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Bo, Sierra Leone; Over twenty participants have gathered in the Sierra Leonean City of Bo, for their participation in a three-day intensive training workshop for project staffs and church leaders in the Mano River Basin taking place at Galliness Paradise Hotel.
The church leaders and staffs are from Liberia, Guinea and host Sierra Leone.
According to the Regional Executive Director of the Faith and Justice Network, Rev Dr. Tolbert Thomas Jallah Jr, the capacity building training will empower staffs with the knowledge and tools to developed indicators and prepare writing narrative reports based on cooperation agreement to advocate for human rights and uphold the rule of law in the respective countries.
“To strengthen our capacity as church leaders to address injustice through a faith-based lens, rooted in comparison and integrity; and foster a collaborative network of like-minded individuals committed to championing human dignity, equality, and justice for all, especially the most vulnerable through teamwork”. RED. Jallah adds
RED Jallah, said the workshop reflects our collective commitment to addressing these issues through informed advocacy ranging from political instability and poverty to human rights violations.
“This gathering brings together dedicated advocates, church leaders and stakeholders from the across the Mano River Basin Countries at a pivotal moment in the our region’s journey towards justice and equality.” RED Jallah , noted
Several presenters will mounted the podium at the Galliness Paradise Hotel and present on topics ranging from “Goal, Vision and Mandate of the Faith and Justice Network, Promoting Citizens Participations and Public Policies Formulation and Implementations Through Churches in Mano River Basin Countries to overcome , Poverty and Inequalities others are, Sustaining Human Rights and Rule of Law Efforts in the Mano River Basin and The Significance of Project Monitoring and Evaluation amongst others.
Delivering his keynote address, Right Rev. Solomon Leonard Scott Manga, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Bo, I am highly honored and excited to be called upon to give a keynote address on the theme “The Churches perspective for promoting and sustaining Human Rights and the Rule of Law in the Mano River Basin” indeed issues of bordering on Human Rights and the Rule of Law should not just be pre-occupation of state institutions but the churches as well. Secular schools of thought may attribute the source of these concepts to some educators, but they emerged form God’s word and His son Jesus Christ.
“The Universal Declaration recognizes that the inherent dignity of all human beings and promoting and protecting human rights is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace.”
Universal and indivisible, and anchored in fundamental values that span every culture and continent, human rights are also tools that help to provide sustainable solutions to the world’s biggest challenges -increasing in equalities within and between nations, discrimination on the basis of the gender,race,disability ,sexual orientation, belonging indigenous people minorities or other grounds ,insecurity ,divisiveness and conflict ,fueled by the hate speech and disinformation, setting aside the complexities of the definitions and the rule of law id fundamental in this regard.
Across multiple and varied jurisdictions, the legal community is instrumental in upholding and promoting the rule of law in order for the human rights to be properly protected. The United Nations- as recently re-affirm in the then Secretary General’s New Vision of Rule of Law-defines the rule of law as “ a principle of governance in which all persons, institutions and entities, public and private including the state itself, are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated ,equally enforced and independently adjudicated ,and which are consistent with international human rights norms and standards.
Additionally, the rule of law can be promoted and sustained if the following principles are maintained. The rule of law is durable system of laws, institution, norms and community commitment that delivers for universal principles, Accountability, Just Law, Open Government, Accessible and Impartial Justice.
Faith based institutions must ensure these principles of good governance emphatically preached in their gospel presentations.
Human Rights and the rule of law should be aligned with (Amos 5:24) “But let justice roll down as waters, and righteousness as mighty stream” in the Mano River Basin. Bishop Manga concluded.
Right Rev. Solomon Leonard Scott Manga, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Bo of Sierra Leone and Bishop Dr. James B. Selle, Bishop Episcopal Church of Liberia are attendance at the occasion.
Championing the human rights and the rule of law and capacity building workshop for staffs and church leaders in the basin, this event is held under the auspice of the Faith and Justice Network.
The Faith and Justice Network (FJN) is a leading faith-based advocacy organization dedicated to promoting justice, peace, and sustainable development across Liberia and the Mano River Basin.
