wfn.org | Biblical background for South American human rights workshop

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

Churches introduced to regional, UN instruments and mechanisms

GEORGETOWN, Guyana/GENEVA,1 March 1999 (lwi) Bible studies based on
Jeremiah and Deborah provided the biblical background for a Lutheran
World Federation (LWF) human rights training workshop which took
place in the Guyana capital from 20 to 22 January 1999.

Fourth in a series of training workshops aimed at equipping member
churches to be more active in the field of human rights, it was
designed to provide an introduction to a broad range of United
Nations and regional human rights instruments and mechanisms for the
English-speaking member churches in South America. The theme,
Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Relations, provided a regionally
relevant context within which to consider practical application of
these mechanisms.

Among the 29 participants were 10 from the Lutheran Church in Guyana
and another 9 from the Lutheran Church in Suriname. The presidents of
both churches were among the participants. The training was
facilitated by the LWF Office for International Affairs and Human
Rights and Rev. Margaret Roberts of the Lutheran Church in Guyana.

Rev. Dr. Lewin Williams of the United Theological College of the West
Indies delivered a keynote address on Theological imperatives for
human rights. Guyana's minister for education, Rev. Dr. Dale Bisnauth
made a presentation based on the theme. Mr. Michael
McCormack and Ms. Merle Mendonca of the Guyana Human Rights
Association spoke on key human rights issues for the region, and
illustrated the practicalities of human rights work through specific
case studies.

Recommendations made by participants focussed on awareness raising
and education, networking, and monitoring and advocacy. Practical
proposals included encouraging Bible studies on human rights themes;
looking for appropriate local partners on human rights issues,
ecumenically, in the interfaith context, and within civil society
generally; and obtaining copies of reports submitted by government
under human rights treaty obligations, and making representations in
relation to any inaccuracies or incompleteness in those reports.

*       *       *
Lutheran World Information
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/