WCC NEWS: At COP28 side event, 12-year-old Faith Sebwa urges including children with disabilities in climate discussions

On 9 December, during a COP28 side event titled "Faith communities & resilient frontliners responding to the nexus of food-water-climate change,” 12-year-old Faith Sebwa had a clear message to the world 12-year-old Faith Sebwa deloivers her message during the COP28 side event on faith communities responding to climate change. Photo: Simon Chambers/ACT 12 December 2023 Sebwa, who has a hearing disability, spoke through a sign language interpreter. She urged including children with disabilities in COP28. “Our ideas, our voices are very important, so please consult us when making these changes,” she said. “Children with disabilities must be included in the discussions about climate change.” Prof. Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, United Nations special rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, cited statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: 70 percent of fresh water is used for agriculture and food production, while one-third of the food produced get wasted and a corresponding amount of water, too, gets wasted. “Thus, we need to be mindful of food production and water usage,” he said. WCC programme director of Public Witness and Diakonia Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata, via a video message, reflected that climate change cannot be addressed in isolation. “There is an intricate relationship between climate change and its impact on both food and water systems,” he said. “As our planet continues to warm, it poses significant challenges to agriculture, food production, and access to clean water.” Mohon Kumar Mondal, founder and executive director of LEDARS, a community organization in Bangladesh, highlighted how LEDARS is working to respond to the impact of climate change by improving access to clean water and providing employment and education opportunities among vulnerable communities in Bangladesh. WCC special page on COP28   Global Climate Action spotlight: Faith actors' crucial role echoes at COP28 (WCC news release, 3 December 2023)   WCC general secretary: “At COP 28 we have to speak up for justice” (WCC news release 3 December 2023)   Interfaith talanoa dialogue brings “ethical, moral, and spiritual voice” to COP28 (WCC news release, 30 November 2023)   As COP28 begins, faith communities stand ready to push for climate justice (WCC news release, 30 November 2023) See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland