Anglican Communion News Service - Digest News

Two topics followed closely by AUNO Geneva were high on the agenda of the concluding part of the UN Human Rights Council’s 6^th session in December; namely, the situation in Darfur and interreligious issues. As well as extending the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on Sudan and on the freedom of religion or belief, five other mandates were extended (health, internally displaced people, housing and terrorism). In terms of expert groups, the group on Darfur was terminated, while a new group on the rights of indigenous peoples was created.

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For the first time in the UN Human Rights Council’s short existence, substantive issues took slight precedence over institutional issues during this September leg of its sixth session.  Although the Council still had work to do to finalise the Universal Periodic Review process, the session involved lively discussions on several issues, including the defamation of religion.  In this regard, AUNO Geneva signed a statement as part of its work on religion and spirituality at the UN.  In the end, a successful bid for a ‘Special Session’ on Myanmar managed to re-focus the Council’s efforts on working together to protect human rights worldwide.

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As part of their mandate to build relationships between the Anglican Community and UN bodies based in Geneva, representatives from AUNO Geneva were recently amongst the 300 or so participants to attend the 20th meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Co-ordinating Board (PCB).

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Apart from a few notable substantive items – including an intervention from Archbishop Desmond Tutu on the situation in Beit Hanoun, and a report providing a roadmap for addressing human rights violations in Darfur - the fifth session of the UN Human Rights Council focussed on finalising its basic institutional infrastructure.  This was achieved by way of a Presidential text, which was dramatically agreed upon just minutes before a midnight deadline on June 18th.  The main implications of this text are as follows:

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By launching a new project to map the Anglican response to HIV/AIDS in Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia, the Anglican-UN Office (AUNO) in Geneva aims to encourage more partnership between international and public health agencies and the Anglican Communion.

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The opening of a Geneva office in April 2007 hails a new phase for Anglican representation at the United Nations.  Funded through a grant from the Anglican Communion, the office is a physical sign of Anglican commitment to the international humanitarian issues that are central to UN work in Geneva.

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Since the creation of the UN Human Rights Council in 2006, (to replace the UN Commission on Human Rights – see Geneva Digest Feb-July 2006,) attention has focussed more on procedural issues than on substantive issues.  This fourth Session of the Council was no exception, and such discussions continued to dominate the proceedings – although the majority were held outside the main meeting in specific groups, each concentrating on a different aspect of the new Council.  Of great interest and tension are the terms of reference for the annual review of each state’s human rights performance during the previous year, as well as the elections of new members. These discussions are ongoing and will be finalised at the 5th Session to be held from 11-18th June.

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Trinity Church Wall Street New York to host celebration of this new ministry.

The new Anglican Observer at the United Nations, Mrs Hellen Grace Akwii-Wangusa of Uganda, will be installed during the 11 a.m. Eucharist at the historic New York Episcopal Church, Trinity and St Paul's, Wall Street on Sunday, February 4^th 2007. The Bishop of Auckland, the Rt Revd John Paterson, chair of the world-wide Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), will preach at the service and the rector, the Revd Dr. James Cooper will preside at the Eucharist. This will be followed by a special “handing over” ceremony of Hellen Wangusa to her new position as Anglican Observer, by the Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Uganda, Mr. Adonia Ayebare.

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A Call to Partnership- Communique from the Consultation of Religious Leaders on Global Poverty

September 13, 2005

Please note: Attending the consultation: the Secreary General of the Anglican Communion Canon Kenneth Kearon, Lord Carey of Clifton, Archbishop Ndungane of Cape Town, the Archbishop and Primate of Canada, Bishop John Chane, and some 30 other global Christian leaders. Ed.

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International Church Leaders Unite to Insist Poverty Reduction Targets Be Met

More than 30 leaders of Christian denominations worldwide will gather at Washington National Cathedral on Sunday, Sept. 11, to affirm the UN plan to halve extreme poverty by 2015 and propose stepped up action to eradicate poverty throughout the world.

Participants will call for a recommitment to achieve the Millennium Development Goals as laid out by UN members in 2000.

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The Anglican Observer at the United Nations, Archdeacon Taimalelagi F. Tuatagaloa-Matalavea, was recently named a Member of the Order of Samoa, her native country.

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Members of the Anglican-UN Representation in Geneva will be attending the Human Rights Commission - a major annual conference drawing together UN member states, national institutions, international organisations and NGOs/Civil Society - on behalf of the Anglican Observer at the United Nations.

Topics of vital interest to members of the Anglican Communion are on the agenda, including: Promotion and Protection of Human Rights; Rights of the Child; Indigenous People's Issues; Women and the Gender Perspective; Religious Freedom; the Right to Development; Racism

Those with an interest in the Commission can find out more on http://www.ohchr.org

Anglican women joined other participants in the 49th session of the UN's Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) gathered at the United Nations Church Center for a screening of Ladies First, a film highlighting the new roles of Rwandan women in government, business, education and reconciliation.

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For the first two weeks in March, the Mothers' Union will be represented at the United Nations' Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and will be involved in discussions with governments, other NGOs and women on the progress made in achieving gender equality worldwide.

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This morning during the annual meeting of the Advisory Council to the Anglican Observer at the United Nations (ACAOUN) we received the shocking news from Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal in Jerusalem about the aggressive entry into Saint George's Cathedral, Jerusalem, by Israeli Special Polices Forces.

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Set to visit an Episcopal parish known for feeding as many as 1,300 needy people daily, the Anglican Observer at the United Nations is scheduled to preach at 11am on Sunday, 29 August, at Holy Apostles Church near Madison Square Garden - site of the Republican National Convention (RNC) 30 August to 2 September.

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