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The Interconnected Justice Society and human rights activists have raised concerns over the rising cases of anti-human rights movement worldwide that seeks to roll back the marginalised, minorities and women’s reproductive rights.
These rights have been won over the last 20 years.
Ahead of the International Day of Families, this year’s theme is “Family-Oriented Policies for Sustainable Development”.
They are also concerned about how Kenyan families are struggling to make ends meet and the inadequate reproductive health services, making it difficult for women to access basic maternal health care.
The group opines that society has been distracted over the years from thinking about family issues being tied to sexual orientation or gender identity.
It is also a distraction from where there is a need to focus on as a nation, which is to ensure that families are places of healing, divine inspiration, safety, and dignity, and that no family should reject anybody.
Addressing the press, Mr. Houghton Irungu – Executive Director, Amnesty International Kenya, noted that ” We are very concerned about the rising numbers, which continue to rise from unwanted pregnancies of young people and minors. We’re very concerned that we do not have, I guess, the resources to support young people, particularly in an era where they are increasingly feeling the peer pressure and the need to conform to societal expectations. We are very concerned by their attempts to isolate families into correct and moral, and families that are not moral and that are somehow broken. We have to recognise that in Kenya today, we have all kinds of families, polygamous families, families that are raised by grandparents, single-headed households, and even orphan families. And there are increasing numbers of children parenting children. And these are all major concerns for Amnesty International”.
Bishop Joseph Tolton, President of Interconnected Justice, warned that white supremacy, backed by some conservative groups, threatens African descent globally.
They undermine Africa’s democracies and resources while sowing division.
He urged Africans to unite under Ubuntu and African liberation for peace and prosperity.
The Interconnected Justice Affirming Elders Council have termed “ A Call For Pan African Liberation”.
A Dangerous Agenda for Africa’s Future Across the African continent. Noting that at the centre of this agenda is a proposed “African Charter on Family Values” that is being advanced for adoption at the African Union level.
They argue that the proposed charter is not about protecting African families. It is a political manoeuvre strategy – designed to undo the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, silence pro-democracy voices, movements, and erase the rights of historically marginalised groups.
“By pushing for a continental-level decision at the African Union, these actors are attempting to bypass the voices of 54 parliaments and peoples. This is not democracy, it is a shortcut to injustice – one that risks centralising repression, silencing dissent, undermining human dignity, and rolling back decades of progress made by African people for African people.”
Bishop Elijah Sakha, has urged Pan Africans to stand together in unity and solidarity, in making sure that anything concerning African families must be planned, organized, and be implemented by Africans, because it is Africans who understands better what is ailing the society so standing together, is easier and to do what is really needed.
While implementing the policies, Pan Africans have been urged to incorporate equality, diversity and inclusivity.
According to Florence Nyaoke, Interconnected Justice Kenya Country Coordinator, they are working to reunify Africans in Africa and people of African descent globally.
Guided by the vision of the Africa union in the AU agenda, 2063 of becoming an integrated, prosperous, peaceful Africa driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international arena, they stand as a voice that is defending African democracy, that is protecting hard won freedoms that are enshrined in the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, that are reclaiming African sovereignty from foreign backed ideologies that deny our people’s rights to participate, choose and live in dignity.
Africans have been urged to unite in building a futures built on democracy where power belongs to the people and not fear of foreign interests, freedom of expression and belief, including the rights to challenge power, to speak truth to power, inclusion and safety for all, especially for those most at risk, not forgetting Pan African solidarity, across borders, across identities and generations as they solve rising poverty, broken health systems, broken health systems, illiteracy, gender based violence among other challenges affecting the continent.
