WCC NEWS: WCC event - Water for Life: Bridging the Gap Between the Right to Water and Food

As part of its ongoing commitment to water and food for life, the World Council of Churches (WCC), through its Ecumenical Water Network, will cohost the side event Water for Life: Bridging the Gap Between the Right to Water and Food during the 52nd session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS 52). The hybrid event will be held on 22 October from 8:30 am to 9:45 am CEST at the Iran Room, FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy. Credit: Marcelo Schneider 17 October 2024 The side event, co-organized by the UN special rapporteurs on water and food rights and critical civil society organizations, will focus on the profound connection between access to water and food security. The WCC Ecumenical Water Network will emphasize faith communities’ moral and ethical responsibility to uphold the human rights to water and food, especially for marginalized populations. "The urgency and sacredness of water and food in the lives of communities cannot be understated," said Dinesh Suna, coordinator of the WCC Ecumenical Water Network. "Faith leaders and communities are uniquely positioned to speak for those without access to safe drinking water and nutritious food, ensuring that no one is left behind in this critical dialogue." The event will feature discussions on the Water and Food Nexus report presented by Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, UN special rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation. It will also explore opportunities for coordinated action between the water and food sectors at national and international levels. It is worth noting that the WCC for long has identified this nexus and has merged the programmes on water justice and food for life campaigns. WCC, alongside civil society and Indigenous peoples, will advocate for policy reforms that prioritize water for human consumption and equitable and sustainable food systems. “As the world faces an escalating water crisis and food insecurity, WCC invites faith communities and policymakers to participate in this dialogue actively. The side event is an opportunity to create lasting change by addressing systemic inequalities in water and food governance, promoting justice, and upholding human rights,” concludes Suna. For more information or to join the event online, register here. 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 Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland