WEA Geneva Office | Update on Advocacy for Freedom and Human Rights at the UN

Dear friends, Since our last update in January 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe.  In March, our planned event on the situation of churches in Algeria was canceled, along with most side-events during the Human Rights Council session. The Council halted its session in March, and resumed its work in June 2020 with social distancing measures, reduced presence on U.N. premises, and the use of teleconferencing technologies. The human rights review of countries by the Human Rights Committee, by the Universal Periodic Review working group, and by other U.N. mechanisms, were rescheduled in light of global travel restrictions that prevent delegations from countries under review to travel to Geneva. However, human rights violations and the threats to religious freedom only increased under COVID-19. And our work in Geneva did not stop, as we kept receiving advocacy requests from WEA members and communicating with United Nations mechanisms and other countries. We hereby share with you recent reports and statements, media citations, one job vacancy with our office (learn more), and partnership opportunities. Please lift up our reporting, our member alliances, and their countries in your prayers! Working with the Human Rights Council Burkina Faso | Oral statement on the escalation of violence form Jihadist militants in Burkina Faso that is particularly affecting the Christian community, March 6, 2020 Syria | Oral statement asking the international community to recognize the key role of local faith actors in Syria during the Human Rights Council interactive dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on Syria, March 10, 2020. India & Malaysia | Oral statement at the Human Rights Council expressing concern at violations of the right to freedom of religion in India, and calling for truth and justice for abducted Christians in Malaysia, March 11, 2020 Italy | Oral statement at the Human Rights Council denouncing discriminatory regional zoning laws in Italy that have led to authorities closing Evangelical churches, March 13, 2020 Conscientious objection | Statement before the Human Rights Council calling for the recognition of the right for health care providers to conscientious objection to abortion; the statement was cosponsored by 21 non-governmental and faith-based organizations. Watch the video. Sri Lanka | Report on freedom of religion or belief, freedom of expression and discrimination, submitted by jointly with our member the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka, on June 5, 2020. Sudan | Oral statement at the Human Rights Council welcoming amendments to Sudan’s criminal law including repealing the death penalty for apostasy, and expressing for the repeals of the crime of “insulting religion,” July 16, 2020. Watch the video. Spain | Oral statement appealing for conformity of Catalonian legislation on places of worship with international human rights law, and for Spain to refrain from any discriminatory provisions against religious minorities, July 16, 2020. Watch the video which includes the response of the Spanish ambassador to our statement. Central African Republic | Joint statement with Caritas Internationalis, in French, calling for accountability for crimes committed by various armed groups and for the full implementation of the peace accords, June 19, 2020. Watch the video. Racial justice | Oral Statement urging all countries to work against the over-representation of their racial, ethnic or indigenous minorities in prisons, June 16, 2020. Watch the video. Occupied Palestinian Territories | WEA Expresses Concerns about Israeli Annexation Plans in West Bank, June 23, 2020. Watch the video. India | Anti-Conversion Laws Threaten Freedom of Religion of Belief and Religious Harmony, a submission together with the Evangelical Fellowship of India August 20, 2020. Pakistan | Abduction, Religious Conversion, and Forced Marriage of Minors from Minority Religious Groups, a submission with the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs of the World Council of Churches, August 20, 2020. Algeria | Protestant Churches Forcibly Closed, Judiciary Refuses to Rescind Government Orders, a submission with the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs of the World Council of Churches, the Protestant Church of Algeria and the Middle East Concern, August 19, 2020. Photo: Human Rights Council session in June 2020 with social distancing measures Working with the Human Rights Committee Iraq | Report to the Human Rights Committee calling for the recognition of the Evangelical churches by the government of Iraq, April 20, 2020. Following our reporting, the Human Rights Committee requested from the Iraqi government "information on steps taken to ensure that registration of religious organizations is based on clear and objective criteria that are compatible with [its] obligations." Iran | Report on freedom of religion or belief and discrimination, submitted jointly with Open Doors, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Middle East Concern, and Article 18, May 29, 2020. Maldives | Freedom of Religion or Belief, Freedom of Expression, and the Right of Peaceful Assembly, August 14, 2020. Libya | Freedom of Religion or Belief and Non-Discrimination, a report submission with Open Doors and Middle East Concern, August 17, 2020. Contributing to the Universal Periodic Review Australia | Report on several key human rights issues submitted jointly with Ethos – the Australian Evangelical Alliance’s Centre for Christianity and Society, on 9 July 2020. Austria | Report on the trafficking of Nigerians, submitted jointly with the Austrian Evangelical Alliance, the European Evangelical Alliance, and Herzwerk – Initiative for People in Prostitution, July 8, 2020. Nepal | Report on Freedom of Religion or Belief, submitted jointly with more than a dozen of international and Nepalese organizations, July 8, 2020. Feedback from our Evangelical Constituency "My conclusion is that your intervention at the U.N. in Geneva constitutes an effective pressure so that the political position of the regional government and municipalities on the restrictions on Evangelical church buildings may be more flexible and avoid discrimination." Xesús Manuel García, president of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance “We need your support. We have appealed to the Supreme Court to rescind the unjust lower court decisions. Speaking up in Geneva will help our case.” A lawyer who defends victims of religious freedom violations WEA Geneva Liaison Office in the media Evangelical Focus | “The socio-economic impact of attacks against Christians is huge,” January 27, 2020. Christianity Today | Will International Religious Freedom Survive the Trump Administration? June 30, 2020 Christianity Today | Sudan Drops Death Penalty for Apostasy, Alcohol Ban for Christians, July 13, 2020. Evangelical Focus | Sudan repeals the death penalty for apostasy, July 17, 2020 Evangelical Focus | Spain accepts two religious freedom recommendations presented by the WEA at the UN Human Rights Council, July 17, 2020. Christianity Today | Researchers Find Christians in Iran Approaching 1 Million, September 3, 2020. Phare FM | Ces jeunes filles chrétiennes et hindoues au Pakistan, August 28, 2020 Join Our Team! Would you like to be part of our exciting ministry, relaying the voices of local Evangelicals to international forums? Do you feel called to researching on, and advocating for, human rights, religious freedom and the rule of law?  The WEA Geneva Liaison Office is looking for a full-time Research and Advocacy Officer, to be a part of the WEA Geneva UN Liaison team. This position is remote, based in the country of residence of the applicant.  Download the job description in PDF. Share our vacancy announcement on Twitter and Facebook.