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A Toolkit on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for religious leaders, developed by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in collaboration with INERELA+ and UNESCO, was launched during an event on 19 November.

Religious leaders are participating in online training on male engagement in Zimbabwe, 12-16 July. The participants are drawn from diverse faith communities and will come up with action plans to enhance their work with boys and men.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is mourning the passing away of Hendrew Lusey-Gekawaku on 13 October 2020. He was a registered nurse, public health practitioner and ecumenist who contributed enormously to ecumenical and interfaith HIV and AIDS responses.

Amid growing concerns over runaway corruption and public debt in Africa, the All Africa Conference of Churches on 21 September launched a policy brief on the challenges, saying the two were now inseparable in the continent.

Stories from Uganda are underscoring the resilience and hope that churches and education can bring in the face of stigma. Programmes developed by the World Council of Churches Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy have helped people eliminate stigma associated with HIV and AIDS by providing accurate information; safe spaces in which to share; and a faith-based, science-backed approach to health and healing.

During a ceremony recognizing how young people in Uganda are true “agents of change” in health and healing, Rev. Pauline Njiru, eastern Africa regional coordinator for the World Council of Churches Ecumenical HIV & AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy programme, said young people are bringing a fresh drive for justice in many local communities.

Ayoko Bahun-Wilson is regional coordinator for West Africa for the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy programme. She hosted a weekly radio show for churches in Benin called “Zero Rape, Zero Violence.” The show was offered in collaboration by the WCC, Deborah Network, INACES and Hosannah Radio.

Below, Bahun-Wilson reflects on how the radio show, offered every Wednesday for three months, has heightened awareness—but there are many challenges that remain.

Frontline actions by African faith communities in mitigating against the novel coronavirus are being welcomed as timely, as groups move to support people left vulnerable by the pandemic.

Using lessons learned from building health-competent faith communities and responding to the HIV and AIDS epidemic, African church leaders are doing their best to help their communities cope with the novel coronavirus.

Africa is of huge concern around the novel coronavirus pandemic for the World Health Organization (WHO), but the continent’s churches have been preparing for the silent and lethal virus for some time.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy programme sponsored an intergenerational workshop on HIV, masculinities, femininities and sexual reproductive health education for 35 adolescents, young people, theologians, and religious leaders from 28-30 October at the Village du Benin, University of Lomé, Togo.

Religious leaders are learning to communicate better with adolescents about sexuality and other issues young people face, said participants at a training workshop using materials developed by the World Council of Churches Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy programme.