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The webinar, titled “Leaving No One Behind: Disability, Dignity, and Climate Action in Africa,” brought together disability rights advocates, faith leaders, climate justice networks, youth representatives, humanitarian actors, and human rights organizations.
Drawing from the WCC Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network work in Burundi and Rwanda on strengthening the resilience of women and girls with disabilities to the impacts of climate change, Anjeline Okola, programme coordinator for the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, underscored that persons with disabilities must be placed at the centre of Africa’s climate discourse.
“Through our work with girls and women with disabilities, we realized that resilience is not only about ecological survival but also about upholding justice and human worth,” said Okola. “By bridging theological reflection with practical advocacy, we bring a compelling reminder that the struggle for climate resilience in Africa must be rooted in inclusion and the conviction that no one is left behind.”
Climate change is already a lived reality across Africa, manifesting in prolonged droughts, devastating floods, extreme heat, food insecurity, and mass displacement. Persons with disabilities—more than 80 million across the continent—remain among the most vulnerable, yet they are too often excluded from disaster preparedness, adaptation planning, and recovery efforts.
Okola stressed that churches are not on the sidelines but are actively shaping responses to the climate crisis—grounded in theology, prayer, and justice.
“It is indeed an honour to be part of this webinar, especially this year, just after WCC launched the Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action (2025–2034),” she said. “The decade is a prayerful response by the global fellowship of churches, ecumenical partners, and all people of goodwill to the growing climate emergency.”
The preparatory dialogue is expected to contribute directly to the Second Africa Climate Summit Faith Declaration, shaping inclusive continental climate strategies and ensuring that the voices of persons with disabilities are part of Africa’s response to the climate crisis.
The webinar was organized by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission, in collaboration with ACT Alliance and the Consortium for Climate Change in Ethiopia.
Learn more about the work of the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network (EDAN)
