WCC NEWS: WCC expresses deep concern for human rights in Haiti

With an intervention delivered by Max Weber, a student at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, the World Council of Churches expressed deep concern for human rights in Haiti.  Max Weber, student of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, United Nations, Geneva, March 2024, Photo: WCC 28 March 2024 The intervention—cosigned by the Dominicans, Dominican Leadership Conference, and Congregation of St Joseph and Passionists International—was read before the UN Human Rights Council. “Hospitals are overwhelmed by the number of victims of gunshot wounds, and over 360,000 have become internally displaced,” reads the intervention. “Half of these are children.” The intervention notes that access to guns is reportedly far greater than access to food, clean water, and medicine. “Livelihoods are disrupted, children cannot go to school, some pastors have been kidnapped during church services, and churches are now closed,” the text reads. “The gangs have restricted everyone’s movements and control the ports and the roads.” Many public offices and houses have been destroyed, the intervention further notes. “We urge the Human Rights Council to call for an international presence in Haiti to bring safety to the people in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian standards,” reads the text. “We call upon the international community to take all possible measures to support the formation and implementation of a Haitian transitional council.” The intervention concludes: “All sectors of society, including churches, must be heard and their messages incorporated into an inclusive Haitian-led peace process which is critically needed to bring to an end the cycle of violence and to build a democratic society based on the respect for human rights.”   Watch here the session during which Max Weber, is delivering the WCC statement at the United Nations, Geneva Learn more about the WCC work on "Human dignity and rights" 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