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A webinar held 22 October gave space for persons with disabilities to share their reflections. Entitled “From Lamentation to Transformation,” the event, first in a series of webinars on COVID-19 perspectives, highlighted hope through stories, practical support, and social change as experienced by persons with disabilities.

Persons with disabilities may be even more vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have also shown resiliency and wisdom that can be shared across the world.

Ecumenical partners in Africa convened by All Africa Conference of Churches, World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, WCC Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative and Advocacy, Christian Aid, and Side by Side gathered in Nairobi on World Prayer day 2020 to celebrate the achievements of women in Africa as well as to recognise men as allies. The gathering also observed the International Women’s Day under the theme #EachforEqual.

Los asociados ecuménicos en África, convocados por la Conferencia de Iglesias de Toda el África (AACC), el Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), la Red Ecuménica de Defensa de las Personas Discapacitadas (EDAN), las Iniciativas Ecuménicas y Acción Mundial sobre el VIH/SIDA (EHAIA) del CMI, Christian Aid y el movimiento religioso a favor de la justicia de género Side by Side, se reunieron en Nairobi con motivo del Día Mundial de Oración 2020 para celebrar los logros de las mujeres en África, así como para reconocer a los hombres como aliados. La reunión también conmemoró el Día Internacional de la Mujer con el lema #EachforEqual (todos por la igualdad).

How much is the mission of the church related to people with disabilities? These days we talk a lot about inclusive societies and churches. But, have we arrived there? Are our societies and churches taking seriously the problems and challenges that people with disabilities face on a daily basis? People with disabilities find themselves quite often at the margins of the societies and even of the churches.

Fifty church development practitioners and leaders as well as organisations for persons with disabilities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda met in Nairobi, Kenya from 9-13 October to share their experiences on disability inclusion in church development programmes and to explore strategies to ensure inclusion of persons with disabilities in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The meeting was organised by WCC Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network Project on Disability Inclusion in Development.

Cincuenta dirigentes y profesionales del desarrollo en el marco de las iglesias, así como organizaciones de personas con discapacidad de Kenia, Tanzania y Uganda, se reunieron en Nairobi (Kenia) del 9 al 13 de octubre para compartir sus experiencias sobre la inclusión de la discapacidad en los programas de desarrollo de las iglesias y examinar estrategias que garanticen la inclusión de las personas con discapacidad en la aplicación de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS). La reunión fue organizada por el Proyecto sobre la Inclusión de la Discapacidad en el Desarrollo de la Red Ecuménica de Defensa de las Personas Discapacitadas (EDAN, por sus siglas en inglés) del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI).

Twenty church leaders from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania met in Arusha, Tanzania from 7-11 November to discuss deepening inclusion, participation and active involvement of persons with disabilities in the spiritual, social, economic and structural life of the church and society. The forum was organized by the WCC Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network and hosted by the Council of Churches in Tanzania.

Dr Samuel Kabue, an ordained elder of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, has been the person behind the solid work of the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network over the past years. On 6 October, he was interviewed by WCC communications, in Geneva, and talked about his memoirs, “From the Village to the World”, the importance of inclusiveness and the loud prophetic voice of the minorities in church and society.

Including persons with disabilities and the aged in humanitarian practices was the theme for the 4th annual International Humanitarian Partnership Conference in Nairobi on 21-22 September. More than 140 humanitarian practitioners, academicians and advocates met for the conference, organized by the Inter Agency Working Group on Disaster Preparedness for East and Central Africa (IAWG). The theme was “Disability and Age Inclusion in Humanitarian Practice: Scaling up inclusive practices toward the achievement of Agenda 2030.”

Forty representatives of national councils of persons with disabilities from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda met in Kigali, Rwanda from 8-11 August to explore ways in which they can promote disability-inclusive development in East Africa.

Cuarenta representantes de consejos nacionales de personas con discapacidad de Burundi, Kenia, Ruanda, Tanzania y Uganda se reunieron en Kigali (Ruanda) del 8 al 11 de agosto para estudiar de qué maneras pueden promover un desarrollo que tenga en cuenta la discapacidad en África Oriental.