 About
the Lutheran Office for World Community
(LOWC)
LOWC Update - #10
August 2007
An occasional, informal bulletin of news, events and resources
for LOWC partners.
News
First-ever International Women's Summit on HIV and AIDS
concludes with a call to action
The International Women's Summit on HIV and AIDS, hosted by the
World YWCA in partnership with the International Community of Women
Living with HIV and AIDS, was held in Nairobi, Kenya from 4-7 July.
The event brought together more that 1,500 participants from 95
countries, including over 300 women living with HIV.
Read the declaration at:
http://tinyurl.com/ysgfsu
Handout for creating partnerships with HIV positive women:
http://tinyurl.com/yvo5dc
Women push onto African agenda
The status of women in many African countries is improving. "Africa
is in a period of great experiment," says Ms. Anne Marie Goetz, who
heads the governance, peace and security division at the UN
Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). "Things are starting to change,
as countries see a window of opportunity to create ways for women to
contribute their skills and talents to national development."
[Africa Renewal]
For more about women's leadership in Africa:
http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200707231862.htm
LWF young adults share their lives through blogging
By introducing a blog, a kind of collective Internet diary, the
Lutheran World Federation is intensifying interaction among young
people throughout the global church communion. "It is something like
a global youth group," said LWF/DMD youth secretary Rev. Roger
Schmidt. "Alexandra from Colombia, for instance, talks about her
difficulties in finding a job," Schmidt explained. "Benny from
Indonesia shares with the others his experience in preparing for
seminary teaching." The youth secretary himself will write about the
international ecumenical world. Blog participation is, however, not
limited to these seven young people. Schmidt encouraged others to
join in as "anyone can react to articles by submitting comments on
the blog, or can send in requests for topics."
http://www.lwfyouth.org
Prayer resources now available for International Day of Peace
On 21 September, churches and communities throughout the world are
committing to the International Day of Peace through prayer,
meditation and other forms of spiritual observance. For 2007, the
WCC office for the Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) has made
available prayer and liturgical resources developed in the context
of this year's DOV focus on Europe and its theme "Make me an
instrument of your peace".
http://overcomingviolence.org/en/about-dov/international-day-of-prayer-for-peace/resources.html
ELCA Assembly votes on social concerns; re-elects presiding
bishop
The Tenth Biennial Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) acted on a variety of topics, including a
churchwide initiative focused on Bible study, a social statement on
education, the ELCA's financial future, an extension of the ELCA's
full communion relationship with the Moravian Church, sexuality
matters and a new social statement on criminal justice. The assembly
acted on proposals regarding social concerns such as HIV and AIDS,
the situation in Darfur, Sudan, the Iraq War, military veterans, and
the conflict in Israel and Palestine. The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA
presiding bishop, was re-elected and chaired the assembly. Hanson is
also president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Geneva. The
assembly also elected a new ELCA secretary, David D. Swartling.
About 2,000 people participated, including 1,069 voting members. The
theme was "Living in God's Amazing Grace: Thanks Be to God!"
[Adapted from ELCA news service] A brief summary of actions from the
2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is available:
http://www.elca.org/assembly/summary/
LOWC continues monitoring women’s rights convention
Recently, the UN Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) met at the United
Nations for their 38th session. The Lutheran Office for World
Community has written reports about the meetings proceedings, on the
following countries: Norway; Brazil; Kenya. These reports are useful
for advocacy for women’s rights at the national level.
To receive a copy of these reports, email
Emily Freeburg
Ecumenical community gears up for Trade Week of Action: 14-21
Oct.
Join with millions of people around the world from 14 -21 October to
call for justice in global trade!†† The Trade Week of Action will be
a time for churches and other groups all over the world to speak out
and call for trade justice. People will be taking action on the
issues that matter for each person's communities and regions, such
as campaigning on EPAs or CAFTA, on farming or the garment industry,
demonstrating in front of the World Bank, or holding a fair trade
meal in a church hall.
http://www.tradeweek.org/
The resource guide explores the interactions between trade,
agriculture, food and human rights and includes stories, action
ideas, Biblical reflections and tips for campaigning. There is also
a full liturgy that can be used for church services during the Week.
You can order printed copies of the resource for no charge at:
http://www.e-alliance.ch/newsletters/www.e-alliance.ch/twa_order.jsp
You can also download the guide in pdf form at:
English:
www.e-alliance.ch/media/media-6972.pdf
EspaÒol:
www.e-alliance.ch/media/media-6999.pdf
FranÁais:
www.e-alliance.ch/media/media-7000.pdf
PortuÍges:
www.e-alliance.ch/media/media-7001.pdf
Plans begin for the International Day for the Eradication of
Poverty – 17 Oct.
The Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) is organizing a
range of mobilization activities, both in preparation for 17
October, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, and
for other national and regional occasions. In Bangladesh , The
People's Forum has kick-started its build up to 17 October with a
workshop on poverty and inequality in Dhaka.† Momentum around
mobilistion is also building in Brazil , where a meeting of the
national coalition and its partners will be taking place. There are
plans to relaunch the Global Call to Action against Poverty with a
strong focus on women's issues and rights within the region in 2007.
For more information, see
www.whiteband.org.
New Research and Reports
Monitoring G-8 commitments to Africa
A new report from Debt AIDS Trade Africa (DATA) measures progress of
G-8 countries for 2006 - the year when policy changes agreed in 2005
should have begun to take effect.† It is the second annual report
monitoring the G8's progress in delivering its commitments to Africa
by 2010, and is comprised of research from African civil society
organizations.
http://www.thedatareport.org/
Understanding Pediatric AIDS and Medicine
The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance has prepared a background paper on
pediatric AIDS available at:
English:
http://www.e-alliance.ch/media/media-6995.pdf
Kiswahili:
http://www.e-alliance.ch/media/media-6997.pdf
Because I am a Girl: The State of the World's Girls 2007
Plan International offers a 98-page publication that summarizes
issues of inequality and poverty faced by many girls and includes
relevant tables and statistics. This is the first of several reports
on the topic to come from this group, and it offers an eight-point
action plan listing steps through which individuals, organizations,
and governments can contribute to improve girls' lives.
http://www.plan-international.org/pdfs/becauseiamagirl.pdf
Addressing Early Marriage in Areas of High HIV Prevalence: A
Program to Delay Marriage and Support Married Girls in Rural Nyanza,
Kenya
This brief report from Population Council describes a program
addressing the problem of early marriage, the reproductive risks
associated with early marriage, and the risk of HIV infection
transmission within marriage. The program was based on the
Population Council's analysis of the 2003 Kenya Demographic and
Health Survey (KDHS) as well as on formative research within the
rural Nyanza community in Kenya.
http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/TABriefs/GFD_Brief19_EARLYMARRIAGE.pdf
or contact:
publications@popcouncil.org
Adapting to climate change: what's needed in poor countries
and who should pay
Human-induced climate change is already causing harm to the world's
poorest people, who are the least responsible for emissions and
least able to adapt to climatic shocks, according to a new report
published by international agency Oxfam. The agency called on G8
countries to urgently take action to keep global warming below 2
Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) and pledge to help poorest cope with the
impacts. The report estimates that poor countries will need around
$50 billion a year to adapt to the harmful effects of climate
change, a conservative estimate that will rise sharply if emissions
are not cut drastically.
http://www.oxfam.org/en/policy/briefingpapers/bp104_climate_change_0705
20 Critical issues for a successful outcome of the Human
Rights Council's institution building process
International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) has produced a
detailed analysis of the UN Human Rights Council after its first
year in operation.† ISHR concludes that overall, the different parts
of the institution building process must be combined into a coherent
whole, and are critical to an effective outcome of the institution
building of the Council.
http://www.ishr.ch/lca/advocacy_kits/ngo_20_critical_issues_4_june_2007.pdf
Toolkits and resources
"Engaging with the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and
Malaria – A primer for faith-based organizations"
The new handbook, providing technical assistance and help with the
grant application process, was produced by Friends of the Global†
Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; World Vision; and
Christian Connections for International Health. Available at:
http://www.theglobalfight.org/FBO.htm
Grace, Care and Justice: A handbook for HIV and AIDS work, now
available online
This handbook from the Lutheran World Federation helps people from
all walks of life be more active and effective in administering to
people living with or affected by HIV and AIDS, and in so doing to
bear witness to God's grace, care and justice for all people.
Available at:
http://www.lutheranworld.org/LWF_Documents/HIV-Handbook-web.pdf
Workshop manual and HIV, AIDS and Islam
This workshop manual produced by Positive Muslims is for communities
or groups wishing to foster a discussion of HIV and AIDS in the
context of Islamic communities.
http://www.e-alliance.ch/media/media-6994.pdf
Called to Care: toolkit for faith-based organizations and
communities
The Strategies for Hope Trust is publishing a 'toolkit' of 10
practical,
action-oriented handbooks and mini-manuals on issues related to HIV
and AIDS, designed for use by church leaders and communities,
especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The first three titles are:
• Positive Voices: Religious leaders living with or personally
affected by HIV and AIDS:
http://www.stratshope.org/b-cc-01-positive.htm
• Making it Happen: A guide to help your congregation do HIV/AIDS
work:
http://www.stratshope.org/b-cc-02-happen.htm
• Time to talk: A guide to family life in the age of AIDS.
http://www.stratshope.org/b-cc-03-talk.htm
Our Future: Sexuality and Life Skills Education for Young
People - books
International HIV/AIDS Alliance offers three books, intended for
children, which provide information about puberty, friendship,
gender, sexuality, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, HIV
and AIDS, and drug use. All the books contain learning activities
and illustrations. The topics and activities were designed for the
Zambian national curriculum or to be used in extracurricular
activities in or out of school. The books are accompanied by a
Teachers' Guide.
Book 1: Grades 4-5
http://www.aidsalliance.org/graphics/secretariat/publications/Our_Future_Grades_4-5.pdf
(PDF, 2.87 MB)
Book 2: Grades 6-7
http://www.aidsalliance.org/graphics/secretariat/publications/Our_Future_Grades_6-7.pdf
(PDF, 3.08 MB)
Book 3: Grades 8-9
http://www.aidsalliance.org/graphics/secretariat/publications/Our_Future_Grades_8-9.pdf
(PDF, 3.45 MB)
Grants and Opportunities
AIDS 2008: Applying for a scholarship
Those interested in applying for a scholarship for the 2008
International AIDS Conference in Mexico City must complete the
on-line International Scholarship Application Form which will be
available through the conference profile on the website
(www.aids2008.org) from December 2007. The deadline for applying for
an international scholarship is 26 February 2008. Applications
received after this date will not be considered. Any further
questions concerning the International Scholarship Program should be
addressed to
internationalscholarship@aids2008.org
Proctor and Gamble corporate philanthropy targets children
P&G is focusing its support on our global corporate program, Live,
Learn and Thrive, which focuses reaching children in need, prenatal
to 13 years of age. P & G wants to help children live by ensuring a
healthy start; to provide them with places, tools and programs that
enhance their ability to learn; and to help them develop skills for
life so they can thrive. Improving the quality of life for children
in need is a powerful and tangible way to bring P&G's Purpose to
life. Grant guidelines are at
http://www.pg.com/company/our_commitment/grant_application_guidelines.jhtml
This issue was produced by Emily Freeburg, Jared Stahler and
Dennis Frado. |
