The Anglican Communion’s engagement with the UN

THE Anglican Communion's relationship with the UN is managed by Martha Jarvis, the London-based Anglican Communion Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and by the Revd Glen Ruffle, the Geneva-based Assistant Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

"In essence, we are doing advocacy work – speaking up for those who have no voice – and trying to shape the world with Christian input to make it better. We act as a bridge between the UN institutions on the one hand and the Anglican Communion on the other". Read more.

From Anglican News

By Glen Ruffle

Dated 14 November 2023, 4:48PM - here is a copy in full:

The Anglican Communion’s new strategy for engagement with the UN

The Anglican Consultative Council is recognised as an official observer with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the UN Environment Programme. Our relationship with the UN is managed by Martha Jarvis, the London-based Anglican Communion Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and by the Revd Glen Ruffle, the Geneva-based Assistant Permanent Representative to the United Nations. In this post, Glen Ruffle outlines the Anglican Communion’s new strategy for engagement with the UN. 

The Anglican Communion has enjoyed observer status with ECOSOC since 1985. In 2021, the Anglican Communion Standing Committee agreed a new strategy to engage in more depth with the United Nations institutions. 

As part of the new strategy, the structure of the Anglican Communion Office at the United Nations was changed, to enable a person “on the ground” in Geneva, where the UN’s human rights institutions are mainly based. In August this year, I was able to relocate to Geneva and begin that role. 

Understanding the UN is a mammoth task: both me and Martha, the Permanent Representative, are new to our roles and it’s taken time to work out which institutions do what and how we should and can engage. But as 2024 fast approaches, we are really getting a better view and beginning to have an effect. 

There are two sides to our work: we act as a bridge between the UN institutions on the one hand and the Anglican Communion on the other. Some Anglican Member Churches are formidable advocacy machines; they speak out for truth and challenge injustice. It is easy to work with these Churches and help them engage with the UN. 

Others, however, are facing far greater challenges: it’s hard for them just to hold a church service each week without being arrested, let along think of submitting a report to the UN! So with these Churches, we speak with their leaderships and seek to find ways we can sponsor another organisation’s reports if we cannot ourselves safely say anything directly. 

In essence, we are doing advocacy work – speaking up for those who have no voice – and trying to shape the world with Christian input to make it better. As followers of Jesus, we believe every person is loved by him, that he died and rose to offer the whole world salvation, and that salvation includes the renewal of this world now, as well as at the final judgement. We believe we are called to protect and honour the image of God in each and every person, and in legal language, this is known as human rights. 

In Geneva, human rights are monitored in a building called the Palais de Nations, which houses the Human Rights Council. This institution reviews the human rights situation across the world, and in a process called the Universal Periodic Review, subjects each state to a quadrennial analysis. This process allows other states and NGOs to report on the situation in the state under investigation, and usually results in that state improving the human rights situation within its borders. 

When our Churches engage with this, we can pressure governments to improve and let the world know of the issues our Churches are facing. 

Sometimes there are situations happening now, and we need to speak out urgently. For this the UN has special rapporteurs and “special procedures” – people focusing on specific target areas. They can apply diplomatic pressure immediately when situations deteriorate, and let governments know that the world is watching. This doesn’t always stop atrocities, but it can reduce their intensity. 

We try and encourage our Churches to engage with this process. Very often the UN issues calls for input to ask experts to tell the UN about specific issues, and we encourage our Churches to engage with these. 

Geneva is also home to UNHCR, the refugee agency of the UN. This year UNHCR is holding the Global Refugee Forum, and so we are seeking to gather information on the work that Anglican Communion Member Churches across the world are doing to help and support refugees, and to tell the UN about this work. This will allow states, the UN, other NGOs and potential donors and funders to see the incredible work Anglicans are doing, leading to greater cooperation to help those who are forced to migrate because of conflict, climate change or lack of resources. 

There is so much work that has to be done, and so many institutions and organisations, that unfortunately we have to prioritise certain things over others. But the NGO community is lovely, and we’ve had some great meetings with organisations such as Dominicans for Peace and Justice, Franciscans International, the International Catholic Migration Committee, the Red Cross and the Act Alliance. We are aiming to build connections with the Missions of UN member states over the coming months. 

Right after COP28, there is International Human Rights Day, celebrated each year on 10 December. This year, Human Rights Day will celebrate the 75 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed, so we aim to join the UN celebrations – look out for our social media campaign and a downloadable resource to help churches do this. 

After this, the Refugee Forum begins – so it’s going to be a busy December, but it is a privilege to serve the global church in this way, and I often pinch myself and say “Am I really here, doing this?” God has certainly been kind to me. I hope I can be a tool he uses to show mercy to others.”

View original: https://www.anglicannews.org/blogs/2023/11/the-anglican-communion’s-new-strategy-for-engagement-with-the-un.aspx

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