLUSION (Cont…1) • Churches in the EuroMed Region will need to address poverty and feminisation of poverty as the main push factor of people fleeing. They should also invest in peaceful conflict resolution to reduce a bit the number of people fleeing.

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